For today's bible study we will look at John the beloved disciple who got the closest to our Lord Jesus. John, unlike the other eleven disciples, decided to constantly be near Jesus in the Garden of Gesthemane. I pray in Jesus name we can all be like John and daily walk close to Jesus to overcome this world. Notice that John in the picture above at the Lord's supper leaned on Jesus' bosom and laid his head on Jesus' breast. John 13:23 says Now there was leaning on Jesus bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved. Two verses down at John 13:25, it says He then lying on Jesus' breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it? John was so close to Jesus on his bosom and breast that John heard the heartbeat of God. Friends, let's all walk so close to Jesus like John that we can hear the heartbeat of God.
You might say how do we know that John was the unnamed beloved disciple in the gospel of John. If we look at John 21 we see that Peter wanted to know if the unnamed beloved disciple who leaned on Jesus' breast would not die. The apostle John proclaimed himself at John 21:24 that he was the unnamed beloved disciple stating This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things; and we know that his testimony is true. I believe that John did not state his name as the beloved disciple because John was humble. John did not proudly state I am the beloved disciple, or I am the disciple that outran Peter to see Jesus' empty tomb.
Friends, pictured above we see a blessed painting of what Jesus saw from the cross. We see that John was the only one of the twelve disciples at the cross with Jesus comforting the three Mary's. John walked the closest to Jesus of all the disciples and had the honor of hearing Jesus at the cross say John take care of my mother Mary. John 19:26 tells us When Jesus therefore saw his mother and the disciple standing by, whom He loved, He saith unto His mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith He to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.
John had the honor of taking Jesus' mother Mary home with him, and John took care of Mary until she died. John then became the pastor of the church of Ephesus. As John began to preach and call people liars that deny Jesus as God and hate their neighbors, people were offended by John's preaching and wanted to get rid of John and make him an exile on the island of Patmos.
The people that heard John's preaching wanted to silence John and did not like his preaching. They said that John was too negative and was wrong for calling everyone a liar that denied Jesus as God. The people said John, you can tickle our ears and tell us funny stories, but don't get mean. John ignored the people's threats and kept preaching the following scriptures below that exposed liars. John rejoiced at the persecution and said at 1 John 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His Word is not in us. Then John stated at 1 John 2:4 He that saith I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar and the truth is not in Him.
John kept preaching and stated at 1 John 2:22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ (defined as Messiah with the same meaning as Emmanuel or God with us; note John says a man is a liar that denies that Jesus is God) He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. Finally, John stated at 1 John 4:20 If a man say, I love God and hateth his brother, he is a liar; for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
The apostle John was a hero to Brother Bob and would tell preachers to do Isaiah 58:1 and Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins. John would remind his church members of 2 Timothy 4:2 to preach the word, be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine; For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
The apostle John would preach Isaiah 30:9 and tell his church That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the Lord, which say to the seers, see not; and to the prophets, prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits. As a result, history records that people who hated John tried to kill him by placing John in a boiling pot of oil.
Jesus would not allow the people to kill John, as John survived the boiling pot of oil. Jesus kept John alive because John had to go to Patmos to write the book of Revelation. Jesus also did not allow the apostle Paul to die after a stoning at Lystra, because it was God's will for Paul to minister at Rome. After the apostle Paul was stoned at Lystra and left for dead, Paul just squirmed his way out of the pile of stones and kept preaching at other cities. Friend, reading this like John and Paul, remember you won't die until God gets you where He wants you to go. Romans 8:31 says If God be for us, who can be against us?
Pictured above, after the people could not kill John in a boiling pot of oil, they decided to exile John on the island of Patmos. John became like a christian described in Hebrews 11:38 of whom the world was not worthy. The people put old John on a ship and took him out in the middle of the ocean to an island named Patmos, saying let's dump that old bird off and let him starve to death. History records that on the way over to Patmos, John saved many people and led them to Christ.
Pictured above, John was 93 when he arrived at Patmos, and John said Lord Jesus is there anything else I can do for you? Jesus replied yes, John take that parchment with a pen and write down what you see. Jesus told John at Revelation 1:18 I am He that liveth and was dead and behold I am alive forevermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death; Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter.
John then had the honor of being caught up to the third heaven where Paul got to go forty years earlier. Paul only caught a glimpse of paradise and the third heaven and did not write any description of paradise. But, John was given the honor to not only see the third heaven, but also write about the third heaven in the book of Revelation, because John walked the closest to Jesus of all the disciples. What a blessing John experienced stated at Revelation 4:1 that says After this I looked, and behold a door was opened in heaven, and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.
After John got caught up to the third heaven, John was in the presence of the four beasts and 24 elders around the throne of Jesus. Friend, you might say how do I walk close to Jesus like John where I can see the blessed revelations of the kingdom? To answer this note that John was in the presence of the four beasts and 24 elders. The four beasts and 24 elders are very close to Jesus in the kingdom because they constantly praise Jesus saying Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come and forevermore display humility before our Lord Jesus, as the 24 elders always cast their crowns before the Lord Jesus. Like John, I pray in Jesus name all my friends reading this can be humble and continuously praise Jesus for dying on the cross for our sins, as we are given the honor of being close to our Lord Jesus, the four beasts, and the 24 elders in the third heaven paradise kingdom.
Then Jesus said again to John what else do you see John; write it down. And John wrote Revelation 21:10 that says And He carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain; and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God. Having the glory of God, and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. John got so happy that he continued to write at Revelation 21:21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, every several gate was of one pearl; and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. And the city had not need of the sun, neither of the moon to shine in it; for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
But, John started to weep when he saw a book sealed with seven seals because no man was found worthy to open the book, loosing the seven seals thereof. But, quoted above, an elder in the kingdom said to John, Weep not John because Jesus, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.
Revelation 5 speaks about John's vision of the book of seven seals and says And I saw in the right hand of Him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book to look thereon. And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.
John stopped weeping and started shouting all over God's good heaven because Jesus began to show him the 7 seals, the 7 trumpets, the 7 vials, the 7 angels, the 7 thunderings, and the 7 lightnings. And after John saw all that, he couldn't hardly handle it any more. And Jesus said John, you got anything else you want to say. Friend, turn in your bible to Revelation 22:20 to read the blessed words that John said. Revelation 22:20 says He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. (John said) Even so, Come, Lord Jesus.
Neighbor, if you ever read the book of Revelation and read it in the Spirit, you will say along with John the words of the picture above; Even so, Come quickly Lord Jesus. People in church sing a song saying wait a little longer please Jesus, too many sinners wandering out in sin; that ain't what John said, John said Bless God, come on, lets get this thing started. John wasn't wanting it to last, and linger, and tarry, and carry on, and drag out to an end; John wanted Jesus to come and take him to the place he had just seen. I pray in Jesus name that we can all say along with John, even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus, as great peace and strength blesses every area of our lives.
As always, it has been a blessing writing this bible study today and I pray in Jesus name that it will strengthen and give peace to all my friends. Feel free to email Brother Bob anytime at rz9tlm@gmail.com or write to Brother Bob Malkin, 2233 Pinetree Lane, Apt. N., Reynoldsburg, Ohio 43068. (614) 604-7133. Till we all meet again soon to lift up our Lord Jesus, everyone have a blessed day.
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