The Convergence of History: Enduring Faith in the Final Chapter

[00:00:00] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
We come before you and praise you.
[00:00:03] Hallelujah.
[00:00:04] The Lamb upon the throne.
[00:00:05] Help us, Lord, now as we come to this final book in your holy word.
[00:00:11] Oh, Lord God, please give us understanding.
[00:00:14] Open our hearts and minds and ears, and especially me.
[00:00:18] Lord God, may I preach faithfully in this
[00:00:21] In Jesus' name we thank you.
[00:00:31] Amen.
[00:00:50] You may be seated.
[00:00:51] Praise the Lord.
[00:00:52] We're going through Revelation.
[00:00:54] We're in chapter 1.
[00:00:56] Revelation, just before we begin, it is Revelation, not Revelations.
[00:01:02] And this is, we put on the sign, the scariest thing in town.
[00:01:08] For unbelievers, it is the scariest thing in town.
[00:01:11] But for believers, it should be good news.
[00:01:16] Revelation is about God's ultimate...
[00:01:20] The culmination of the redemptive history that we've been studying for the last 31 nights from Genesis to Revelation.
[00:01:26] And what we find in the book of Revelation, you think about a terminal or grand central station.
[00:01:33] All of these trains from different places are arriving at this one terminal.
[00:01:37] And like all the rest of the 65 books of the Bible are coming in to Revelation.
[00:01:42] You'll find allusions to so many.
[00:01:45] of the books of the Bible in the book of Revelation it's all coming together and what we see is God unfolding the culmination of history which is of course his story and in the end if you don't understand anything I preach just know if you're a believer we win praise God and if you're not you should be very worried and come see me afterwards okay that's now if you leave now you still got what you needed to hear
[00:02:12] All right, Revelation chapter 1.
[00:02:14] We're going to be going fast, okay?
[00:02:16] So put your seatbelts on.
[00:02:18] and let's go Revelation chapter 1 verse 1 the revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave unto him to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John who bear record of the word of God and of the testimony of Jesus Christ and of all things that he saw blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the words of this prophecy and keep those things which are written therein for the time is at hand
[00:02:46] John to the seven churches which are in Asia grace be unto you in peace from him which is and which was and which is to come and from the seven spirits which are before his throne and from Jesus Christ who is the faithful witness and the first begotten of the dead and the prince of the kings of the earth unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his father to him be glory and dominion forever and ever amen
[00:03:14] Behold, he cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him, and all the kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him, even so.
[00:03:23] Amen.
[00:03:24] I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
[00:03:31] I, John, who also am your brother and companion in tribulation and the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
[00:03:43] I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day and heard behind me a great voice of a trumpet saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last.
[00:03:52] and what thou seest write in a book and send it unto the seven churches which are in asia unto ephesus and unto smyrna and unto pergamos and unto thyatira and unto sardis and unto philadelphia and unto laodicea and i turned to see the voice that spake with me and being turned i saw seven golden candlesticks and in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the son of man
[00:04:17] Clothes with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
[00:04:22] His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were a flame of fire, and his feet like undefined brass, as if they burned in a furnace, and his voice as the sound of many waters, and in his right hand seven stars, and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength, and when I saw him I fell at his feet as dead.
[00:04:47] And he laid his right hand upon me, saying, Fear not, I am the first and the last, I am he that liveth and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, amen, and have the keys of hell and of death.
[00:04:59] Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter, the mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.
[00:05:18] John sees the resurrected Lord, the glorified Son of God.
[00:05:25] And when he does, he who laid in Jesus' bosom now falls like dead at his feet before the glorified and resurrected Lord.
[00:05:37] And yet Christ in his mercy raises him up, strengthens him to receive this revelation.
[00:05:44] Now, chapter 2 and chapter 3 goes through these seven churches to Asia, which is Turkey or Asia Minor.
[00:05:53] There are warnings, there are calls to repentance, and there are blessings offered at each.
[00:06:00] I encourage you to read those.
[00:06:01] We are not going to go through those, but we will come back
[00:06:04] To sum of that later on.
[00:06:07] If you turn over to chapter 4, we continue the narrative, and it begins in chapter 4 verse 1, After this I looked, and behold a door was opened in heaven, and the first voice which I heard was as it were a trumpet talking with me, which said, Come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter.
[00:06:30] And immediately I was in the spirit and behold a throne was set in heaven and one sat on the throne and he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone and there was a rainbow round about the throne in sight like unto an emerald and round about the throne were four and twenty seats and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting clothed in white raiment they had on their heads crowns of gold
[00:06:55] And out of the throne proceeded lightnings, and thunderings, and voices.
[00:06:59] And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God, or the sevenfold spirit of God.
[00:07:07] And before the throne there was a sea of glass, like unto crystal,
[00:07:11] and in the midst of the throne and round about the throne were four beasts full of eyes before and behind and the first beast was like a lion and the second beast like a calf and the third beast had a face as a man and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle and the four beasts had each of them six wings about him and they were full of eyes within and they rest not day and night saying holy holy holy lord god almighty which was and is and is to come
[00:07:40] When those beasts give glory and honor and thanks to him that sat on the throne who liveth forever and ever the four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne and worship him that liveth forever and ever and cast their crowns before the throne saying
[00:07:56] Thou art worthy.
[00:07:58] I don't know if they had John to play the piano.
[00:08:01] Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power, for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created.
[00:08:11] You see why we sung that song.
[00:08:13] Praise God.
[00:08:14] And so John is seeing the Lord, and it's a beautiful picture.
[00:08:18] And this vision that he has in heaven, he sees the Lord, he sees a rainbow above the Lord.
[00:08:27] And why a rainbow?
[00:08:29] Well, if you study the Bible as we have, what was the rainbow's significance in the Old Testament, remember?
[00:08:36] The promise to Noah and to mankind that God will never flood the earth again.
[00:08:41] So this is a covenant God.
[00:08:42] This is God.
[00:08:43] This is a reminder of the promise.
[00:08:44] And then these 24 elders.
[00:08:46] Why 24 do you think?
[00:08:48] How about the 12 tribes of the Old Testament and the 12 apostles of the New, showing the one people of God for all time?
[00:08:58] And they cast down their crowns before the Lord.
[00:09:01] And so here's this wonderful picture of God in heaven.
[00:09:04] He alone is worthy.
[00:09:05] Now look at chapter 5, and we are going to see this opening up
[00:09:10] of revelation if you will the seven seals we're going to be introduced to here and i saw on the right hand revelation chapter 5 verse 1 of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the back side sealed with seven seals by the way in the time of the romans they say a seven sealed document was often a last will and testament
[00:09:32] That seems to go hand in hand with what we're talking about tonight, doesn't it?
[00:09:36] And so I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book and to loose the seals thereof?
[00:09:44] And no man in heaven nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereupon.
[00:09:50] And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.
[00:09:55] Why does he weep?
[00:09:57] This is the unfolding of God's judgment and salvation, really.
[00:10:02] Well, who is worthy to bring judgment on other men or salvation?
