WHEN THE HEAVENS OPEN — WHO RETURNS WITH JESUS?
Revelation 19 records a moment unlike any other in Scripture. This is not a call to repentance, not a warning to flee, and not the catching away of believers. It is the public return of Jesus Christ to the earth, and the passage itself raises an unavoidable question:
Who is with Him?
The answer is not assumed.
It is defined by Scripture.
1. HEAVEN OPENS — THIS IS A RETURN, NOT A DEPARTURE
📖 “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse;... moreWHEN THE HEAVENS OPEN — WHO RETURNS WITH JESUS?
Revelation 19 records a moment unlike any other in Scripture. This is not a call to repentance, not a warning to flee, and not the catching away of believers. It is the public return of Jesus Christ to the earth, and the passage itself raises an unavoidable question:
Who is with Him?
The answer is not assumed.
It is defined by Scripture.
1. HEAVEN OPENS — THIS IS A RETURN, NOT A DEPARTURE
📖 “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True…”
(Revelation 19:11, KJV)
John does not see people going up.
He sees heaven opened and someone coming down.
This immediately distinguishes Revelation 19 from passages like 1 Thessalonians 4, where believers are caught up. Here, the movement is the opposite. Jesus is returning from heaven to earth.
This alone establishes that anyone accompanying Him must already be in heaven.
2. JESUS IS NOT RETURNING AS THE LAMB
📖 “…and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.”
(Revelation 19:11)
The Jesus of Revelation 19 is not described as suffering, pleading, or inviting. He is described as judging and making war.
📖 “And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.”
(Revelation 19:13)
This is not the blood of the cross.
This is the blood associated with judgment (Isaiah 63:1–3).
So the context is clear:
this is the Second Coming, not the rapture.
3. THE ARMIES FOLLOWING HIM ARE IDENTIFIED
📖 “And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses…”
(Revelation 19:14)
Notice three facts the verse itself gives:
• they are already in heaven
• they follow Him
• they return with Him
These are not people being gathered. These are people returning.
4. CLOTHED IN FINE LINEN — SCRIPTURE DEFINES THIS
The description is not vague.
📖 “…clothed in fine linen, white and clean.”
(Revelation 19:14)
The Bible does not leave “fine linen” open to interpretation.
📖 “For the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.”
(Revelation 19:8)
This definition appears in the same chapter.
Fine linen is not said to be angels.
Fine linen is not symbolic language.
Fine linen is explicitly identified as saints.
Angels are never described this way anywhere in Scripture.
This is why the image states plainly:
CLOTHED IN FINE LINEN — NOT ANGELS
5. THESE ARE NOT EARTHLY SAINTS — THEY ARE GLORIFIED
The saints in Revelation 19 are:
• in heaven
• riding horses
• clothed in clean white linen
• returning with Christ
This requires glorification.
📖 “Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God.”
(1 Corinthians 15:50)
📖 “We shall all be changed…”
(1 Corinthians 15:51)
You cannot ride from heaven to earth with Christ in judgment unless you possess a glorified body.
Therefore, these saints are not awaiting resurrection.
They are already resurrected or translated.
6. THE TIMING IMPLICATION IS UNAVOIDABLE
Revelation 19 occurs after the Tribulation.
Yet the saints are already:
• redeemed
• clothed
• glorified
• present in heaven
📖 “When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.”
(Colossians 3:4)
You cannot appear with Him unless you are already with Him.
This is why the statement is biblically sound:
YOU CAN’T RETURN — UNLESS YOU WERE FIRST TAKEN
That is not a slogan.
That is a logical conclusion drawn from Scripture.
7. WHAT THE CHURCH IS — AND IS NOT — DOING HERE
Revelation 19 does not describe:
• the Church being judged
• the Church being purified
• the Church being rescued
It describes the Church returning in glory.
📖 “God hath not appointed us to wrath…”
(1 Thessalonians 5:9)
The wrath falls on the earth.
The saints return with Christ, not under that wrath.
8. WHY THIS MATTERS FOR BELIEVERS TODAY
This passage teaches:
• Jesus is returning literally
• Saints will return with Him
• Redemption precedes judgment
• Victory precedes warfare
This is not escapism.
This is biblical expectation.
📖 “Looking for that blessed hope…”
(Titus 2:13)
Revelation 19 teaches that among those who return with Jesus are glorified saints, identified by their fine linen, while angels are also present but described separately. The fine linen is defined in the chapter itself as “the righteousness of saints” (Revelation 19:8), indicating completed redemption and glorification prior to the return. Their presence with Christ at this moment shows that redemption precedes judgment, and that judgment is now imminent.
The Bible does not leave this unclear — it simply requires careful reading.
📖 “Rightly dividing the word of truth.”
(2 Timothy 2:15)
✠ Sir John Scivoletti ✠
✠ Turco Joan of Arc Priory ✠
✠✠Act and God will Act (Actus et Deus Act)✠✠
NO ONE IS JUSTIFIED BY THE LAW:
(WE MUST LIVE BY FAITH)
One of the most important truths in all of Scripture is this: no one has ever been made right with God by keeping rules.
Galatians 3:11 says plainly, “The just shall live by faith.”
That verse is not a New Testament invention. It comes from Habakkuk 2:4, showing that salvation has always operated the same way. God has never accepted people based on performance. He accepts people based on faith.
The Law was never given to save us. The ... moreNO ONE IS JUSTIFIED BY THE LAW:
(WE MUST LIVE BY FAITH)
One of the most important truths in all of Scripture is this: no one has ever been made right with God by keeping rules.
Galatians 3:11 says plainly, “The just shall live by faith.”
That verse is not a New Testament invention. It comes from Habakkuk 2:4, showing that salvation has always operated the same way. God has never accepted people based on performance. He accepts people based on faith.
The Law was never given to save us. The Law was given to reveal God’s holiness and expose our sin. Romans 3:20 says, “By the works of the law no flesh shall be justified… for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” The Law acts like a mirror. It shows us what is wrong, but it cannot fix what is wrong.
