Bethel Baptist Church

Dr. Robert Cosand

A Ministry of Bethel Baptist Church 24600 Little Mack Avenue Saint Clair Shores, MI 48080 Service Times Sunday 9:30 am - Sunday School 10:45 am - Morning Worship 6:00 pm - Evening Praise Service Wednesday 6:45 pm - Youth Group 6:45 pm - AWANA (During School Year) 7:00 pm - Bible Study & Prayer More Information about Bethel Baptist Church Bethel Baptist Church bbcscssound@gmail.com Pastor Robert Cosand

  1. Revelation: The Eternal Gospel

    JAN 25

    Revelation: The Eternal Gospel

    Scripture Reading: Revelation 13:11-18 A second beast appears in Revelation 13, "exercising all the authority of the first beast . . . and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast" (Rev 13:12).  This beast is called the 'false prophet' in Revelation 16:13; 19:20; 20:10.  This title suggests that he will bring a religious element to the kingdom of the antichrist.  He will have the power to do supernatural acts (Rev 13:13-15).  The combination of a political, militaristic leader and an ecumenical religious leader will be a potent force in galvanizing the earth's population.  Coercion to worship the antichrist will be used in the form of economic boycott (Rev 13:16,17) and threat of death (Rev 13:15).  In the face of such global, open, rebellion against God, what happens in chapter 14 stands out as a remarkable display of God's grace.  There is a description of the 144,000 Jewish evangelists, who were first mentioned in chapter 7.  Then there is the appearance of three angels who bring to the earth a message of warning and life.  To the whole earth one angel declares, "Fear God and give Him glory . . . worship Him who made heaven and earth" (Rev 14:7). In the face of undisguised disdain for the true and living God, He patiently and mercifully holds out the gracious offer of life in Christ.  People continue to refuse God's love.  It is to be dying of thirst and still to refuse the outstretched hand of God, holding a cup of the water of life.

    46 min
  2. Revelation: The Defeat of the Dragon

    JAN 11

    Revelation: The Defeat of the Dragon

    Scripture Reading; Revelation 12:1-12 To this point in the book of Revelation, much of the focus has been on what God will be doing on the earth during the time of tribulation.  God will pour out His holy justice on the inhabitants of the earth, in a series of horrendous, global judgments.  In Revelation 12-14, the focus is on what Satan will be doing on the earth during the tribulation. In richly symbolic language, the events and activities of this chapter center around Satan and the people of Israel. Having been cast out of heaven, Satan has opposed the Israelites of old ... through leaders like Pharaoh, Haman, and Herod ... and as well as Christians since the coming of Christ. In the tribulation many Jews will turn to Christ and Satan will seek to destroy them.  In Revelation 12, Israel is seen in the symbolic image of a woman. ". . . the dragon . . . pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child [Jesus]" (Rev 12:13).  God, in a display of His power and authority, protects the Jews who flee from Jerusalem (cf. Rev 12:14,16). We do not know all the reasons why God permits Satan to blind and destroy so many people, but the Bible reveals to us, in general terms, the ultimate reason.  "Satan's fall and ongoing existence are for the glory of Christ.  The Son of God, Jesus Christ, will be more highly honored and more deeply appreciated and loved in the end because he defeats Satan not the moment after Satan fell, but through millennia of long-suffering, patience, humility, servanthood, suffering, and decisively through his own death" (John Piper, Spectacular Sins, 49).

    47 min
  3. Revelation: Prophets of God's Mercy

    12/28/2025

    Revelation: Prophets of God's Mercy

    Scripture Reading: Revelation 11:1-14 This chapter in Revelation is one of the places in the book in which the interpretive principles of the commentator show through very clearly.  Over a century ago, Henry Alford, a reputable New Testament scholar and commentator, wrote that Revelation 11 is "undoubtably one of the most difficult [chapters] in the whole Apocalypse" … and "no solution has ever been given to this portion of the prophecy" (Alford, The Greek Testament, IV:655,658). The approach I have employed in our study of Revelation is to take words and phrases literally whenever it is possible to do so … of course, allowing for obvious symbolic language.  With that in mind, the terms in this chapter will be taken normally.  The temple is a reference to a rebuilt temple, during the time of tribulation … the 'two witnesses' are two individuals … 'great city' is Jerusalem … the 'forty-two months' are a literal three and a half year time period … the earthquake is a literal earthquake. The two witnesses are prophets (Rev 11:3,6) who have the power to do miracles to buttress their message of God's judgment and salvation, like Old Testament prophets also did.  They are sent to proclaim God's message to "peoples and tribes and languages and nations" (Rev 11:9, cf. 10:11).  Eventually, like the prophets of old, they will be killed by the enemies of God.  This chapter is another display of God's mercy to an unbelieving world.  The prophets of old were always a display of divine mercy in the face of impending judgment.  God is patient and faithfully beckons rebels to receive His mercy.  It is suicidal folly to love the darkness of evil more than the light of life.

    44 min

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

A Ministry of Bethel Baptist Church 24600 Little Mack Avenue Saint Clair Shores, MI 48080 Service Times Sunday 9:30 am - Sunday School 10:45 am - Morning Worship 6:00 pm - Evening Praise Service Wednesday 6:45 pm - Youth Group 6:45 pm - AWANA (During School Year) 7:00 pm - Bible Study & Prayer More Information about Bethel Baptist Church Bethel Baptist Church bbcscssound@gmail.com Pastor Robert Cosand