[00:10:07] Only Jesus.
[00:10:08] So there is no man.
[00:10:09] There is no one.
[00:10:10] We've all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, right?
[00:10:13] There's only one in all of history, and we're going to see him now.
[00:10:17] Notice how he is portrayed.
[00:10:19] Verse 5, And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not!
[00:10:23] Behold, the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, hath prevailed to open the book and to loose the seals thereof.
[00:10:31] Who's that?
[00:10:33] Now, the lion of the tribe of Judah, and then when he looks, what does he see?
[00:10:38] Verse 6, And I beheld, and lo, in the midst of the throne of the four beasts, in the midst of the elders, stood a lamb.
[00:10:46] As he had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God, or the sevenfold spirit of God, sent forth into all the earth.
[00:10:56] And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.
[00:11:01] Who can take a book out of the hand of God the Father?
[00:11:05] Only the Son.
[00:11:07] He takes the book, yeah, praise God, and it says, And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of the saints.
[00:11:20] And they sung a new song, saying,
[00:11:23] Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof, for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation.
[00:11:36] Hey, that sounds like Abraham, remember?
[00:11:38] The blessing of Abraham?
[00:11:39] Here it is.
[00:11:40] And hast made us unto our God kings and priests, and we shall reign on the earth.
[00:11:46] And I beheld and heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand and thousand of thousand saying with a loud voice worthy is the lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing and every creature which is in heaven and on earth and under the earth you talk about a chorus
[00:12:08] and such as are in the sea and all that are in them say I heard saying blessing and honor and glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne and unto the lamb forever and ever notice the same worship that goes to the father goes to the son because he is fully God and the four beasts said amen
[00:12:35] And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth forever and ever.
[00:12:44] In chapter 6 begins the opening of the seven seals.
[00:12:47] Judgment upon the face of the earth.
[00:12:50] Horrible judgments.
[00:12:52] And I'm not going to read all of this, but I want us to look at these first, actually, verse 9 through 17.
[00:13:02] The first eight verses, we have the first four seals that are open.
[00:13:06] Judgment is beginning to come upon the earth.
[00:13:09] But now look, beginning in verse 9.
[00:13:11] Chapter 6, verse 9.
[00:13:13] And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held.
[00:13:22] That's a lot of folks over 2,000 years, isn't it?
[00:13:26] And they cried with a loud voice, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
[00:13:34] And white robes were given unto every one of them, and it was said unto them that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow servants also, and their brethren that should be killed, as they were, should be fulfilled.
[00:13:47] and I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal and lo there was a great earthquake and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair and the moon became as blood and the stars of heaven fell unto the earth even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs when she is shaken of a mighty wind and the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together and every mountain and island were moved out of their places and the kings of the earth and the great men
[00:14:14] and the rich men and the chief captains and the mighty men and every bondman and every freeman hid themselves in the dens and the rocks of the mountains and said to the mountains and rocks fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the lamb for the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand
[00:14:43] How interesting to be afraid of the wrath of a lamb.
[00:14:48] But as we saw, that lamb's also a lion.
[00:14:51] Praise God.
[00:14:53] Praise God.
[00:14:54] And so we see, if you continue, there is a little parenthesis in chapter 7, the sealing of the saints.
[00:15:03] Talks about 144,000 there.
[00:15:05] We take that generally for the true saints of God.
[00:15:09] There's lots of different views, but I want you to understand that in Revelation, God's servants are not the ones that are going to suffer all of this.
[00:15:18] It is the world.
[00:15:19] It's kind of like with Moses and the plagues on Egypt.
[00:15:24] There is some general plagues, and after a certain point, God makes a difference between his people and the Egyptians.
[00:15:32] And so too, we'll see that God, you know, the devil has a mark, right?
[00:15:35] 666, you know?
[00:15:37] But God also has a mark in Revelation.
[00:15:40] He marks his servants so that they will not be hurt.
[00:15:45] and we see this ceiling in chapter 7 and you have it talks about 12 000 of each of the tribes of israel the numbering of the tribes is a little bizarre dan is not there there's other reasons that we look at this more as symbolic than the literal uh twelve thousand twelve thousand and twelve thousand also as brother ron foley has brought up and some have brought up
[00:16:08] There may be, I say there may be, a message here like there was in Genesis 5.
[00:16:14] Because if you look at the names, what's the firstborn in Israel?
[00:16:20] Yeah, but if you look at the tribes here, Judah's mentioned first.
[00:16:24] Interesting.
[00:16:26] There may be a message in these names being put together like there was in Genesis 5.
[00:16:31] See the names in order of the tribes here.
[00:16:34] Judah, praise.
[00:16:35] Reuben, behold a son.
[00:16:37] Gad, good fortune.
[00:16:38] Asher, happy or blessed.
[00:16:40] Naphtali, struggle.
[00:16:41] Manasseh, forget.
[00:16:43] Simeon, God has heard.
[00:16:44] Levi, joined or attached.
[00:16:47] Issachar, reward.
[00:16:48] Zebulun, exalted or dwelling.
[00:16:50] Joseph, may he add.
[00:16:52] And Benjamin, son of the right hand.
[00:16:54] This is not absolutely certain, but I think a good argument could be made that there is a message here that would read like this, if you put all those names together.
[00:17:04] Praise and behold, a son brings good fortune and happiness.
[00:17:09] Though we struggle, God helps us forget the pain.
[00:17:13] He has heard us, joined us, and offers reward and exalted dwelling.
[00:17:18] May he add more blessings to the son of his right hand.
[00:17:24] If you put all those names together, that's what you get.
[00:17:27] Interesting.
[00:17:28] And so you have this in chapter 7.
[00:17:30] You also have it in chapter 14.
[00:17:32] It talks about those who are the 144,000 on Mount Zion that God is protecting and caring for, juxtaposed against everybody else who is suffering these terrible judgments.
[00:17:44] and that continues on in chapter 8 notice in chapter 8 verse 1 and when he had opened the seventh seal this is serious business look at this there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour wow wow this is serious and everybody's like you know of course not God but even the angels were gasping for air what's what's going on seventh seal and it says in verse 2
[00:18:13] I saw the seven angels which stood before God and to them were given seven trumpets so you got the seven seals and out of the seventh seal now comes seven trumpets of judgment okay and it's kind of like repeating some of the same general ideas and another angel came stood and stood at the altar having a golden censer and there was given unto him much incense where's Angelo
[00:18:37] Very good.
[00:18:38] And that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.
[00:18:44] This is the altar in heaven.
[00:18:46] Incense.
[00:18:46] And incense was symbolic of the prayers of the saints.
[00:18:49] And so here in Revelation, there is an angel that is going to offer incense up to the Lord, and it's the prayers of the saints.
[00:18:57] The prayers of the saints for what?
[00:18:59] Notice.
[00:19:00] Continuing on, verse 4, And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.
[00:19:08] And the angel took the censer and filled it with fire of the altar and cast it to the earth.
[00:19:13] And there were voices and thunderings and lightnings and an earthquake.
