3:18

When someone says "John 3:16," the prophecy about Christ's mission and God's love immediately comes to mind. This verse has become the motto of many Christians. But does the combination of numbers 3 and 18 bring you joy? Do you immerse yourself in the depth of revelations when you hear these numbers? Does your head spin with happiness when you see this mathematical combination?

This is exactly what this lesson is called, for it is meant to be forever etched in your consciousness and change your life for the better and unusual.

The Lord addresses you, saying, "Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know" Jeremiah 33:3. Do you believe that God will fulfill this promise? But it is conditional. And the condition is written in the first word: "Call." Do you understand what this means? This can be roughly compared to an electrical fire in your house, when the fire has cut off all paths to the exit, and very quickly engulfs the entire room, approaching you. And you call the fire department to tell them something. What will you ask them for? About your children? About a good job? About blessing for life? I think that all this, although important, becomes secondary in this situation compared to what is happening around you. When you understand that your life is in mortal danger, then everything changes in your mind. And it's very difficult to predict a person's behavior in such a situation. I think that during a fire, the least you want to do is sleep, eat, and look for entertainment. Only one thing matters: saving life. And the first thing firefighters do is save those who are trapped in the flames. My appeal to the fire department is in tune with the word: "Call." This is a command and advice, and an offer from the One who understands very well what is happening in my spiritual life, but without my call for help cannot do anything.

Are we living in dangerous times? Yes. Does this danger have a spiritual basis that threatens the death of my soul? Yes, and the further we go, the more likely it is that the end of everything will soon come.

The enemy of the soul understands that he has little time left, and therefore he acts very actively, setting his traps everywhere. What is happening in the world now is like fitting us all with shackles, which is done in an attempt to understand which of them will suit better. Under the motto of "benefits for society," we are deprived of the small freedoms we had. Before our eyes, the image of the beast is being prepared to make it our mark. And what are those who have been given great light thinking about?

The state of God's people in the last time is very clearly described in the message to Laodicea. And the Lord Himself calls my spirituality a very lukewarm state, which makes Him nauseous. And if Jesus says so, then this is the truth. There is nothing good in me for which I can be praised, but I am given a way out, a solution, and hope. Verse 3:18 very clearly tells what I need to do to be saved.

This is a Heavenly fire service that is ready to save me from myself. They are waiting for my call. And since my fire is invisible to the naked eye, the help will also be invisible to curious passers-by.

And if we take the situation of the last time and start looking for a way out, if we understand what God offers me in the form of my Salvation plan, then the verse from Revelation 3:18 explains everything and solves all tasks and problems.

Friends, if you have not yet understood what this verse means for God's people living in the last time, then stop, cease all your affairs and ask yourself the question: "What does God want to tell me through this Revelation from above?" And it is very important to understand the meaning of those symbols in which something very important for salvation is hidden.

If I say that before the Second Coming of Christ, it is extremely necessary to have a supply of oil in your lamp, then I think you will all agree with this, remembering the parable of the ten virgins. But what does this oil mean? And where are the sellers? And why is this oil sold? And how much does it cost? It's difficult to answer without knowing God's plan. Usually, they say it's the Holy Spirit. But if you think about it, the answer, although correct, is incomplete and very vague. Sometimes it serves as a common cover for my ignorance in this matter. And how to determine if I have enough Holy Spirit for my lamp to burn? And what does the fire in this lamp mean? And such simple questions open to me the abyss of my ignorance. And the answer needs to be known, and it is necessary to understand that this is the correct answer, and that the foundation is in God's Word.

The oil for the lamp is God's product, which only God sells. And the only place where it is very clearly said about this trade is in Revelation 3:18. Jesus advises to buy something very valuable in the eyes of Heaven.

Previously, I fleetingly ran through this verse, knowing that it exists, not even imagining that it offers me all of Heaven, the entire Heavenly Family in all Its fullness and all accompanying blessings. And these goods change my life if I start to study and acquire them. But I can't just take and buy them, become their owner without paying with what God values. The foolish virgins knew where the oil was sold, but they did not invest their time in this purchase to open the depth and make this product their own, learning to use it. Not wanting to invest their time in acquiring oil, they fell asleep, missing a precious opportunity. And in a hurry, you can only acquire a fake.

And now the Lord very seriously offers us to call to Him and bring our time and our stained clothes as payment for Heavenly goods. God calls to exchange this for a school program of learning to own the acquired goods.

The Lord wants me to stop at the sign 3:18 and not go further until I load into the baggage of knowledge what is put up for sale. I have to decipher the meaning of all these symbols. And this is possible. I have to learn to freely own this, as I own my native language. And this is possible. I need to make sure that I receive what is put up for sale. I call, and I am shown. I seek and find.

But the Lord assures me that He Himself will personally come to me, call, knock and enter when I open my door. Then He will dine with me. And this ordinary dinner will grow into a wedding feast. Verse 19:9 convinces me of this. And the foolish virgins will not be admitted to the wedding celebration, and they will be told that they are not known.

It is very important to understand that God's knowledge of me depends on the amount of time spent with Him when I tried to understand His plan for my Salvation.

If the Lord Himself gives me a way out of the lukewarm state, advising to buy what is necessary, and at the same time comes personally to spend time with me, teaching me how to live in new purchases, then it would be extreme ignorance to ignore this advice and choose other paths for myself.

Reason returned to the foolish virgins when they realized that their lamps were going out. They knew where the oil was sold, but constantly postponed these preparations.

Friends, I strongly advise you to stop right now at verse 3:18 and not go anywhere further until you are convinced that what God offers has become yours, and you understand what it is, and live with it in your heart.

Questions for reflection on this chapter:

1. Please read Revelation 3:18-22; Matthew 25:1-12; 7:21-23; 22:11-14; Romans 13:10-14; Revelation 16:15-16; 19:7-9 in light of this chapter.

2. What was revealed to you in this chapter?

3. How do you understand God's promise from Jeremiah 33:3?

4. Do you understand the meaning of the symbols in Revelation 3:18?

5. What is "oil for the lamp"? How can I determine if I have it in my lamp?

6. Why do you need to have this oil?

7. What was the mistake of the foolish virgins?

8. What is God's plan for our time in light of Revelation 3:18?

9. Why does Jesus sell His goods, and how can I pay for them?

10. What prevented the foolish virgins from participating in the Wedding Feast?

11. Do you spend enough time studying God's plan of Salvation concerning you directly?

12. What can we call those who, knowing where oil is sold, are not in a hurry to acquire it or show indifference to this issue?

13. Why is it so important to have oil and fire in the lamp?

14. Did the virgins' lamps continue to burn during their sleep?

15. To which group of virgins do you attribute yourself? Why did you decide so?