The Greek word for justified is dikaioō. It means to be declared righteous, to be legally cleared of guilt. That declaration does not come from religious effort. It comes from trusting Christ.
The Greek word for faith is pistis. It means trust, reliance, and confidence placed fully in another. Biblical faith is not wishful thinking. It is resting completely on the finished work of Jesus Christ.
The Law says, “Obey so you can live.”
Grace says, “Live because Christ obeyed.”
Jesus fulfilled the Law perfectly, something no human being could ever do. Then He took the punishment the Law demanded for sin and paid it in full at the cross. Because of that, righteousness is not earned. It is received.
Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For by grace are ye saved through faith… not of works, lest any man should boast.”
Faith does not cancel obedience. Faith produces obedience. Works are not the root of salvation. They are the fruit of salvation.
The believer does not obey to become accepted by God. The believer obeys because they already are accepted through Christ.
The entire Gospel stands on this foundation.
We are not saved by how well we hold the Law.
We are saved by how perfectly Christ fulfilled it.
✠ Sir John Scivoletti ✠
✠ Turco Joan of Arc Priory ✠
✠✠Act and God will Act (Actus et Deus Act)✠✠
❖ Promise of National Regathering
▶️ Jeremiah 30:3
“The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will bring my people Israel and Judah back from captivity and restore them to the land I gave their ancestors to possess,” says the Lord.
❖ God Himself guarantees a return to the land. This is not symbolic—it is geographic, covenantal, and rooted in the promises to Abraham (Genesis 17:7–8).
⸻
▶️ Isaiah 11:11–12
“In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to reclaim the survi... more❖ Promise of National Regathering
▶️ Jeremiah 30:3
“The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will bring my people Israel and Judah back from captivity and restore them to the land I gave their ancestors to possess,” says the Lord.
❖ God Himself guarantees a return to the land. This is not symbolic—it is geographic, covenantal, and rooted in the promises to Abraham (Genesis 17:7–8).
⸻
▶️ Isaiah 11:11–12
“In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to reclaim the surviving remnant of his people… He will raise a banner for the nations and gather the exiles of Israel; he will assemble the scattered people of Judah from the four quarters of the earth.”
❖ A global regathering from every direction—far beyond the Babylonian return. This anticipates a last-days ingathering.
⸻
❖ Spiritual Restoration (New Heart, New Spirit)
▶️ Ezekiel 36:24–27
“For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land.
I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean…
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you…
And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees…”
❖ Notice the order: regathering → cleansing → regeneration. This is national salvation, not just individual conversion.
⸻
▶️ Jeremiah 31:31–34
“The days are coming,” declares the Lord,
“when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel…
I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts…
For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”
❖ The New Covenant is explicitly made “with the house of Israel and Judah.” Its full realization awaits Israel’s national turning.
⸻
❖ Israel’s Future Repentance and Recognition of Messiah
▶️ Zechariah 12:10
“And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him…”
❖ This is a national recognition of Jesus as Messiah. Mourning leads to repentance.
⸻
▶️ Hosea 5:15
“Then I will return to my lair until they have borne their guilt and seek my face—
in their misery they will earnestly seek me.”
❖ God’s “withdrawal” continues until Israel seeks Him—perfectly aligning with Jesus’ words in Matthew 23:39.
⸻
❖ “All Israel Will Be Saved”
▶️ Romans 11:25–27
“Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, and in this way all Israel will be saved…
‘The deliverer will come from Zion;
he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.
And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.’”
❖ Israel’s current blindness is temporary and partial. National salvation is future and certain.
⸻
❖ Restoration to Blessing and Glory
▶️ Amos 9:14–15
“I will bring my people Israel back from exile…
I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them,” says the Lord your God.
❖ “Never again uprooted” points beyond history to a final, permanent restoration.
⸻
▶️ Isaiah 60:21
“Then all your people will be righteous and they will possess the land forever.
They are the shoot I have planted, the work of my hands, for the display of my splendor.”
❖ A fully righteous nation, securely dwelling in the land, reflecting God’s glory to the world.
⸻
❖ Kingdom Restoration Centered in Jerusalem
▶️ Zechariah 14:9, 11
“The Lord will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord, and his name the only name…
It will be inhabited; never again will it be destroyed. Jerusalem will be secure.”
❖ Messiah reigns from Jerusalem, and the city becomes permanently secure.
✠ Sir John Scivoletti ✠
✠ Turco Joan of Arc Priory ✠
✠✠Act and God will Act (Actus et Deus Act)✠✠
HOW JESUS KEPT ALL 613 LAWS:
(AND WHY IT MATTERS FOR YOUR SALVATION)
One of the most overlooked but foundational truths in the Gospel is that Jesus Christ kept every single law God gave through Moses. The Torah contains 613 commandments, known in Jewish tradition as the mitzvot. These laws include 248 positive commands (things required) and 365 negative commands (things forbidden). Together they governed moral righteousness, civil order for Israel, and ceremonial worship practices involving sa... moreHOW JESUS KEPT ALL 613 LAWS:
(AND WHY IT MATTERS FOR YOUR SALVATION)
One of the most overlooked but foundational truths in the Gospel is that Jesus Christ kept every single law God gave through Moses. The Torah contains 613 commandments, known in Jewish tradition as the mitzvot. These laws include 248 positive commands (things required) and 365 negative commands (things forbidden). Together they governed moral righteousness, civil order for Israel, and ceremonial worship practices involving sacrifices, priesthood, and purification.
Many people assume Jesus came to relax or abolish these laws. Scripture says the opposite.
Matthew 5:17 records Jesus saying,
“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.”
The Greek word translated “fulfill” is plēroō, meaning to complete, accomplish perfectly, or bring something to its intended fullness. Jesus did not lower God’s standard. He met it completely.