[00:19:18] and the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound and here comes hail and fire mingled with blood and all sorts of judgment what's the prayers of the saints lord for you to come lord for you to judge lord for you to bring righteousness
[00:19:33] Lord thy kingdom come thy will be done these prayers have been laid up for years and years and generations until at this last day all of those that haven't already been answered God takes them and he puts his holy fire from the altar of sacrifice the power of Christ and his atonement the power of
[00:19:52] an ever living intercessor at the right hand of God and that fire going along with our prayers the Holy Spirit that gives us utterance when we know not how to pray the Son at the right hand of the Father making intercession and the angel symbolically takes it if you will and casts it to the earth and here comes this judgment of God in and through the prayers of the saints.
[00:20:16] Interest.
[00:20:18] Interest.
[00:20:20] See how your prayers are important?
[00:20:23] Then in chapter 9 we find all sorts of hell breaking loose, and I mean literally.
[00:20:29] An angel comes down from heaven, sounds like a fallen angel, opens up a pit.
[00:20:33] Out come all of these demonic locust-like horse beings that are going around and attacking people, except those who are sealed.
[00:20:41] those who are gods and have God's mark on them they can't damage them or but the rest and it's it's just it seems to be just as bad as it can be and and the trumpets of judgment continue and the punishments get more and more severe and it just seems to be completely unbearable and you would think that those who shake their fist at God by now would humbly repent and cry out for mercy but look at the end of chapter nine
[00:21:10] Notice chapter 9 verse 20 and 21 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands that they should not worship devils and idols of gold and silver and brass and stone and of wood which neither can see nor hear nor walk neither repented they of their murders nor of their sorceries nor of their fornication nor of their thefts
[00:21:40] That's a hard heart right there.
[00:21:42] Now we come to chapter 12.
[00:21:44] As you're going to chapter 12, chapter 11 talks about these two witnesses that God's going to raise up and these two witnesses are going to be witnesses to the truth and the devil is going to be against him.
[00:22:00] Some say this is Moses and Elijah because of the things that they're going to do.
[00:22:04] but they're going to be killed by the devil and his satanic trinity which we'll see in a moment and yet God's going to raise them up on the third day and they're going to ascend to heaven here comes more judgment but in the midst of all of this is another parenthesis and we've already visited a couple times but it's very important
[00:22:20] Chapter 12 of Revelation, I think, again, is peering in to the spiritual backdrop of spiritual warfare all the way from Genesis to Revelation.
[00:22:30] Let's take a look at chapter 12 again now.
[00:22:32] What's going on?
[00:22:33] What is all of this?
[00:22:35] If you want to sum up the whole thing, if you want to back up to a 60,000 foot view, Revelation chapter 12 verse 1.
[00:22:42] And there appeared a great wonder in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars.
[00:22:50] Is there another picture like that in the Bible?
[00:22:54] Remember Joseph's dream?
[00:22:56] He saw something a little bit like that.
[00:22:59] The sun, moon, and stars are going to bow down and worship him.
[00:23:02] Interesting.
[00:23:03] And who's the woman?
[00:23:04] We talked about this being the people of God.
[00:23:06] Israel, the church.
[00:23:08] Some people say Eve.
[00:23:09] Some people say Mary.
[00:23:11] Because, look, she's travailing in birth, verse 2, and she's paying to be delivered.
[00:23:16] And there appeared another wonder in heaven.
[00:23:18] Behold, a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns upon his head.
[00:23:23] By the way, that's the very same dragon that we saw in Daniel chapter 7.
[00:23:28] If you go back and study.
[00:23:29] And what is that dragon doing?
[00:23:31] And he is, it says, his tail, first of all, drew the third part of the stars of heaven and did cast them to the earth.
[00:23:39] And the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered for devour her child as soon as it was born.
[00:23:44] This idea that a third of the angels fell and became demons, this is the only verse that we have that shows that.
[00:23:49] Stars can be messengers or angels.
[00:23:52] This is where Satan, we say, brings down a third of the angels.
[00:23:55] Now, when did this happen?
[00:23:57] That's the point.
[00:23:57] In order to understand this chapter, don't look at it chronologically so much.
[00:24:01] This is something that is in the spiritual realm.
[00:24:03] It has happened, it is happening, and it will happen.
[00:24:06] And Satan is standing before the woman ready for her to give birth so he can devour up the child.
[00:24:13] Well, when did that begin?
[00:24:16] Remember Adam and Eve.
[00:24:17] As soon as she has Abel, here's Cain.
[00:24:20] Cain kills him, right?
[00:24:22] And you keep on going.
[00:24:23] Remember, who was it?
[00:24:24] Let's see.
[00:24:26] Ishmael probably wanted to kill Isaac from what we understand.
[00:24:29] And Esau wanted to kill Jacob.
[00:24:31] The enmity between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent.
[00:24:33] And it goes on.
[00:24:34] Remember Pharaoh in Egypt tried to kill Moses.
[00:24:37] and all the babies of baby boys of Israel and then of course we remember wicked Queen Athaliah who killed all of the seed royal but praise God for Jehoshabah who took that little baby Joash was the only one left the divine plan of God the messianic promises that the seed of the woman had to come from Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and the tribe of Judah had narrowed down to just one child and yet God had this wonderful girl Jehoshabah which means her name I think the covenant of Jehovah
[00:25:07] and she steals that little baby away and that little baby is the whole promises of God and Word of God and he becomes the next heir on the throne of Judah and but the devil tried to kill because this grandmother killed all of her grandchildren because of the satanic desire to kill the seed that's that dragon and then of course when Jesus is born
[00:25:27] Here comes Herod, right?
[00:25:29] Kill all the babies in Bethlehem, trying to kill.
[00:25:32] But praise God, he doesn't succeed, and that's why it says in verse 5, And she brought forth a man-child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron, and her child was caught up unto God unto the throne.
[00:25:42] And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her a thousand two hundred and threescore days.
[00:25:48] And there was a war in heaven.
[00:25:50] Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon fought, and his angels, and prevailed not.
[00:25:54] Neither was there place found anymore in heaven.
[00:25:57] And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent called the devil and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world.
[00:26:03] He was cast out into the earth, and the angels were cast out with him.
[00:26:07] And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation and strength and the kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ.
[00:26:15] For the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
[00:26:20] And they overcame him.
[00:26:22] How?
[00:26:23] By the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives to the death.
[00:26:30] There's a Christian for you.
[00:26:31] Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them.
[00:26:34] Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and to the sea!
[00:26:37] For the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
[00:26:42] And when the dragon saw that he was cast to the earth, he persecutes the woman.
[00:26:46] Well, isn't that what he's been doing to the people of God ever since?
[00:26:52] And I think sometimes the devil's confused.
[00:26:54] Do I go after the Jews?
[00:26:55] Do I go after the Christians?
[00:26:57] Ah, I'll just go after both of them.
[00:26:59] And we see that, right?
[00:27:01] Even in our own country, right?
[00:27:02] Look what's happening.
