Mills, John Milton: The Opened Heavens ~ Matthew 13;

The gospel, one of the features is that he is more intense when he is describing these events. But I turn to Matthew three because now we're on gentler ground, and this will be the beginning of not the rent heavens, but the opened heavens, and that's the word anoigo. The other one is sitzo, which means to split, to divide, to rend. All right, but I did tell you that Mark used twice that word rend. One of them was at the very beginning of Christ's ministry, and the other was at the end of Christ's ministry. At the beginning, the heavens were rent, and at the end, the veil in the temple was rent. Now think, and you'll get the picture that the heavens are rent, then the blessings of God can come down. And if the veil is rent, redeemed sinners can go in, and that is beautiful. One without the other, but we'll see now. Uh, we're going to read, unless someone can tell me, how many passages am I going to read? I'm going to read you the passages about the opened heaven or heavens, the opened heavens. How many times do you think those words occur? Matthew. Matthew? Yes, very good, chapter three, Very good. How many times in Matthew or how many times in the... In the, any time you can find opened heaven or heavens. Acts. Where? Acts. Acts? What chapter, do you remember? Chapter six. Six? no, but what, what, what was the subject? About what? People with stone. Very good. Acts seven. that's fine. Acts seven. John. John one. but give us another one in Acts, very close to chapter seven. Can you remember? When Peter was on the housetop and he was hungry at twelve o'clock, he should have been. What happened? Do you remember? He fell into a trance, and the heaven was opened, and that great sheet was let down, you see? So we have Matthew three, John one, Acts seven, Acts ten, and there's another one in the New Testament. You see, we have to have the word anoigo. Genesis is going to be good because that's going to fit in with what scripture? John one. Because when Christ tells us about opened heavens in John one, he's talking about Genesis twenty eight. but that's very good. We'll find it that way. But since we've said that, and I'm talking, we'll just read passages as we go along, you'll find this, that when sin, sin entered into the world, the area of fellowship with God and man, the garden, was no longer man's abode. What did God do to Adam and his wife when they sinned? Draw them out, and what did he do to make sure they couldn't get back in? The two of them were there, and a flame, flaming sword that turned every way. And so man is shut out from God. And I told you that in Isaiah we read these words, oh, that thou wouldst rend the heavens and come down. But they're never rent in the way that they are in the New Testament until Christ comes upon the scene. You find the heavens open in the Old Testament. Where? But woe when they are opened in the Old Testament. In Ezekiel, he saw the heavens open, and the judgments of God are coming out of heaven. So that's a terrible thing. I'm glad the heavens are closed. And you find in the Old Testament passages like the heavens were shut up that it might not rain. But what God is doing is figuratively conveying to us that man is shut out, or that man is now readmitted into the presence of God. Now, let's read in Matthew chapter three. Matthew three and look at verse fifteen. m uh Our Savior is with John to be baptized. But Jesus answering said unto him, Allow it now, for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he allowed him. And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway from the water, and lo, the heavens were opened unto him. And he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and coming upon him, and low a voice out of the heaven saying, This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. Let us have a word of prayer. Our Father, we're so thankful that these things that are too holy for our eyes to behold and our ears to hear, you have set before us. We are thankful that some of the most intimate moments in the life of our Lord are shown to us, and some of the words that thou dost speak to him, Father, that only he is worthy to hear, you have allowed our ears to hear. We are so thankful that we have considered now the heavens having been shut in the time that man sinned. We are thankful, Father, now that Jesus Christ has come upon the scene. Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight his paths, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. And we're thankful, our Father, the way is prepared, and because of him, the heavens are open unto him. We're thankful we're included in these open heavens, and so illumine us as we go and consider these passages from book to book. We thank you for the blessings of the day, and we look for thy blessing tonight. We confess our sins, be faithful and just to be even cleansed, and glorify the name of thy son, the Lord Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen. All right. Here, the open heavens convey a blessing because the spirit comes out of heaven, and the voice of God comes out of heaven. But upon whom does the spirit rest? Christ. And to whom is the voice addressed? Christ, you see. But at least the heavens are open, and there is one in whom God