UNDERSTANDING WHY PERFECT LAW KEEPING MATTERS:
Scripture teaches that breaking even one command makes a person guilty under the entire law.
James 2:10 says,
“For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he is guilty of all.”
This means salvation could never come through human effort. Every person has failed God’s standard. If salvation required personal law keeping, no one could be saved. Jesus stepped into history to succeed where humanity failed.
HOW JESUS KEPT ALL 613 COMMANDMENTS:
JESUS LIVED IN PERFECT SINLESS OBEDIENCE.
Jesus obeyed every moral command of God without failure.
1 Peter 2:22 says,
“He committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth.”
Hebrews 4:15 declares,
“He was tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin.”
He experienced real temptation but never sinned once. That alone qualifies Him as the spotless Lamb required for redemption.
JESUS WAS BORN UNDER THE LAW:
Galatians 4:4 states,
“God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law.”
Jesus did not bypass Torah requirements. He lived fully inside them. Scripture records that He was circumcised on the eighth day, presented at the Temple according to Mosaic instruction, observed Jewish feast days, and faithfully lived as an obedient covenant Israelite. His life was not accidental righteousness. It was deliberate, complete obedience.
JESUS FULFILLED THE CEREMONIAL AND SACRIFICIAL LAW:
The entire sacrificial system pointed forward to Christ. Hebrews 10:1 explains that the law was a shadow of good things to come. Animal sacrifices never removed sin permanently. They foreshadowed a perfect sacrifice.
John 1:29 identifies Jesus as,
“The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”
Jesus fulfilled the Passover lamb, the Day of Atonement sacrifice, the role of High Priest, and the true Temple presence of God among His people. He did not simply obey sacrificial law. He became the final sacrifice that ended the need for it.
JESUS FULFILLED MESSIANIC PROPHECY WITHIN THE TORAH:
The Law and Prophets contain specific requirements about the coming Messiah. Jesus fulfilled them precisely, including His virgin birth, His birth in Bethlehem, His descent from the tribe of Judah and the line of David, His entry into Jerusalem on a donkey, His betrayal for silver, His crucifixion, and His resurrection. These fulfillments demonstrate that He completed the prophetic expectations embedded within the law.
JESUS FULFILLED THE SPIRIT OF THE LAW, NOT JUST THE LETTER:
Religious leaders in Jesus’ day often focused on outward rule keeping while ignoring inward righteousness. In Matthew chapter 5, Jesus revealed the deeper intent of God’s law. He taught that hatred violates the command against murder, lust violates the command against adultery, and true righteousness begins in the heart. Jesus lived this inward obedience perfectly, fulfilling the true meaning of God’s commands.
JESUS SUCCEEDED WHERE ISRAEL FAILED:
Israel was called God’s covenant son but repeatedly failed to keep covenant obedience. Jesus succeeded where Israel failed. He passed wilderness testing where Israel fell. He perfectly obeyed covenant law and became the faithful representative of God’s people.
WHY THIS IS CENTRAL TO THE GOSPEL:
Many believers focus only on Christ’s death, but Scripture teaches that His perfect life is just as essential.
Romans 5:19 says,
“By one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.”
Jesus did not only die for sin. He lived the righteous life humanity could not live. That righteousness is credited to believers through faith.
2 Corinthians 5:21 declares,
“He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
The Greek word often used for this transfer of righteousness is logizomai, meaning credited, accounted, or placed into someone’s account. Through faith, believers receive Christ’s perfect obedience as their own.
CHRIST ALSO COMPLETED THE LAW’S COVENANT PURPOSE:
Romans 10:4 explains,
“Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.”
The Greek word for “end” is telos, meaning goal, completion, or culmination. The law was never designed to save. It was designed to reveal sin, demonstrate humanity’s need for redemption, and point toward the Messiah. Galatians 3:24 describes the law as a tutor leading people to Christ.
DID JESUS KEEP ALL 613 LAWS INDIVIDUALLY?
Yes, but not merely as a checklist. Jesus fulfilled the Torah through perfect personal obedience, complete prophetic fulfillment, and final sacrificial completion. Every category of the law finds its fulfillment in Him.
THE MASSIVE THEOLOGICAL REALITY:
If Jesus had broken even one command, He could not be Savior. He would require salvation Himself. The entire Gospel depends on the sinless perfection of Christ.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR BELIEVERS TODAY:
Because Jesus fulfilled the law, believers are justified apart from works of the law. They are counted righteous through faith, freed from condemnation, and led by the Holy Spirit rather than bound to the Mosaic covenant system.
Romans 8:3–4 says,
“What the law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son… so that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us.”
Salvation is not earned. It is received. It rests entirely on the finished obedience of Jesus Christ.
The 613 laws reveal God’s perfect standard. Jesus reveals God’s perfect solution.
✠ Sir John Scivoletti ✠
✠ Turco Joan of Arc Priory ✠
✠✠Act and God will Act (Actus et Deus Act)✠✠
Joseph of Arimathea:
Joseph of Arimathea is one of the quiet giants of the crucifixion account. He does not preach a sermon. He does not write an epistle. But in the most dangerous hour of Jesus’ ministry, he steps forward publicly when others stepped back privately.
All four Gospels mention him. That alone should get your attention.
Matthew 27:57 calls him a rich man and a disciple of Jesus.
Mark 15:43 says he was an honorable counselor who was waiting for the kingdom of God and that he wen... moreJoseph of Arimathea:
Joseph of Arimathea is one of the quiet giants of the crucifixion account. He does not preach a sermon. He does not write an epistle. But in the most dangerous hour of Jesus’ ministry, he steps forward publicly when others stepped back privately.
All four Gospels mention him. That alone should get your attention.
Matthew 27:57 calls him a rich man and a disciple of Jesus.
Mark 15:43 says he was an honorable counselor who was waiting for the kingdom of God and that he went in boldly unto Pilate.
Luke 23:50–51 tells us he was a good and just man who had not consented to the council’s decision.
John 19:38 reveals something critical. He was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews.