[00:27:04] People hate the Jews.
[00:27:06] I mean, it's, you know, Lord have mercy.
[00:27:10] And so, but we know also that just as Brother Bob preached last night, and we've heard, if you go around preaching the gospel and telling people to repent and come to Christ and Jesus is the only way, you're going to get a little bit of flack too.
[00:27:22] Say, I'm a Christian, I don't have any flack.
[00:27:24] Go door to door in your neighborhood tomorrow and start telling them that if they don't repent and believe in Jesus, they're going to go to hell.
[00:27:30] You'll get some flack.
[00:27:32] But praise God, you might say, people saved, hallelujah.
[00:27:35] But Satan wants to scare us, he wants to attack us, he wants to destroy us, because look what it says in verse, let's come down here to verse 17.
[00:27:45] And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
[00:27:56] That's you, isn't it?
[00:27:58] And me.
[00:27:59] Who's making war with you?
[00:28:01] The devil.
[00:28:02] Yeah?
[00:28:03] And it's still going on, isn't it?
[00:28:06] But there's a time coming when it's going to end.
[00:28:08] And we're going to see that, Lord willing, by 9, 30, 10 o'clock.
[00:28:11] Just stay.
[00:28:16] Continue it on, chapter 13.
[00:28:19] Chapter 13.
[00:28:19] Now, you've heard about these things.
[00:28:23] The dragon is the devil.
[00:28:24] We just saw that.
[00:28:26] Then there's a beast and there's a false prophet.
[00:28:29] And Satan loves to counterfeit God.
[00:28:32] And so just as there is the Trinity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Satan has his own false trinity.
[00:28:38] The dragon, the beast, and the false prophet.
[00:28:41] And we're introduced to it here in chapter 13.
[00:28:43] Let's take a look in verse 1.
[00:28:45] And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, upon his head ten crowns, and upon his head the name of blasphemy.
[00:28:54] He looks like the dragon Satan himself, but he's not.
[00:28:57] And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion, and the dragon gave him his power, his seat, and great authority.
[00:29:09] And I saw one of his heads that were wounded to death, and his deadly wound was healed, and all the world wondered after the beast.
[00:29:15] And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast.
[00:29:18] Who's the world worshipping?
[00:29:21] The devil.
[00:29:22] And they worship the beast too, saying, Who is like unto the beast?
[00:29:26] Who is able to make war with him?
[00:29:29] And there was given unto him a mouth, speaking great things and blasphemies.
[00:29:33] And power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
[00:29:35] And he opened his mouth to blasphemy against God, to blasphemy his name and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
[00:29:41] And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them.
[00:29:46] And power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
[00:29:50] And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, the beast.
[00:29:53] whose names are not written in the Book of Life of the Lamb, slain from the foundation of the world.
[00:30:00] If any man have an ear, let him hear.
[00:30:02] He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity.
[00:30:05] He that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword.
[00:30:08] Here is the patience and faith of the saints.
[00:30:10] Now look, here's another beast.
[00:30:13] So you've got the dragon, Satan, you've got the beast, and now you've got what's going to be known as the false prophet, but he's enumerated another beast here in verse 11.
[00:30:22] And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb, but he spake like a dragon.
[00:30:29] And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
[00:30:39] This first beast we see as the wicked world system, the secular world system that is contrary to God.
[00:30:45] this second beast here that's the first beast the second beast we believe is the false religion of the world that points people to worship this first beast which is power and control and authority isn't that satanic anyways what did the devil tempt jesus with ah he took him up into a high mountain look at all of these kingdoms and all of these nations and all of these thrones all of this is delivered unto me bow down to me now and you can have it all
[00:31:14] and so this is the idea of the beast then this other beast as we'll see is this false prophet is false religion is there any false religion out there today all kind of false religion and so we continue on it says he doeth wonders verse 13 so that he makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men he deceives them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast saying to them that dwell on the earth that they should make an image to the beast
[00:31:42] which has the wound by a sword and did live and he had power to give life under the image of the beast that the image of the beast should both speak and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed
[00:31:56] He causeth all, both small, great, rich, and poor, free, and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads, and that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
[00:32:13] And here is wisdom.
[00:32:14] Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is six hundred threescore and six.
[00:32:21] Six, six, six.
[00:32:26] But if you're born again, you've already got a mark.
[00:32:29] A mark from God.
[00:32:30] and that is a mark to protect you and we give praise for the Lord.
[00:32:36] But many will succumb to this great deception.
[00:32:40] Economic pressure.
[00:32:41] The devil always uses the same tactics.
[00:32:44] It doesn't matter whether it is Islam or whether it is communism or you go back through the world.
[00:32:50] There's two things that he uses.
[00:32:52] He uses violence or the threat of violence and economic pressure
[00:32:59] To enforce continued idolatry.
[00:33:04] To keep people from worshipping the true God.
[00:33:06] And you find that still today in different places.
[00:33:10] The devil has nothing new, really.
[00:33:12] Now, notice if you continue.
[00:33:15] So we have in chapter 15 now,
[00:33:20] You had the seven seals, you had the seven trumpets, now you have the seven vials of wrath that are going to be poured out.
[00:33:30] But in chapter 15, verse 1, I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them is filled up the wrath of God.
[00:33:38] And I saw, as it were, a sea of glass mingled with fire, and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name,
[00:33:47] Stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.
[00:33:50] Praise the Lord.
[00:33:51] And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty.
[00:33:59] Just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.
[00:34:02] Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name?
[00:34:05] For thou only art holy.
[00:34:07] For all nations shall come and worship before thee, for thy judgments are made manifest.
[00:34:12] And after that I looked, and beheld the temple,
[00:34:15] of the Tabernacle of the Testimony in heaven was opened.
[00:34:18] There's a temple in heaven, remember?
[00:34:20] The one that Moses made was made after a pattern of the true in heaven.
[00:34:23] Remember the book of Hebrews?
[00:34:24] Jesus didn't take his blood into the Holy of Holies in Jerusalem that was standing.
[00:34:28] There wasn't anything there.
[00:34:29] The Ark wasn't there.
[00:34:30] It was taken away in 586 BC.
[00:34:32] No, Jesus offers himself once and enters into the holiest of all in heaven itself.
[00:34:37] that he might be our high priest who liveth forever to make intercession for us and so that temple is opened in heaven in verse 6 and the seven angels came out of the temple having the seven plagues clothed in pure and white linen having their beasts
[00:34:53] Their breasts girded and golden girdles and one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of wrath of God who liveth forever and ever and the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power and no man was able to enter into the temple till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled and so
[00:35:14] this is serious business and so here comes these uh horrible plagues and these vials of the wrath of god on on who on the beast on the false prophet on those who follow them and what you're going to find as we move forward here that there's these antitheses there is for example um what we're going to find out the whore
[00:35:36] The Whore of Babylon, Mystery Babylon, this woman who rides on the beast, which is also analogous to that false religion.
[00:35:44] So you have the whore, and then you have Babylon.