delights. So there is one to whom the heavens are open of his own worth, and because of who he is, the very reason that he came from heaven to earth was to make the way back to God available to all men. And now, for the first time, we see that the heavens are open. They were not open when Christ was born, but the inhabitants of heaven came down and told us events that were going to happen. You remember how that the angel came down and announced about the birth of Christ to the shepherds, and then a multitude of heavenly hosts were praising God, and so we see things of blessing coming down from heaven, but only when the heavens opened in this sense, when the Lord Jesus Christ, after thirty years of preparation, entered upon his public ministry. And so this is what is so beautiful, and I want you to think about it. When the Father says, this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, what had Jesus been doing for thirty years? Had he been preaching? No. What had he been doing? Of course, he'd been working as a carpenter in the obscure city of Nazareth, and all that time the heart of God had been thrilled, and God looks down from heaven for a man that was doing ordinary labor, working with his hands, and he said, this is my beloved son in whom I'm well pleased. Now, suppose God only looked and pronounced blessing upon creatures. That would be critical, wouldn't it? Or only those with religious jobs, like priests. But if a man is a carpenter, why, that's a laborer, isn't it? A carpenter, a brick mason. The Apostle Paul was one who mended tents, and so God looks upon us in our ordinary labors, and he has been pleased, and now for after thirty years of silence, he finally says, this is my beloved son in whom I'm well pleased. And the Spirit of God, think now, it says in Luke two to Mary, the Spirit of God shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee. Wherefore also that holy thing which shall be begotten of thee shall be called the Son of God. So from the very moment of Christ's conception, the Spirit of God was present, and now the Spirit of God comes upon him in a different way. If I ask you how many different ways in the Pentateuch among the sacrifices is the oil spoken of in relation to those sacrifices? You would know that off the top of your head, wouldn't you? Yes. Eight different ways, and each one of those ways is a picture of the Spirit of God working in the life of Jesus Christ. I'll give you one of the simplest ones. At times, you'll find that the bread was anointed with oil. Now, what picture in the life of Christ do you think that would convey to us? Mary. What? Mary anointed with oil. This is the Spirit of God. Oh. You see, something that actually happened. The type is in Leviticus, but the fulfillment is in the life of Christ, you see, because when Mary anoints him with oil, that has a different story. But it says in from Isaiah sixty one and from Luke chapter four, the Spirit of the Lord God is upon me because he has anointed me, and that anointing is to preach the gospel to the poor, to open the eyes of the blind, to release those that are captives. And so just as Christ, and it will amaze you, these eight references to oil and the bread, because if you have a cumin, you can look at them and find each distinct aspect in the life of Christ where the Spirit of God works in his life. Here, it is the anointing. I made that one simple. I thought since it said anointing, I thought you might know that this was the anointing, you see. But anyway, at times there's also the one where he is conceived of the Holy Spirit of God, and God pictures that in a different way. That is what is so remarkable, that God can do such a thing, can show before Christ comes upon the scene with some bread and some oil, the events that are going to take place in his life. But here is the Spirit of God who comes upon the Lord Jesus as the anointing, and of the Spirit of God is there upon him to illumine him, to lead him, to guide him, to empower him, because it says the Spirit of the Lord was with him to heal. And so when the Spirit of God comes upon us, it is for every necessity in the life of the child of God. It says in Acts chapter one that you shall receive power after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you, and you shall be witnesses unto me. It says in First John two, we have an anointing, and you know all things. When the Spirit of God is upon us, and we have the anointing of the Spirit as well, then he is available for us to enable us to do whatever the demands of God require. And so here, it's so beautiful that God cannot keep the heavens closed any longer, but when his son is manifested publicly to the nation of Israel, God opens the heavens, and he sends forth the spirit as a dove, and the dove rests upon him. Speaking of that, do you remember in Genesis, when there was a flood, that Noah sent out one bird first to see if the flood was diminished. What was that bird that he sent out? A raven. Very good. You have to speak loudly, or somebody will give an answer, and I'll say, so no one has anything to say. You'll have to speak loudly. A raven. But the raven went out, and he didn't come back. Why? Because he was quite content to go and live upon all that carrion and death that was upon the earth. But then he sent