Joseph was a member of the Sanhedrin, the very council that condemned Jesus. He had position. Influence. Reputation. Everything to lose. And for a season, he followed Christ quietly.
But when Jesus died, secrecy died with Him.
Mark says Joseph went in boldly to Pilate and asked for the body. Rome did not casually hand over crucified bodies. Crucifixion victims were often left exposed as public warnings, thrown into common graves, or cast into refuse sites like the Valley of Hinnom. A condemned man did not receive an honorable burial. He was erased.
If Joseph had not acted, Jesus would likely have been buried in one of two common places for executed criminals. Either a shared criminal grave outside the city, or a dishonorable dumping ground reserved for the condemned. No individual tomb. No linen wrapping. No spices. No dignity.
Deuteronomy 21:23 required that a body not remain overnight on a tree. The religious leaders wanted the crosses cleared before Sabbath. But clearing crosses and honoring a body were two very different things. Without Joseph, the Messiah’s body could have been discarded.
Instead, Joseph stepped forward.
By requesting the body, he publicly aligned himself with a condemned Messiah. That was a career-ending move. Possibly worse.
He wrapped Jesus in clean linen and laid Him in his own new tomb, one he had hewn out of rock. Isaiah 53:9 declares the suffering servant would be with the rich in His death. Joseph unknowingly fulfilled prophecy with his courage.
The man who once followed in secret now honors Jesus in public at the most humiliating moment imaginable.
And here is the weight of it.
If Joseph had remained silent, Jesus would have been treated like every other criminal Rome executed. But because one disciple chose boldness, the burial became honorable, prophetic, and verifiable. A known tomb. A sealed stone. Identifiable location. That is critical for the resurrection narrative. You cannot have an empty tomb unless you first have a known tomb.
God used the courage of one formerly secret disciple to protect the integrity of the resurrection account.
Joseph gave Jesus his tomb. Three days later, he got it back.
You cannot out-give God.
And his name is forever written into the resurrection story.
There are people who believe quietly. They follow in private. They fear the cost of stepping forward. Joseph’s story proves this: you may begin as a secret disciple, but you do not have to remain one.
✠ Sir John Scivoletti ✠
✠ Turco Joan of Arc Priory ✠
✠✠Act and God will Act (Actus et Deus Act)✠✠
CAN THE RAPTURE BE FOUND IN SCRIPTURE?
Someone recently asked, “Show one Bible verse proving a pre-tribulation rapture.” That question assumes prophecy is built on one isolated verse. The Bible almost never teaches major doctrines that way. Instead, God reveals truth line upon line, passage upon passage, forming a consistent picture when Scripture is allowed to interpret itself.
The catching away of believers, often called the rapture, is not built on one verse. It is taught across multiple Ne... moreCAN THE RAPTURE BE FOUND IN SCRIPTURE?
Someone recently asked, “Show one Bible verse proving a pre-tribulation rapture.” That question assumes prophecy is built on one isolated verse. The Bible almost never teaches major doctrines that way. Instead, God reveals truth line upon line, passage upon passage, forming a consistent picture when Scripture is allowed to interpret itself.
The catching away of believers, often called the rapture, is not built on one verse. It is taught across multiple New Testament passages describing the same event from different angles.
John 14:1–3
Jesus told His disciples, “In my Father’s house are many dwelling places… I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”
Jesus describes leaving, preparing a place in the Father’s house, and personally receiving believers to Himself. This is gathering language, not judgment language.
1 Corinthians 15:51–52
“Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye…”
Paul reveals a previously hidden truth: some believers will never experience death but will instead be instantly transformed into glorified bodies.
1 Thessalonians 4:16–17
“The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout… and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air…”
This is the clearest description of the rapture. The phrase “caught up” comes from the Greek word harpazō, meaning to seize, snatch, or carry away suddenly.
1 Thessalonians 1:10
“…Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.”
Believers are specifically described as being rescued from coming wrath, not preserved through it.
1 Thessalonians 5:9
“For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.”
This distinguishes the Church from the outpouring of divine judgment described in the Tribulation.
2 Thessalonians 2:1–8
Paul connects “our gathering together unto Him” with the removal of the restraining force before the man of sin is revealed. The sequence places the gathering before the rise of Antichrist power.
Philippians 3:20–21
“…We look for the Saviour… who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body.”
Believers are waiting for transformation at Christ’s appearing.
Titus 2:13
“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.”
The rapture is called the Blessed Hope, something believers are told to anticipate with expectation and comfort.
Colossians 3:4
“When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.”
Believers appear with Christ in glory, implying prior transformation and gathering.
1 John 3:2
“When he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.”
Again, transformation is connected with Christ’s appearing for believers.
Revelation 3:10
“Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world…”
This describes protection from a worldwide time of testing, not merely protection within it.
Luke 21:36
“Watch therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things… and to stand before the Son of man.”
Jesus speaks of escaping global judgment and standing before Him.
Hebrews 9:28
“…Unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.”
Christ appears for believers bringing deliverance, separate from His return in judgment.
When these passages are studied together, they describe a consistent event:
Believers are suddenly transformed.
Believers are caught up to meet Christ in the air.
Believers are delivered from coming global wrath.
Believers are gathered to Christ before final judgment unfolds.
Christians may disagree on the timing, and respectful discussion is healthy. But the catching away of believers is clearly taught throughout the New Testament when Scripture is allowed to speak in full context.
✠ Sir John Scivoletti ✠
✠ Turco Joan of Arc Priory ✠
✠✠Act and God will Act (Actus et Deus Act)✠✠
THE DIDACHE:
THE LOST BLUEPRINT OF THE EARLY CHURCH
Most Christians have never heard of the Didache.
But if you care about what the church looked like before denominations, before institutional power, before centuries of theological layering, this document matters.
The Didache was written between 70 and 120 AD. That places it within the lifetime of people who were discipled by the apostles themselves.