[00:35:48] Babylon is symbolic of the world opposed to Christ.
[00:35:53] And that is Satan's counterfeit of the whore, the counterfeit of the bride.
[00:35:58] The Church.
[00:35:59] And Babylon of the New Jerusalem that's going to come down from heaven for his people.
[00:36:05] You don't need that.
[00:36:06] Here, I'll give you Babylon.
[00:36:09] Babylon's a problem.
[00:36:10] By the way, what do we remember happened in Babylon?
[00:36:14] Well, you got Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and all that, but go back further.
[00:36:18] Where was the first rebellion against God from a group of people?
[00:36:22] Tower of Babel.
[00:36:23] Babylon.
[00:36:25] Interesting.
[00:36:25] In the beginning, in the end.
[00:36:28] Chickens come home to roost.
[00:36:30] Those are some old chickens.
[00:36:30] But anyways, you get the idea.
[00:36:33] Continue in chapter 16.
[00:36:35] Notice, I mentioned this idea of the Satanic Trinity.
[00:36:38] Beginning in verse 13 and 14, this is emphasized.
[00:36:42] As the vials of wrath are being poured out, it seems that the beast and the false prophet are getting pretty desperate.
[00:36:49] And who's going to follow them?
[00:36:50] After a while, they're thinking, hey, this isn't going to work.
[00:36:53] People are going to see, as long as they follow us, they keep getting killed and plagued.
[00:36:57] So what do they do?
[00:36:58] Ah, here we have in verse 13, And I saw three unclean spirits, like frogs, come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
[00:37:09] There's that satanic trinity.
[00:37:11] For they are the spirits of devils working miracles which go forth unto the kings of the earth and the whole world to gather them to battle of that great day of God Almighty.
[00:37:24] Who's going to go fight against God?
[00:37:25] Well, here's these satanic delusions and miracles and false deceptions, and here they go to bring these people to fight against God in this last day.
[00:37:37] And so we continue.
[00:37:40] Actually, the next two verses say that.
[00:37:41] Behold, I come as a thief, the Lord says.
[00:37:44] Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.
[00:37:48] And he gathereth them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue...
[00:37:53] Armageddon.
[00:37:55] You've heard that before, I imagine.
[00:37:58] Now, in chapter 17, we find that Mystery Babylon, this woman that is not a literal woman.
[00:38:10] We believe she has to do with false religion.
[00:38:13] Notice the first few verses, Revelation 17, quickly, And there came one of the seven angels, which had the seven vows, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither, I will show unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters, with whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication.
[00:38:31] and the inhabitants of the earth have made drunk with the wine of her fornication this is spiritual right spiritually they have committed fornication with her like idolatry so he carried me away in the spirit in the wilderness and i saw a woman sit upon a scarlet colored beast full of names of blasphemy having seven heads and ten horns and the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls
[00:38:54] Having a golden cup in her hand, full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication, and upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery Babylon, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth.
[00:39:06] And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints.
[00:39:09] and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus and when I saw her I wondered with great admiration.
[00:39:17] Interesting.
[00:39:18] As we mentioned false religion, think about so many Muslims who kill Christians and believe they're doing God a service because that's what Islam teaches.
[00:39:27] As you know, I've studied Islam.
[00:39:28] Some have said in the past, well, this is Rome at different times who has killed Protestant Christians.
[00:39:35] And there's a discussion here, verse 10, or the seven mountains.
[00:39:41] Here's the mind, verse 9, hath wisdom that seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sitteth.
[00:39:46] And so therefore it's Rome, or this, or that, or the other thing.
[00:39:49] I don't think we can just place it to one place or another.
[00:39:53] It's all false religion that is over and against God.
[00:39:56] It is a spirit more than it is in one particular locale.
[00:40:00] Some people say, no, it's Babylon in a rock.
[00:40:03] Well, Babylon in a rock is a ghost town.
[00:40:05] But the point is, it is a spirit of false religion that is everywhere on this earth.
[00:40:10] God forbid, even in churches sometimes.
[00:40:14] And it rides and it goes right along with the world.
[00:40:18] The world loves false religion.
[00:40:20] You know, you want to find where the rich people go to church?
[00:40:23] Find a church that doesn't affect their consciences.
[00:40:27] A church that just tells them everything's nice and good.
[00:40:30] Let me tell you about the beach and my grandkids.
[00:40:32] Let me tell you about how much God loves you.
[00:40:35] Let me tell you about how wonderful it'll be when we all go to heaven.
[00:40:41] And then strike up the band and the laser light show and the smoke and we'll be okay.
[00:40:46] No.
[00:40:48] There is going to be smoke, but it's not coming from a machine.
[00:40:52] Lord have mercy.
[00:40:53] And so people need to hear the truth.
[00:40:55] And so false religion and the world go hand in hand.
[00:40:59] And that's why you have false religion riding on the beast.
[00:41:02] But that false, the beast, which is the worldly system and kingdoms and powers, they look at the church, false or real, as insignificant.
[00:41:14] They run the church, not the church us.
[00:41:16] Of course, that's not the way it should be, but that's the way they look at it.
[00:41:18] And so what you find later in chapter 17, the beast devours the whore.
[00:41:25] And so now the beast doesn't have to deal with this woman anymore, this false religion, whatever it is that is riding her.
[00:41:36] But we see that God destroys the woman.
[00:41:40] He destroys Babylon in chapter 18, the world system that rejects Christ.
[00:41:47] And we find in chapter 18 the laments of the people of the world because all of their business and hope of gain is gone and then we see that God has brought great judgment.
[00:42:04] On the world system, on the false religion, and now we're going to see in chapter 19 the second coming of our Lord Jesus and the judgment on the beast and the false prophet.
[00:42:16] Let's take a look at this unequaled chapter about the second coming of our Lord, chapter 19.
[00:42:22] and after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven saying hallelujah salvation and glory and honor and power unto the Lord our God for true and righteous are his judgments for he hath judged the great whore which did corrupt the earth with her fornication and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand and again they said hallelujah and her smoke
[00:42:44] rose up forever and ever and the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshiped God that sat on the throne and said Amen, Hallelujah and a voice came out of the throne saying praise our God all ye his servants and ye that fear him both small and great and I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude as the voice of many waters as the voice of mighty thundering saying Hallelujah for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth let us be glad and rejoice and give honor to him
[00:43:14] For the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
[00:43:19] What a wonderful, glorious day.
[00:43:21] I'm looking forward to that wedding day.
[00:43:23] Praise the Lord.
[00:43:24] Hallelujah.
[00:43:25] Gary said he's dressed for a wedding.
[00:43:27] Maybe he's coming back tonight.
[00:43:29] Praise God.
[00:43:29] I'm ready to go.
[00:43:30] How about you?
[00:43:31] But if you get there and you don't have a wedding garment on, you're not going to get married.
[00:43:35] They're going to come and throw you out.
[00:43:37] So I hope you have that wedding garment, which is the righteousness of Jesus Christ by grace through faith.
[00:43:42] The Lamb, the marriage of the Lamb.