out what? A dove. A dove. And the dove went out, and he came back with an olive leaf. And then Noah knew that all was well. And so here is a picture of the dove, and the dove comes and alights upon Christ. And this was the scene, and this is what John tells us was the clue to the Messiah being manifested to him. What do you think of this? That a man is sent to tell about the coming Messiah, and he said, I didn't know who he was. But God said, this is the way you will recognize him. Upon whomsoever thou seest the Spirit of God descending and abiding, this is he. And now John says, I've seen and I confess that the Spirit of God has come upon him, and I'm telling you that he is the Son of God. So here the heavens are open, and the first one who is spoken of and who is blessed with the voice of approbation from God and the Spirit, because notice, you will find that the Spirit is illustrated in so many ways. I told you about baptism last Wednesday, and I told you that water symbolized not one thing, but three things. Water symbolized death. It says in Isaiah, as the waters of Noah unto me, that is death. But water also symbolizes cleansing because be baptized and wash away thy sins. Water symbolizes cleansing, but also water symbolizes the Holy Spirit. You'll find in John seven, out of this valley shall flow rivers of living water, this speak he of the Holy Spirit. So you have different symbols. Oil is a symbol of the Spirit, water is a symbol of the Spirit, and what else? What bird is a symbol of the Spirit? Evidently a dove, you see? And so this is the way you learn the word of God. You see that God not only speaks directly and literally, but he gives us also illustrations, and he gives us types, as they are called, in the word of God. Now, let's see if you can tell me the type about the rent veil. That rent veil typifies what? The what? The body of God. His flesh, very good. You'll find that in Hebrews ten. It says, the veil which is his flesh. Now, that will help you, and I throw out all of these things, I want you to remember them. You understand now the interpretation of the tabernacle. The tabernacle was made of wood and material and metal, and it said the veil which was made of fine twined linen, blue, purple, and scarlet, and gold, you'll find that this veil is Christ's flesh. So whenever you find any material in the tabernacle, what does that symbolize? The veil, which is his flesh, and what was the veil made of? Fine twined linen. And so when you have the veil, it is Christ's flesh. But that veil was intact between the holy place and Holy of Holies, and it never was taken away. But now we found in Matthew chapter twenty seven that that veil was rent, and therefore the veil that said to even the high priest, save one day in the year, keep out, now the veil is rent, and so God is saying what? Come in. That's the beautiful thing. All right, now the second one is this. If you want to look at it, you may turn to John one. John chapter one, And look at verse forty nine, one forty nine. Nathanael answered him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God, thou art the King of Israel. Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee underneath the fig tree, believest thou? Thou shalt see greater things than these. And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, ye shall see the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man. In verse twenty nine of this chapter, John the Baptist said, Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world. And so when you see a lamb in the Old Testament, that is the symbol of Christ the sin bearer. You understand? But here, what is a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ? Let's read it again, and I'm listening for an answer. Look at it. What? That is, uh, the king is what he is. Look at it. Look now. Read me verse fifty one. And he saith unto him, Fairly, verily, I say unto thee, you shall see the heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man. Now, I must add this. I, I didn't give you the full story. In Genesis chapter twenty eight, we have this same incident occurring in the light of Jacob, historically and literally. And when he lay down to sleep, he had a rock as a pillow. He dreamed, and he saw a ladder upon the earth, and it went all the way to heaven, and at the top of that ladder was the Lord. And so the Lord Jesus said, you'll see the heavens open and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man. And so Christ here pictures himself as a what? Ladder. A ladder, you've got it. Hooray. You see? So if you have a tall, tall building and you wanted to get to the top of it, you and I would need a ladder. And how long a ladder is needed to reach from earth to heaven. But in Jacob's dream, there it was. And it says the angels of God were going up and down on that ladder. Now we come to John chapter one, and the Lord Jesus said, you shall see heaven opened as well, and you'll see the angels of God ascending and descending upon whom? Me. So who is that ladder? The Lord Jesus Christ. He's the Lamb of God. He is the ladder. You see, in John ten, I am the door. By me, if any man enter in, he shall be saved. And so Christ is the door, the entrance to heaven. He is the ladder. But now here, this ladder, thank God for this. In Matthew three