It is not legend. It is not medieval tradition. It is first generation Christianity.
The ... moreTHE DIDACHE:
THE LOST BLUEPRINT OF THE EARLY CHURCH
Most Christians have never heard of the Didache.
But if you care about what the church looked like before denominations, before institutional power, before centuries of theological layering, this document matters.
The Didache was written between 70 and 120 AD. That places it within the lifetime of people who were discipled by the apostles themselves.
It is not legend. It is not medieval tradition. It is first generation Christianity.
The name simply means Teaching.
And that is what it is. A practical instruction manual for believers.
It opens with a defining statement.
There are two ways. One of life. One of death.
That was the foundation of discipleship. The early church did not blur moral lines. They did not dilute obedience. They framed Christianity as a decisive path.
The way of life meant loving God and loving your neighbor. It meant rejecting sexual immorality, greed, hypocrisy, violence, and corruption. Following Christ required visible transformation.
Then it moves into practice.
Baptism was to be done in living water if possible. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. If immersion was not possible, pouring was permitted.
That shows Trinitarian doctrine was already normal practice in the first century.
Believers were instructed to pray consistently. To fast. To test teachers carefully. If someone claimed spiritual authority but lived contrary to what they taught, they were to be rejected. If someone used ministry for profit, that was a warning sign.
The early church was structured. It guarded doctrine. It took holiness seriously.
The final chapter addresses the end of the age. It speaks of growing lawlessness, a coming deceiver, and the appearance of the Lord. Expectation of Christ’s return was central, not optional.
Now we need to be clear.
The Didache is not Scripture.
It was respected, but it was not written by an apostle and was not recognized as inspired revelation. That is why it was never included in the canon.
Helpful does not mean inspired.
Scripture stands alone.
But the Didache gives us a window into what Christianity looked like when it was still close to the source. It was disciplined. Morally serious. Watchful. Focused on obedience.
✠ Sir John Scivoletti ✠
✠ Turco Joan of Arc Priory ✠
✠✠Act and God will Act (Actus et Deus Act)✠✠
WHAT IS A BAPTIST?
Baptists are a Protestant branch of Christianity that emerged in the early 1600s in England. One of the early figures connected to the movement was John Smyth. From there, the movement spread rapidly, especially in America, where Baptists became one of the largest Christian groups.
The name “Baptist” comes from their central conviction about baptism. Baptists believe baptism should be for believers only, meaning a person is baptized after personally placing faith in Jesus Ch... moreWHAT IS A BAPTIST?
Baptists are a Protestant branch of Christianity that emerged in the early 1600s in England. One of the early figures connected to the movement was John Smyth. From there, the movement spread rapidly, especially in America, where Baptists became one of the largest Christian groups.
The name “Baptist” comes from their central conviction about baptism. Baptists believe baptism should be for believers only, meaning a person is baptized after personally placing faith in Jesus Christ. They reject infant baptism and practice baptism by full immersion in water, seeing it as a public declaration of faith rather than something that saves.
Baptists strongly emphasize salvation by grace through faith alone, the authority of Scripture as the final standard for doctrine, and the autonomy of the local church. Unlike Catholicism or some Protestant traditions, Baptists do not have a centralized governing authority. Each local church governs itself.
Baptists are part of Protestant Christianity, meaning they trace their theological roots back to the Reformation. However, they developed their own distinctives regarding baptism, church structure, and religious liberty.
There are different Baptist groups today, such as the Southern Baptist Convention, but all share core beliefs about believer’s baptism, biblical authority, and personal faith in Christ.
In simple terms, a Baptist is a Christian who believes that salvation comes through personal faith in Jesus, that baptism follows belief, and that the Bible is the highest authority for faith and practice.
✠ Sir John Scivoletti ✠
✠ Turco Joan of Arc Priory ✠
✠✠Act and God will Act (Actus et Deus Act)✠✠
THE 300 WHO WATCHED WHILE THEY DRANK:
Judges 7 is one of those passages people quote but don’t really study.
Gideon starts with 32,000 men. God reduces it to 10,000. Then He says, Bring them to the water. I will separate them there.
Not in combat. Not in training. At a stream.
Some of the men knelt down and put their faces directly into the water to drink.
Three hundred scooped the water into their hands and brought it to their mouths.
That’s it. That’s the difference.
And God chose the 3... moreTHE 300 WHO WATCHED WHILE THEY DRANK:
Judges 7 is one of those passages people quote but don’t really study.
Gideon starts with 32,000 men. God reduces it to 10,000. Then He says, Bring them to the water. I will separate them there.
Not in combat. Not in training. At a stream.
Some of the men knelt down and put their faces directly into the water to drink.
Three hundred scooped the water into their hands and brought it to their mouths.
That’s it. That’s the difference.
And God chose the 300.
Why would something that small matter?
Because how a man handles an ordinary moment reveals more than how he performs in a dramatic one.
The majority were consumed with the immediate need. Thirst. Relief. Comfort.
The 300 met the same need, but they did not disengage. They stayed aware.
Scripture repeatedly calls believers to watchfulness. Not paranoia. Not fear. Awareness.
Spiritual drift rarely happens in crisis. It happens in comfort.
Awareness matters. Discipline in small moments matters.
✠ Sir John Scivoletti ✠
✠ Turco Joan of Arc Priory ✠
✠✠Act and God will Act (Actus et Deus Act)✠✠
Part 1 of 12
Daniel 1:1 – 2:39
Introduction: What Does the Book Actually Say?
When approaching the Book of Daniel, the first question must always be:
What does the text say?
Not what tradition says.
Not what popular prophecy teachers say.
Not what we have “always heard.”
Scripture must interpret Scripture. As it is written:
“Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.” — Proverbs 27:17
The goal of this study is not argument for argument’s sake, but clarity. If Script... morePart 1 of 12
Daniel 1:1 – 2:39
Introduction: What Does the Book Actually Say?
When approaching the Book of Daniel, the first question must always be:
What does the text say?