[00:43:44] If you're born again, remember what we said in Ephesians?
[00:43:46] You've been engaged to Christ.
[00:43:48] In Ephesians chapter 1, I'll leave this verse 14, you've been sealed with the Holy Spirit of God, which is the earnest of our inheritance in the Greek, Erebon, that is engagement ring.
[00:43:57] Paul says, was it in 2 Corinthians chapter 11?
[00:44:00] I am fear because I have espoused you as a chaste virgin unto one husband, lest by any way the serpent, who by subtlety deceived Eve, might also deceive you.
[00:44:12] We're supposed to stay chaste spiritually.
[00:44:16] We're supposed to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength.
[00:44:18] We can't look to the right or the left.
[00:44:20] No idolatry.
[00:44:21] We're to love our neighbor as ourself.
[00:44:22] We're to be chaste and pure, awaiting that wonderful and glorious appearing of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, our Groom.
[00:44:30] And then there's going to be a marriage.
[00:44:34] And boy, it's going to be something.
[00:44:35] And if you're a born-again believer, you're the bride.
[00:44:38] Hallelujah, in a spiritual sense.
[00:44:40] And that's what we have here.
[00:44:42] And there is praise in heaven, there is glory, there is rejoicing.
[00:44:46] Verse 7, Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him.
[00:44:50] For the marriage of the Lamb is come, and her wife hath made herself ready, and to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white.
[00:44:58] For the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints.
[00:45:01] And he saith unto me, Write!
[00:45:03] Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.
[00:45:07] And he said unto me, These are the true saints of God.
[00:45:10] And I fell at his feet to worship him.
[00:45:12] And he said, See, thou doest it not.
[00:45:14] I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus.
[00:45:18] Worship God, for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
[00:45:22] Now remember, Jesus, the world last saw him dead on a cross.
[00:45:29] and Defeat.
[00:45:30] Now his disciples had seen him other ways afterwards, right?
[00:45:33] Now how's the world going to see him next time?
[00:45:36] Verse 11, I saw heaven opened and behold a white horse and he that sat upon him was called faithful and true and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
[00:45:47] Who is that?
[00:45:50] His eyes were as a flame of fire, on his head were many crowns, and he had a name written that no man knew but he himself.
[00:45:57] And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood, and his name is called the Word of God.
[00:46:02] And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, and out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword.
[00:46:11] that with it he should smite the nations and he should rule them with a rod of iron and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness of the wrath of Almighty God and he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written King of Kings and Lord of Lords and I saw an angel standing in the sun and he cried with a loud voice saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God we have the marriage supper of the Lamb for believers but for the unbelievers that are left
[00:46:41] There's a different kind of supper.
[00:46:43] That you may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bound, both small and great.
[00:46:54] And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse and against his army.
[00:47:02] How's that going to work for them?
[00:47:04] And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image.
[00:47:14] They both were cast alive into the lake of fire, burning with brimstone, and the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the throne, which sword proceedeth out of his mouth, and the fowls were filled with their flesh.
[00:47:27] Oh my, oh my, this is our King Jesus.
[00:47:32] Now this isn't the stuff that they put on signs to give people to come into church, but this is our King Jesus.
[00:47:38] Like I put on the sign, the scariest thing in town.
[00:47:42] If you're a believer, it's the most wonderful thing.
[00:47:44] It's the most blessed thing.
[00:47:46] It's what our heart and our soul should be yearning after.
[00:47:51] The coming of our Lord.
[00:47:52] Because we pray it, do we not, in the Lord's Prayer every time?
[00:47:54] Thy kingdom come.
[00:47:55] What are we praying for?
[00:47:56] This.
[00:47:58] Yes, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
[00:48:00] But for the unbeliever,
[00:48:02] I got a bucket list.
[00:48:03] I'm not so sure.
[00:48:05] Maybe when I get sick and ready to die, I'll talk to the pastor.
[00:48:08] I don't know.
[00:48:08] We'll see.
[00:48:11] Scary stuff.
[00:48:12] But for believers, we should rejoice.
[00:48:14] We should be excited.
[00:48:15] We should be filled with love and zeal and the Spirit of God encouraging us.
[00:48:21] I don't have time to theologize here about the millennium.
[00:48:25] Chapter 20 is the thousand years, is a millennium.
[00:48:28] And there's all kinds of different views of the millennium, but for tonight and for brevity's sake, the way we read straight through it, I believe personally that the millennium comes after the second coming of Christ.
[00:48:40] I respect other views, but I see this as a Sabbath, the 7,000th year.
[00:48:47] So far it seems the earth is about 6,000 some years old, the best we can tell from the Scripture.
[00:48:52] The 7,000th years, that thousand years would be a Sabbath, a special time where God is reigning on the earth before the new heavens and the new earth.
[00:49:02] But without getting into that and our time is fleeing, let's just read the Scripture as it presents itself.
[00:49:07] Chapter 20.
[00:49:08] After this I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit, and the great chain in his hand.
[00:49:15] And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the devil and Satan, and bound him a thousand years.
[00:49:20] The beast and the false prophet are already in the lake of fire.
[00:49:24] Now Satan is bound for a thousand years, and cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years should be fulfilled, and after that he must be loosed for a little season.
[00:49:36] And I saw thrones, and they that sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them.
[00:49:40] And I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads or in their hands, and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
[00:49:52] But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.
[00:49:56] This is the first resurrection.
[00:49:57] Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection.
[00:50:01] On such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
[00:50:08] And then it talks about Satan at the end of the thousand years being loosed a little while to deceive the nations, but of course you know Satan's not going to win.
[00:50:16] and he comes against the saints verse 9 and they went up on the breadth of the earth and compassed the camp of the saints above about the beloved city and fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them and the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and false prophet are as I see it already are and shall be tormented day and night forever
[00:50:43] and I saw a great white throne and him that sat on it from whom whose face the earth and heaven fled away and there was found no place for them and all I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the books were opened another book was opened as the book of life and the dead were judged out of these things which are written in the books according to their works
[00:50:59] and the sea gave up the dead which were in it and death and hell delivered up dead which were in them and they were judged every man according to their works and death and hell were cast into the lake of fire this is the second death and whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire i know we're getting close to time bear with me we have two more chapters chapter 21 and i saw a new heaven
[00:51:29] and a New Earth.
[00:51:31] For the first heaven and the first earth were passed away, and there was no more sea.
[00:51:35] And I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
[00:51:43] And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them and be their God, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.
[00:51:56] There shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain, for the former things are passed away.
[00:52:05] And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new.
[00:52:08] And he said unto me, Write, for these words are true and faithful.
[00:52:12] And he said unto me, This is Jesus, it is done.
[00:52:14] I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.
[00:52:16] I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
[00:52:20] He that overcometh shall inherit all things.
[00:52:23] I will be his guard and he shall be my son but the fearful and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and whoremongers and sorcerers and idolaters and liars shall have their part of the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death and there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues and talked with me saying come hither and I will show thee the bride
[00:52:44] The Lamb's Wife.