we have the heavens open, but all the blessing comes upon whom? Christ, do you see? The voice speaks of Christ, and the spirit comes upon Christ. But here we have the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man. If the heavens shut out man and communion and fellowship with God was broken, now that the heavens are opened again and there is a ladder from earth to heaven, and at the top of that ladder is the Father and angels, and who can tell me what the last verse of Hebrews one says concerning angels? It says, are angels not ministering spirits sent forth to do service for those that shall inherit salvation? And so when we have angels going up the ladder and coming down the ladder, this is a picture of their ministering unto us. Whereas in Matthew three we have the Spirit of God, the voice of God in relation to Christ primarily. But here we have Christ, the ladder, and the ladder that goes to heaven is not for us to go to heaven by a ladder, because how are we going to heaven? We'll be caught up to meet the Lord in the air, you see. They call it the rapture, or rat- or anyway, carpazzo, or you are snatched up to heaven. But here, it makes no difference to me. This ladder shows that communication is re-established, and the angels go, and the angels come. And you'll find that these angels were ministering also in the Old Testament. You have Gabriel coming, and you have Michael in chapter twelve, the angels that are doing things for the nation of Israel. But here, it is not for one individual. One good thing about the King James and the old versions is this. When he says to Nathaniel, do you believe because I said to you? But then it says, ye shall see the heavens open. You, in this instance, thee is singular, but ye is plural. And so it's not only Nathaniel that is going to see this, but the others are going to see it as well. So thank God, whereas our parents were driven out of the garden, the place of communion and fellowship with the Father, now the place of communion with God is opened again, and there is a ladder, and angels go and come, and they do the will of Christ. Let me ask you this. How many times in Christ's life do you find angels attending to him? I think you might remember this morning, because it said after his temptation, what happened? Angels came and ministered unto him. Now. In the garden. In the garden. So at the beginning, they ministered to him, and at the end, they ministered to him. And God knows how many other times they may have ministered unto him along the way. And the verse that Satan quoted, he shall give his angels charge concerning thee to keep thee in all thy ways, and in their hands they shall uphold thee, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. And so angels were constantly present in the life of Christ. When he was born, they announced his birth, and they worshipped him when he was born. Again, when he cometh into the world, God says, let all the angels of God worship him. And so they worshipped him, and they attended him, and they strengthened him. But this is Christ on earth. You'll find that in heaven they did Christ's bidding, and they worshipped him. In Isaiah six, uh I saw the Lord high and lifted up, sitting upon a throne, and he saw the seraphim there, and they were crying, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty. The whole earth is full of his glory. Now, how do I know that what Isaiah saw was Jesus Christ? You'll find it in John twelve. It says there that Isaiah saw his glory, Christ's glory, and spoke of him. And so you remember that the next time a Jehovah's Witness comes and tells you that Jesus is not God, because it's holy, holy, holy is the Lord God. This is the Lord Yahweh Almighty. The whole earth is full of his glory. And John said, Isaiah saw the Lord Jesus, so he was worshipped in heaven by angelic beings, and when he came to earth, he was worshipped as well. Had he ceased to be God, would God permit him to be worshipped? That's one of the evidences of Christ's deity. When John tried to worship the angel in Revelation, the angel said, get up, don't worship me. When Cornelius tried to worship Peter in Acts chapter ten, he said, stand on your feet, I'm a man just as yourself. But when anyone came and worshiped Christ, did he ever tell them not to worship him? Of course not. He accepted it. He was God manifest in the flesh. So here are things that we understand about the Savior. And so the angels, they attended Christ during his life, and also God has given angels to take care of us. He shall give his angels charge concerning thee, and now the Lord Jesus says they're also angels concerning us. And in Matthew eighteen it says concerning little ones, their angels do always behold the face of my Father, which is in heaven. So just understand the ministry of angels. So thank God, whereas the heavens are open, and for Christ in Matthew three, but now open for us in John chapter one. All right, now Acts seven, Acts seven, And look at verse fifty four. Stephen, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, has given his message to the nation of Israel. And verse fifty four says, when they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up steadfastly into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, and said, behold, I see the