Not what tradition says.
Not what popular prophecy teachers say.
Not what we have “always heard.”
Scripture must interpret Scripture. As it is written:
“Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.” — Proverbs 27:17
The goal of this study is not argument for argument’s sake, but clarity. If Scripture corrects us, we adjust to Scripture — not the other way around.
Daniel: A Historical and Prophetic Book
Daniel is not a mystical riddle detached from history. It is deeply rooted in real events, real empires, and measurable time frames. If one ignores history, much of Daniel becomes unintelligible.
God often gives Israel time-specific prophecies:
• 430 years to Abraham’s descendants (Exodus 12:40)
• 70 years of Babylonian captivity
• 490 years (the Seventy Weeks of Daniel)
When God gives time frames, history must unfold to fulfill them. Prophecy moves through history.
Three Prophets Outside the Land
An important observation: three major prophetic books were written outside Israel:
• Daniel — in Babylon
• Ezekiel — by the River Chebar
• John (Revelation) — on the Island of Patmos
Each writes in symbolic, apocalyptic language. Symbolism must be interpreted — not ignored, but also not forced.
For example:
• Ezekiel’s dry bones symbolize Israel in dispersion (Ezekiel 37).
• Daniel’s metallic image symbolizes successive Gentile empires (Daniel 2).
• Revelation’s white horse represents a conquering figure (Revelation 6), not a literal cavalry charge.
Symbolism must be defined by Scripture itself.
The Rise of Gentile World Power
After the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11), civilization centralized in Mesopotamia — the cradle of world empires.
Babylon becomes the first great Gentile world empire.
Though they did not know the Western Hemisphere, Babylon ruled the known world of that time. Scripture calls Nebuchadnezzar the head of gold (Daniel 2:38).
Daniel opens during the rise of this first global Gentile power.
The Three Invasions of Jerusalem
Babylon invaded Judah three times:
1. First invasion (Daniel taken) — No temple destruction.
2. Second invasion — Temple and city destroyed.
3. Third invasion — Remaining population deported.
Daniel was taken during the first deportation — likely between ages 12–14. He was among the elite of Judah’s royal lineage.
Babylon did not take laborers first. They took the brightest minds.
Daniel and His Friends
Daniel 1 describes four young men:
• Daniel
• Hananiah
• Mishael
• Azariah
They were:
• Physically strong
• Intellectually gifted
• From royal lineage
• Trained in Babylonian science, mathematics, and language
Their Hebrew names honored Israel’s God. Babylon replaced them with names honoring pagan deities. This was an attempt to:
• Change identity
• Reprogram worldview
• Assimilate faith
Yet verse 8 is the turning point:
“But Daniel purposed in his heart…”
The Heart — The Core of Faith
Scripture consistently emphasizes the heart.
Man was created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26). God is Spirit. Therefore, the image refers to the invisible aspect of man — mind, will, and emotion — the soul.
Romans 10 clarifies salvation:
“For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness…” (Romans 10:10)
Faith is not intellectual agreement alone. It is heart conviction.
Daniel’s refusal was not dietary preference — it was heart allegiance.
The Issue of Defilement
Why refuse the king’s food?
Babylonian meat and wine were:
• Offered to pagan gods
• Used in idolatrous libations
• Connected to false worship
Daniel would not participate.
He did not protest violently.
He did not rebel politically.
He respectfully requested accommodation.
And God honored his conviction.
After ten days, Daniel and his friends appeared healthier than all others. More importantly:
“God gave them knowledge and skill…”
Faithfulness preceded promotion.
A Pattern Seen in Joseph
Joseph in Egypt mirrors Daniel in Babylon:
• Betrayed
• Imprisoned
• Elevated
• Never compromised
Old Testament narratives are written for our learning (Romans 15:4). They demonstrate how believers function within hostile systems.
Daniel serves pagan kings for decades — without surrendering his faith.
Why Did God Allow Babylon to Conquer Judah?
The captivity was not accidental. It was disciplinary.
Israel lived under blessing and chastisement (Leviticus 26).
Reason 1: Failure to Observe Sabbatical Years
Leviticus 26 foretold:
• The land would be desolate.
• Israel would be scattered.
• The land would “enjoy her Sabbaths.”
Israel failed to let the land rest every seventh year.
For 490 years they neglected this command.
490 ÷ 7 = 70 missed Sabbaths.
God removed them for 70 years so the land could rest.
Prophecy fulfilled precisely.
Reason 2: Idolatry
Israel adopted pagan worship — especially the “queen of heaven” (Jeremiah 44).
They burned incense and poured drink offerings to female deities.
When Jeremiah rebuked them, they responded:
“We will not listen.”
They even claimed prosperity came from idol worship.
This rebellion triggered judgment.
The Reality of Ancient Empires
Ancient empires showed little regard for human life. When Israel went into captivity, they entered systems without rights or protections.
Yet Daniel thrived there.
Why?
Because God was with him.
Daniel’s Test of Faith
Daniel proposes:
• Ten days of vegetables
• Water instead of wine
The eunuch fears execution if Daniel appears unhealthy.
But Daniel trusts God.
After ten days:
• They appear healthier.
• They excel intellectually.
• They surpass all magicians and astrologers.
God elevated them in a pagan court.
Daniel’s Longevity
Daniel serves from Nebuchadnezzar to Cyrus — spanning roughly 70 years.
Cyrus later issues the decree allowing Israel to return and rebuild Jerusalem.
Daniel witnessed:
• Babylon’s rise
• Babylon’s fall
• The rise of Medo-Persia
He lived through the full prophesied captivity.
Lessons for Believers
Daniel teaches:
1. Live faithfully in hostile systems.
2. Never compromise biblical truth.
3. God promotes the faithful.
4. Discipline does not cancel covenant promises.
5. Prophecy unfolds precisely in history.
As Paul said:
“For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning…” (Romans 15:4)
Daniel is not merely ancient history.