[00:52:45] And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God.
[00:52:54] Praise the Lord.
[00:52:56] And you continue to read the rest of that chapter and see the beautiful description, but pick it up in verse 22.
[00:53:02] And I saw no temple therein, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
[00:53:08] And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine it, for the glory of God did lighten it.
[00:53:13] And the Lamb is the light thereof, and the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it, and the kings of the earth
[00:53:19] do bring their glory and honor into it and the gates of it shall not be shut all day for there shall be no night there and they shall bring the glory and honor of the nations into it and there shall no wise enter into anything that defileth neither whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a lie but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.
[00:53:41] That's where I want to go.
[00:53:42] How about you?
[00:53:46] But Pastor Joseph, we won't have a movie theater over there.
[00:53:50] We won't have YouTube.
[00:53:53] Won't get to hear your preaching.
[00:53:54] Oh, Brother Bob, I ain't preaching.
[00:53:57] I'm listening to Jesus.
[00:53:58] How about you, Brother Bob?
[00:54:04] You remember in Genesis chapter 3 how the Adam and Eve sinned.
[00:54:09] They're cast out of the garden.
[00:54:10] They can no longer access the tree of life lest they live forever.
[00:54:14] And remember the curses that were placed upon creation.
[00:54:18] Well, just look at the first five verses of Revelation 22.
[00:54:22] And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceed out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
[00:54:28] Kind of like the rivers coming out of Eden.
[00:54:30] Kind of like the river coming out from the temple and the end of Ezekiel.
[00:54:34] Kind of like the river coming out of living waters that come out from underneath our heart in John chapter 7, if we believe on Jesus.
[00:54:42] And here it is again.
[00:54:43] In the midst of the street of it and on either side of the river was there the Tree of Life.
[00:54:48] Here it is!
[00:54:49] Another chance!
[00:54:51] which bear twelve manner of fruits and yielded her fruit every month and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations and there shall be no more curse praise god but the throne of god and of the lamb shall be in it and his servant shall serve him they shall see his face and his name shall be in their foreheads and there shall be no night there and they need no candle neither light of the sun for the lord god giveth them light and they shall reign forever and ever what a beautiful picture hallelujah
[00:55:22] Let's read just a little bit more in 22, verse 6, And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true, and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to show unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.
[00:55:31] Behold, I come quickly.
[00:55:33] Blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.
[00:55:37] Are you keeping the sayings of the prophecy of this book?
[00:55:39] And I, John, saw these things, and heard them, and when I did hear and seen, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel which showed me these things.
[00:55:46] He said, See thou do it not.
[00:55:48] I am thy fellow servant of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book.
[00:55:51] Worship God.
[00:55:53] and he saith unto me seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book for the time is at hand he that is unjust let him be unjust still he which is filthy let him be filthy still he that is righteous let him be righteous still he that is holy let him be holy still and behold i come quickly and my reward is with me to give every man according to his work shall be i am alpha and omega the beginning and the end the first and the last blessed are they which do his commandments that they might have right to the tree of life
[00:56:21] and may enter in through the gate into the city for without are dogs and sorcerers and whoremongers and murderers and idolaters and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches I am the root and offspring of David and the bright and morning star how do you like that he's the root of David he comes before and he's the offspring of David he comes after
[00:56:44] Praise God.
[00:56:45] Praise God.
[00:56:46] Hang in there with me.
[00:56:47] I just want you to go.
[00:56:48] We're not going to read this.
[00:56:49] This will only take a few minutes.
[00:56:50] A couple minutes.
[00:56:52] Go back to the first three chapters of Revelation.
[00:56:54] Remember we talked about the church?
[00:56:55] What are we supposed to do?
[00:56:56] He says, Blessed are those who read this and keep these commandments.
[00:56:59] What commandments?
[00:57:00] Well, how about the exact words and commands to the churches?
[00:57:04] Real quickly, if you look back in chapter 2 and 3 of Revelation, the first church, Ephesus, he calls them to repent for leaving their first love.
[00:57:12] Can that apply to us as individuals or as a church?
[00:57:15] And the blessing that if we do repent, to him that overcometh, he shall eat of the tree of life in the midst of the paradise of God.
[00:57:22] And there it is at the end of Revelation.
[00:57:24] In the church at Smyrna, he tells them not to repent but to fear not, fear not, for the crown of life and the promise to not be heard of the second death is to all of those who overcome.
[00:57:37] In the church at Pergamos,
[00:57:40] They're told to repent for fornication, idolatry.
[00:57:43] Balaam is mentioned.
[00:57:44] But if they do repent, they are promised to have for he that overcometh to eat of the hidden manna.
[00:57:50] A white stone will be given to each of them with a new name that no man knows.
[00:57:54] Thyatira is also called to repent of fornication, idolatry.
[00:57:58] Jezebel is mentioned.
[00:58:00] See these Old Testament characters?
[00:58:01] Power over the nations to rule them with a rod of iron is promised to him that overcometh and the morning star.
[00:58:07] By the way, who's the morning star?
[00:58:09] And then in the church of Sardis, we have the command to repent.
[00:58:13] And what are they supposed to repent of?
[00:58:15] If you go and read it carefully, of being a dead church.
[00:58:19] They're frozen chosen to the tenth power, right?
[00:58:22] And it says, they will be clothed with white raiment, and their names will be confessed before the Father and His angels if they overcome.
[00:58:31] Philadelphia, they're not told to repent, but they're told to hold fast that which they have.
[00:58:36] If you have something good, the Word of God, if you have something good in your Christian life, hold fast, hold fast, persevere, like in the book of Hebrews, if you remember.
[00:58:46] Let no man take thy crown, and if you overcome, God will make you a pillar in the temple, and write his name upon you, and the name of the new Jerusalem.
[00:58:55] And then finally, Laodicea, repent of what?
[00:58:57] We taught this the other night.
[00:58:58] What are they supposed to repent of?
[00:59:00] Lukewarmness.
[00:59:03] And if you look there in chapter 3 of Revelation, real quickly, verses 19-22.
[00:59:09] This is what he says.
[00:59:11] As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten.
[00:59:13] Be zealous therefore and repent.
[00:59:15] Behold, I stand at the door and knock.
[00:59:17] If any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him and will sup with him and him with me.
[00:59:23] To him that overcometh, get this, will I grant to sit with me in my throne.
[00:59:29] I can't fathom it.
[00:59:32] Even as also I overcame and am set down with my Father in his throne.
[00:59:36] He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.
[00:59:43] Let's end at the end.
[00:59:44] The very end.
[00:59:45] We just had a few verses left in 22.
[00:59:47] Let's finish.
[00:59:48] Verse 17.
[00:59:49] We'll start in 16.
[00:59:50] This goes to 21 and we're done.
[00:59:52] I, Jesus, have sent mine angel to testify unto you, 22, 16, these things in the churches.
[00:59:58] I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright and morning star.
[01:00:01] The Spirit and the bride say, Come!