heavens open and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God. Now, in Genesis twenty eight, at the top of that ladder was the Lord. Now, here, when the heavens are open, it is not just the Lord, the Father, but we see the Father and the Son both in heaven. This has been a great consolation to me, and I tell it to people who are old and sick or who are in danger of death, because if when I die, God would grant me such a vision of the open heaven as this, there'll be no longing to stay here. Suppose when you were going to die, and people speak about it as a leap into the dark, but just as you were ready to die, you saw the heavens opened and the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. Would you be afraid to go? Of course not. You would say, Lord Jesus, you see. You would say to Simeon, now let us all thy servant depart, O Lord, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation, and here Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. Will you remember this? When those around you are ridiculing you, keeping scorn upon you because of the things that you believe, will you understand that if God so chooses, the heavens into which we look and we see the clouds and the stars, if God so wills, he can open those heavens, and you can see what is beyond the heavens. And the Lord Jesus told you that that's where he was going. He said, I go to prepare a place for you, and he did. And it says in Acts chapter one that a cloud received them out of their sight, and the Lord Jesus ascended into heaven, and he sat down at the right hand of God. But here he's seen standing in reverence and respect for Stephen, who is laying down his life for him. Christ laid down his life for Stephen, and now Stephen is laying down his life for Christ, and God vouchsafed to him a vision of the Son at the right hand of the Father. And it's like this, if it's a stormy day and the heavens are covered with black clouds, then does that mean that there is no blue and no sun up there? Of course not. All that has to happen is that the clouds are parted and pass away, and you'll see why there is the sky, there is the sun, but as long as the clouds are there, you're not able to see it. And in like manner, when we die, unless God gives us a vision of heaven, the open heavens like this, we'll just have to take it by faith. And I do not know if I'm worthy enough, but I prayed many times, Lord, when I go, just grant me that, and the heavens will be open, and I'll see your son, and I'll have no fear, and I'll have no hesitancy in going to heaven. Well, I only know of one that saw the Lord Jesus that opened heaven, but at least we can pray for it. And it says in Luke twenty one, but watch it every season, making supplication that you may prevail to escape all these things that shall come to pass and to stand before the Son of Man. And so at least we can pray, and so maybe God will do that. All right, now chapter ten, chapter ten, verse nine. Now on the morrow, as they were on their journey and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour, about twelve o'clock, and he became hungry, and he desired to eat. But they made, that while they made ready, he fell into a trance, and he beholdeth the heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending as it were a great sheet let down by four corners upon the earth. And the Lord, with this illustration, is teaching Peter a lesson about the Gentiles. At first, the Son was sent to the Gentiles. It says this, that Christ has been made a minister of the circumcision to fulfill the promises of God, and that God might bestow his mercy upon the Gentiles. He had made no promises to the Gentiles the way he had to the Jews, and so God is going to bestow his mercy. But up to a certain time, God was working with the Jew to the Gentile, but now there is no distinction. And God had made the distinction between Jew and Gentile, and the Jews were not to have fellowship with those that were unclean. But now the Lord Jesus is teaching lessons, and so this is what is taught us here, that there are lessons that God has to teach us. And if the heaven is open, the Lord Jesus himself gives the object lesson. Do you think we'll learn? Of course we will, if he shows it three times. Isn't that sad? I'm thinking if I tell you something once, you should understand it. When I told you about John chapter one, the angels of God ascending and descending upon Christ, why did you know that Christ was the ladder? You see, I expected that. Well, here is the Lord Jesus himself showing Peter an object lesson one time, two times, three times, and then the sheet was taken back to heaven, and it said Peter was wondering what it meant. But while he thought on these things, but eventually this is what Peter says. He thought on it, and he reasoned it through, and he said, when Cornelius came, he said, I perceive that God is no respecter of persons, but in every nation he that doeth God and worketh righteousness is acceptable to him. And so where did Peter learn the lesson of the equality of Jew and Gentile? He learned it from the open heavens taught by Jesus Christ himself. And this is why Paul could say in Romans, I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus Christ that nothing is unclean of itself. And so, if you have ever