It is instruction for believers living in spiritually hostile cultures.
Daniel 2:1–30 — The God Who Reveals Secrets
When we come into Daniel chapter 2, remember who Daniel is.
He is not a seasoned prophet.
He is not an older statesman.
He is not yet a man.
He is likely 14 or 15 years old — a Jewish captive taken from Jerusalem into Babylon under King Nebuchadnezzar.
Chapter 1 showed us how Daniel arrived in the palace. Chapter 2 now places this teenage exile into one of the most critical prophetic moments in world history.
The Troubled King
“In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar…”
This does not contradict Daniel 1:1. Chapter 1 referred to the third year of King Jehoiakim of Judah. Now the focus shifts to Nebuchadnezzar’s reign.
The Babylonian king has a dream. Not an ordinary dream — but one that deeply disturbs him. His spirit is troubled. His sleep leaves him.
He summons the magicians, astrologers, sorcerers, and Chaldeans — the elite intellectual and occult class of Babylon. These were not harmless advisors. They were steeped in pagan mysticism and spiritual darkness.
The king demands something unprecedented:
“The thing is gone from me… tell me the dream, and the interpretation thereof.”
Whether he forgot it or withheld it deliberately, the demand was impossible by human means. If they failed, they would be executed — along with their families.
This was the nature of absolute monarchy in the ancient East. Life was disposable.
The Limits of Human Wisdom
The Chaldeans admit something remarkable:
“There is not a man upon the earth that can show the king’s matter… except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.”
They unknowingly confess a theological truth. Human wisdom has limits. Only deity can reveal such secrets.
But they speak of “gods” — plural. Babylon knew nothing of the One True God.
Israel alone had that revelation.
And now a Jewish teenager will demonstrate that reality before the most powerful man on earth.
Daniel’s Response
When the decree goes out to kill the wise men, Daniel responds with calm counsel and wisdom. He requests time — not to scheme, but to pray.
He gathers his three companions — Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego) — and they seek:
“Mercies of the God of heaven.”
Notice that phrase: The God of heaven.
This is covenant language. This is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob — the Sovereign over all nations, even Babylon.
That night, the secret is revealed to Daniel in a vision.
And what does Daniel do first?
He worships.
“He changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings…”
This is the central theme of Daniel.
Empires rise. Empires fall.
But God never abdicates His throne.
The Theology of “The Secret”
When Daniel stands before Nebuchadnezzar, he makes something clear:
“The secret… cannot the wise men show unto the king; but there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets…”
The word “secret” is foundational here.
Deuteronomy 29:29 declares:
“The secret things belong unto the LORD our God…”
God reveals truth progressively and sovereignly.
This theme carries into the New Testament. The Apostle Paul the Apostle repeatedly speaks of “the mystery” — truths hidden in ages past but revealed in his ministry (Romans 16:25; Ephesians 3).
The same God who revealed prophetic secrets to Daniel later revealed doctrinal mysteries to Paul.
God keeps secrets.
God reveals secrets.
And He reveals them according to His timetable.
The Scope of the Dream
Daniel tells Nebuchadnezzar:
“…what shall be in the latter days.”
This dream is not about personal matters.
It is about world history.
It will outline the entire timeline of Gentile world power — beginning with Babylon and stretching to the return of Jesus Christ.
Daniel becomes the foundation of biblical prophecy. Every serious student of end-time events must begin here.
And remember: this revelation came through a captive teenager.
The power was not in Daniel.
The power was in his God.
✠ Sir John Scivoletti ✠
✠ Turco Joan of Arc Priory ✠
✠✠Act and God will Act (Actus et Deus Act)✠✠
✨ THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY
“One God — Three Persons — One Grace Purpose”
📖 2 Corinthians 13:14 (KJV)
“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.”
🟦 INTRODUCTION ✨
The Trinity is not a church tradition—
it is biblical revelation.
In Dispensational truth:
The Godhead is fully revealed through Pauline doctrine
The Trinity is not three gods, but one God in three Persons
Our salvation, security, and sanctification ... more✨ THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY
“One God — Three Persons — One Grace Purpose”
📖 2 Corinthians 13:14 (KJV)
“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.”
🟦 INTRODUCTION ✨
The Trinity is not a church tradition—
it is biblical revelation.
In Dispensational truth:
The Godhead is fully revealed through Pauline doctrine
The Trinity is not three gods, but one God in three Persons
Our salvation, security, and sanctification are Trinitarian works of grace
⚠️ To misunderstand the Trinity is to misunderstand grace, salvation, and Christian living.