[01:00:03] Let him that heareth say, Come.
[01:00:05] Let him that is athirst, Come.
[01:00:07] And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
[01:00:10] For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book.
[01:00:19] and if any man shall take away from the words of this book of this prophecy God shall take away his part out of the book of life and out of the holy city and from the things which are written in the book he which testifieth these things saith surely I come quickly amen even so come Lord Jesus the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all amen Genesis to Revelation in 31 days
[01:00:49] Praise the Lord.
[01:00:51] He's good.
[01:00:52] The Lord is good.
[01:00:57] But before you leave, just give me a couple more minutes.
[01:01:02] Give me this privilege, I pray, okay?
[01:01:07] Have we seen Jesus in every book of the Bible?
[01:01:11] Do you remember all of it?
[01:01:15] Ah, well let me help you.
[01:01:18] In Genesis, he's the seed of the woman.
[01:01:20] In Exodus, he's the Passover lamb.
[01:01:22] In Leviticus, he's the high priest.
[01:01:25] In Numbers, he's the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night.
[01:01:29] In Deuteronomy, he's the prophet that's going to be raised up like unto Moses.
[01:01:33] In Joshua, he's the captain of the Lord's host.
[01:01:35] In Judges, he is our perfect judge and great deliverer.
[01:01:39] In the book of Ruth, he is our great kinsman redeemer.
[01:01:42] In 1 and 2 Samuel, he's that great Ebenezer, that stone, that rock of help.
[01:01:48] Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.
[01:01:51] In 1 and 2 Kings, in 1 and 2 Chronicles, he is the eternal son of David who will reign on his throne forever and ever.
[01:01:59] In Ezra, he's our faithful scribe that teaches us the word of God.
[01:02:03] In Nehemiah, he's the rebuilder of the walls of the church.
[01:02:06] that's broken down.
[01:02:08] In Esther, he is the faithful intercessor who is willing to give his life for his people.
[01:02:14] In Job, he is the redeemer that liveth and will stand upon the earth, the day spring from on high.
[01:02:20] In Psalms, he's David's rock.
[01:02:22] He's David's strong tower.
[01:02:24] The righteous run into it and are safe.
[01:02:27] In Proverbs, he's the tree of life.
[01:02:28] In Ecclesiastes, he's the wisdom above the sun.
[01:02:32] And Song of Solomon, he's the groom, praise God, of his bride, the church.
[01:02:37] In the book of Isaiah, he is the child that will be born, the son that shall be given.
[01:02:41] His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
[01:02:46] In Jeremiah, he's the branch of righteousness and lamentations.
[01:02:49] He's the weeping prophet.
[01:02:51] In Ezekiel, he is the Davidic shepherd king that is to come and to rule his people.
[01:02:57] In the future, yes, in Daniel we know he's the fourth man, praise God, with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fire.
[01:03:04] In Hosea, he's the faithful husband, even if we're not faithful.
[01:03:07] In Amos, he's God's burden bearer.
[01:03:11] We find us in Hosea, Joel.
[01:03:13] In Joel, he is the one who promises to send his spirit upon our sons and daughters so that we will prophesy in the latter days, fulfilled in Acts.
[01:03:23] And then Amos is the burden bearer.
[01:03:25] Obadiah, he is the Lord who has come upon Mount Zion.
[01:03:31] Praise God.
[01:03:33] In Jonah, he's the great foreign missionary.
[01:03:35] In Micah, he is the ruler who is coming to be born in Bethlehem, whose goings forth have been from of old, even from everlasting.
[01:03:44] In Nahum, he is the avenger of God's elect.
[01:03:47] In Habakkuk, he's God's evangelist, crying out, O revive thy work in the midst of the years, O Lord.
[01:03:53] Praise God.
[01:03:54] In Zephaniah, he is our God.
[01:03:56] Almighty to save.
[01:03:58] In the book of Haggai, he's the desire of all nations that will come to his temple.
[01:04:02] In Zechariah, he is a fountain opened up in the house of David for sin and uncleanness.
[01:04:07] And in Malachi, he's the sun of righteousness arising with healing in his wings.
[01:04:14] Praise God.
[01:04:16] Did that help you any with the Old Testament?
[01:04:20] In Matthew, He's the Messiah.
[01:04:22] He's the King of the Jews.
[01:04:23] And in Mark, He is God's servant who does many miracles to His glory.
[01:04:28] In Luke, He's the Son of Man.
[01:04:30] In John, He's the Son of God.
[01:04:31] In the book of Acts, He's the God who sends the Holy Spirit and fire upon His church.
[01:04:36] In the book of Romans, He's the righteousness of God.
[01:04:38] In 1 and 2 Corinthians, He's the wisdom and the power of God.
[01:04:42] In Galatians, He's the one who redeems us from the curse of the law.
[01:04:45] In Ephesians, He is the one
[01:04:46] In and through whom, if you've been born again, you have been chosen before the foundation of the earth.
[01:04:55] In Philippians, he is the one through whom God promises to supply all of your needs through his riches and glory in Christ Jesus.
[01:05:04] In Colossians, he's the one in whom all things consist and is the one in which the fullness of the Godhead dwelleth bodily.
[01:05:13] In 1st and 2nd Thessalonians, he's our soon coming king.
[01:05:16] In 1 and 2 Timothy, he's the one mediator between God and man, Christ Jesus.
[01:05:22] In Titus, he's the faithful pastor.
[01:05:24] In Philemon, he is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
[01:05:28] In the book of Hebrews, he is the express image of God
[01:05:32] The author and finisher of our faith.
[01:05:35] In James, he's the great physician.
[01:05:37] In 1 and 2 Peter, he is the cornerstone of the church and the soon-coming great shepherd of the sheep.
[01:05:46] Praise God.
[01:05:47] We learned last night in 1, 2, and 3 John that Jesus is love and truth.
[01:05:54] Isn't that what you thought?
[01:05:56] Praise God.
[01:05:56] And in Jude, he is the Lord Jesus Christ returning with ten thousands of his saints.
[01:06:03] And in the book of Revelation, Hallelujah.
[01:06:05] Praise God.
[01:06:07] He is the morning star.
[01:06:11] He's the Alpha, the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.
[01:06:14] He's the Lamb upon the throne.
[01:06:16] He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords.
[01:06:22] who loved us and gave himself for us and redeemed us out of every tribe, tongue, and nation with his blood.
[01:06:35] Hallelujah!
[01:06:36] Amen!
[01:06:39] Praise the Lord.
[01:06:42] Praise God.
[01:06:43] May the Lord God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit bless you and keep you, make His face to shine upon you, call to remembrance in your minds and hearts what you've heard over the last 31 days, and may you be filled with His word which brings forth faith that you might walk in that faith to His glory, worthy of the vocation wherewith you are called to shine forth the light, the love, and the truth
[01:07:09] of our risen savior and our soon coming king our great God and our elder brother the one who loved us and gave himself for us the lamb slain from the foundation of the world for our sin to him be glory honor praise and dominion both now and forevermore amen and amen God bless you your disciples