learned a portion of the word of God and have been taught it by Christ, then you have learned it indeed, and you know and are persuaded in the Lord Jesus Christ. And so here is the Savior from heaven opening the heavens to show Peter a lesson. And may the truths that we learn indeed be lessons taught us by the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, Revelation 19, Revelation 19. I told you that at the very first, have you noticed how at the first and at the last similar things occur? So we saw at the very first, at Christ's earthly ministry, when it began, when he was baptized, the heavens were open. Now, in Revelation nineteen, look at verse eleven: And I saw the heavens open, and behold, a white horse, and he that sat there on called Faithful in truth, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. And his eyes are a flame of fire, and upon his head are many diadems, and he hath a name written which no one knoweth but he himself, and he is arrayed in a garment sprinkled with blood, and his name is called the Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and pure. And out of his mouth proceeded a sharp sword, that with it he should fight the nations, and he shall rule them with a rod of iron. And he treaded the winepress of the fierceness of the wrath of God the Almighty. And he hath on his garment and on his thigh a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords. And this is what all of us are waiting for. When we have prayed, Thy kingdom come, this is the way the kingdom is going to come. Man vainly thinks that he's going to preach and that man shall gradually get better and better until the earth is a fit place for Christ to return. But the word of God teaches us that evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. And at the end, as in Matthew chapter thirteen, the tares are going to grow until the harvest, and in the time of the harvest, you'll find that all of these tares are going to be taken out of that field and cast into a furnace of fire. And so does that seem like the world is going to be converted, and everybody's going to get so good, and God will say, well, they're good enough, and I'm coming back? They're getting worse, and finally, when they get so bad, then the Lord Jesus himself shall come back. But just this in brief, you'll find that the armies of heaven are returning with him, and these armies, I'll show you two scriptures showing that they are the church. In chapter nineteen, look at verse eight. And it was given unto her, that is the wife of the Lamb, that she should array herself in fine linen, bright and pure, for the fine linen is the righteous act of the saints. And then it says, and the armies of heaven followed upon him, clothed in fine linen, white and pure. So here they are. And you'll find in chapter seventeen, look at chapter seventeen, I want you to see this, verse fourteen. Seventeen fourteen, speaking about the kings during the time of the tribulation. It says in verse fourteen, these shall war against the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and they also shall overcome that are with him, called and chosen and faithful. Here are the saints. It's spoken of in chapter seventeen that we're going to be with him, and in chapter nineteen we are with him, and the heavens are open, and now the judgment of God is going to fall. One other scripture, turn to Revelation six, because we think that only the message of love and the prayer of mercy is the prayer that should be prayed. But let's look in chapter six verse nine. And when he opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of them that had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. And they cried with a great voice, saying, How long, O Master, the holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And it was given to them, to each one, a white robe, and it was said unto them that they should rest yet a little time until their fellow servants also and their brethren who should be killed even as they were, should have fulfilled their course. And they cry for judgment and vengeance upon them that put them to death. Now, chapter nineteen again, let's look at it in the light of that, chapter nineteen and look at verse eleven. Mm-hmm. Eleven. And I saw the heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and he that sat upon, called Faithful and True, and in righteousness, who doth judge and make war. What were they praying in Revelation six? When are you going to judge and avenge our blood? Just wait, just wait. And the time came, and the Lord Jesus takes those whose souls are underneath the altar, and now he's bringing them back with him from heaven, and they're going to enter into the destruction of those that destroyed them. So, at the first we saw the open heaven, and at the last we saw the open heaven. And so remember, there are many things concealed from our eyes, but they are there, and if God wishes, he can open the heaven. Now, it's your time. You may ask questions for four minutes. Any suggestions or any, uh, questions? Can someone close for us in prayer, please? Amen. Amen. Just remember this. Do you see how each time the heaven being opened, another lesson is contained, an additional truth, and now you can remember these specific truths by saying, opened heaven.