🟥 I. TRUTH OF THE GODHEAD – One God Revealed 🔥
📖 1 Corinthians 8:6
A. Singular Essence – One God, not three gods
📖 Deuteronomy 6:4 (doctrinal foundation)
B. Scriptural Expression – Father, Son, Spirit named together
📖 2 Corinthians 13:14
C. Sovereign Equality – Coequal and coeternal
📖 Philippians 2:6
🟥 II. TESTIMONY OF SCRIPTURE – God Declared
📖 1 John 5:7 (KJV)
A. Written Witness – Scripture testifies of the Godhead
📖 Romans 15:4
B. Reliable Witness – God cannot lie
📖 Titus 1:2
C. Revealed Witness – Truth progressively unveiled
📖 Ephesians 3:3–5
🟥 III. TRANSMISSION TO PAUL – Mystery Revealed ✉️
📖 Galatians 1:11–12
A. Direct Revelation – Paul taught by Christ
📖 Ephesians 3:2
B. Distinct Revelation – Truth for the Body of Christ
📖 Romans 16:25
C. Doctrinal Revelation – Full understanding of the Godhead
📖 Colossians 2:9
🟥 IV. TRINITARIAN SALVATION – Grace Accomplished ✝️
📖 Ephesians 2:8–9
A. Father’s Plan – Salvation purposed
📖 Ephesians 1:4
B. Son’s Payment – Redemption purchased
📖 1 Corinthians 15:3
C. Spirit’s Power – Salvation applied
📖 Titus 3:5
🟥 V. TRANSFORMATION IN CHRIST – New Creation 🆕
📖 2 Corinthians 5:17
A. Positional Change – In Christ
📖 Ephesians 1:6
B. Personal Change – Old things passed
📖 Colossians 3:9
C. Progressive Change – Renewed daily
📖 2 Corinthians 4:16
🟥 VI. TRINITARIAN TEMPLE – Spirit Indwelling 🕊️
📖 Ephesians 1:13
A. Permanent Seal – Spirit secures salvation
📖 Ephesians 4:30
B. Present Dwelling – God lives in believers
📖 1 Corinthians 6:19
C. Pauline Distinction – Church, not Israel
📖 Romans 8:9
🟥 VII. TEACHING ILLUMINATION – Truth Understood 💡
📖 1 Corinthians 2:12–13
A. Spiritual Discernment – Natural man cannot receive
📖 1 Corinthians 2:14
B. Scriptural Clarity – Spirit teaches truth
📖 Ephesians 1:17
C. Sound Doctrine – Rightly divided Word
📖 2 Timothy 2:15
🟥 VIII. TRINITARIAN FELLOWSHIP – Grace Communion
📖 2 Corinthians 13:14
A. Fellowship with the Father – Love
📖 Romans 5:8
B. Fellowship with the Son – Grace
📖 1 Corinthians 1:9
C. Fellowship with the Spirit – Communion
📖 Philippians 2:1
🟥 IX. TRANSFORMED WALK – Yielded to God
📖 Galatians 5:16
A. Faith-Based Living – Walk, not work
📖 Romans 6:14
B. Flesh Denied – Spirit-led life
📖 Romans 8:4
C. Fruit Displayed – God glorified
📖 Galatians 5:22–23
🟩 CONCLUSION
The Trinity is not theological trivia—
it is the foundation of grace living.
✔ The Father planned salvation
✔ The Son paid for salvation
✔ The Spirit applies salvation
“For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things.”
📖 Romans 11:36
🚨 CALL TO ACTION
✝️ Believe the Gospel of Grace
📖 Study Pauline doctrine
🕊️ Walk in the Spirit
❤️ Rest in God’s grace
👣 Live yielded to the Triune God
🟦 FINAL THOUGHTS
1️⃣ One God — not three gods
2️⃣ Three Persons — not one person
3️⃣ One plan — grace
4️⃣ One people — the Body of Christ
5️⃣ One hope — eternal life
6️⃣ One walk — in the Spirit
7️⃣ One glory — God alone
🙏 To the Triune God be glory, now and forever, Amen
✠ Sir John Scivoletti ✠
✠ Turco Joan of Arc Priory ✠
✠✠Act and God will Act (Actus et Deus Act)✠✠
🔥 Jesus Christ has invested Himself in your life.
It was commissioned back in,
Mark 16.
He said go into all the world and make disciples of all nations.
Preach the word of God,
He will work with us,
Confirming it with signs and wonders following.
It’s a time of going,
It’s a time of getting busy.
But many Christians have been tripped up.
God almighty has entrusted a deposit,
A sacred trust in your life,
He has literally invested some of who He is,
In you.
Let me ask you a question,... more🔥 Jesus Christ has invested Himself in your life.
It was commissioned back in,
Mark 16.
He said go into all the world and make disciples of all nations.
Preach the word of God,
He will work with us,
Confirming it with signs and wonders following.
It’s a time of going,
It’s a time of getting busy.
But many Christians have been tripped up.
God almighty has entrusted a deposit,
A sacred trust in your life,
He has literally invested some of who He is,
In you.
Let me ask you a question,
When you put your money to work for yourself,
In banks and stocks and bonds…
Don’t you invest it in something you believe in?
Don’t you put your investments in hope of getting a return?
Well, Jesus Christ has done that in your life!!!
He has invested a part of Himself,
In your life!!!
It’s a sacred trust.
He has put confidence in you,
That you will walk in it,
By faith.
And you will begin to step out in it,
By faith.
And not shrink back in fear.
And so, it is with God.
Just like you would invest in stocks and bonds,
And the bank and Iras,
And all those other areas that men and women invest in,
Because they want a return.
They have faith and trust,
That what they are investing in,
Is going to get a return.
So, does Jesus Christ.
When he puts his spiritual investments in you,
He expects an increase.
That to be more lives are impacted,
And transformed,
By that investment,
He has put in your life.
And as more lives are changed,
By that investment,
By your faithfulness,
And diligent to walk in what he has deposited,
In your life…
God will invest more,
And more,
In your life.
What does invest mean?
It means to be clothed in.
To clothe.
Literally to install into an office or position.
To furnish with power, authority and rank.
To put money into business or bonds,
In order to get a profit.
To use give or devote time or talent,
As for a purpose,
Or to achieve something.
To endow with quality,
Or characteristics.
Devote, give, set-aside,
Appoint, endow, supply,
Enable.
God almighty has invested a part of Himself,
In every one of us.
But many Christians are standing around,
Idle in the marketplace.
Saying “No one has hired me.”
“No one has called upon me to do anything.”
Every day there is ample opportunity,
For you to love someone in need.
There's all kinds of needs around you,
Every day of your life.
And it’s time for you to get busy.
God almighty has already hired you.
He’s already called you.
He’s already set a purpose in your life.
Now get busy!!!
Go!!!
Praise God!!!
And he said unto them,
GO ye into all the world,
And preach the gospel to every creature.
Mark 16:15
For God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable
Romans 11:29
✠ Sir John Scivoletti ✠
✠ Turco Joan of Arc Priory ✠
✠✠Act and God will Act (Actus et Deus Act)✠✠
As hard as it seems we all should strive to be as Christ is.
Wonderful post
CAA Luis A Matos III
Priory of St Michael the Archangel
MC Glenn
Fides Et Veritas