You Belong Here!

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You Belong Here!

(Acts 2:42-47; Romans 12:10)

 

INTRODUCTION

“In his latest book, John Ortberg writes about our need to meaningfully connect with others:

 

In 2015, researchers at the University of California at Berkeley announced they would be part of a $100 million dollar project for space travel to see if there's intelligent life in the universe. The plan was to send tiny nanocrafts—like spaceship butterflies—traveling at one-fifth the speed of light to Alpha Centauri. Stephen Hawking expressed the purpose poignantly: "It is important to know if we are alone in the dark."

 

The folks at Berkeley are not the only ones who want to know. We're all constantly sending out tiny little probes, emotional nanocrafts, to find out whether we're alone in the dark. They travel at high speeds, and it's easy to miss them. They can be small: "Did you see the game last night?" They can be poignant: "I don't think I'll ever call my dad again." They can be deep: "I'm not sure my wife loves me anymore." They can be urgent: "I have no one else to talk to; can I speak to you confidentially?"

 

These emotional nanocrafts are what researcher John Gottman calls "bids" for emotional connection." We start issuing these bids before we can talk. A baby's cry is a bid to connect. As we grow older, these bids—or invitations—for intimacy take other forms. "A bid can be a question, a gesture, a look, a touch—any single expression that says, 'I want to feel connected to you.'" Intimacy of every kind is either built up or eroded, based on how well we handle the subtle little nanocrafts of relational life.”

 

Adapted from John Ortberg, I’d like You More If You Were More Like Me (Tyndale Momentum, 2017), pages 67-68.

 

[https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2018/january/are-we-alone-in-dark.html]

 

BODY

  • ME

    • Holding hands

        • Most of you know that Judy started teaching 1st Grade again this year

        • With her teaching, we have seen less and less of each other

        • Keep in mind that before she was just across the parking lot and I would be able to see her whenever I wanted to, throughout the day, but mostly at lunch time and in the evening

        • The last time we served at the Upper Adams Food Pantry, August 27, 2018, Pastor Marc and I finished preparing the food that Judy and the youth had worked on the night before

        • We traveled together to the food pantry, because Judy and Levi came directly from school to the food pantry

        • I walked into the kitchen after Judy had arrived and reached out to hold her hand

        • I just wanted to connect with her

        • Someone asked me if something was wrong and I told them, “I haven’t seen Judy for a while and just wanted to connect with her.”

    • Family Life Weekend to Remember

        • Judy and I attend the Family Life Weekend to Remember event in Hershey, PA every February

        • It is our way of making sure our marriage is “tuned up”

        • The one thing I really appreciate about the teaching over that weekend is that every couple is moving in one of two ways – either towards isolation or oneness.

        • They give every couple the opportunity to move towards oneness in multiple ways (activities to do after each session and a date night on Saturday night)

 

  • WE

    • Not really connecting

        • There is a misconception in our current technological age that we are connecting with more people, because of social media

        • Unfortunately, those connections are not always healthy and some of them are even “real”

        • We are looking for connection through “likes,” “follows,” “shares,” “comments,” “subscribers,” etc.

    • Wanting to connect

        • This shows us that people want to be connected

        • They want to be liked

        • They want to know that people value their ideas, thoughts, and opinions

        • They want to be loved and to be a part of a community

 

In Acts 2:42-47 the church is Jerusalem is formed right after Peter shares the Gospel on what we now call the Day of Pentecost. ​​ There were 3,000 people who became Christians that day. ​​ What was it going to take for the existing Christians and this newly formed church to be healthy? ​​ Luke outlines that for us. ​​ He wants us understand that...

 

BIG IDEA – Our actions toward one another shows our community that this is a place to belong.

 

A healthy church is one that is W.E.L.L. (Worshipping, Evangelistic, Loving, and Learning). ​​ [I have to let you know that Pastor Marc came up with this acronym. ​​ He is very gifted at doing that!].

 

We are going to look at all four of those attributes today, but we’ll be looking at them in the order they appear in the text.

 

Let’s pray

 

  • GOD (Acts 2:42-47; Romans 12:10)

    • John Stott’s commentary, The Bible Speaks Today, The Message of Acts, beautifully outlines these six verses – I’ve used his headers for the four points this morning [Stott, 82-86]

    • PRINCIPLE – Healthy churches pay careful attention to teaching, fellowship, prayer, and witness. ​​ [Gangel, Holman New Testament Commentary, Acts, 33]

    • Learning Church (Acts 2:42a, 43)

        • The first thing that these new believers did was devote themselves to the apostles’ teaching

          • The Greek word for “devoted” means “to be firm, persevere, remain faithful to a person or task. ​​ In regard to prayer, the idea is constant diligence, effort that never lets up, confident waiting for results.” ​​ [Rogers & Rogers, The New Linguistic and Exegetical Key to the Greek New Testament, 233]

          • The construction of the participle is such that it stresses a continual, ongoing action

          • The NASB has this construction in its translation, They were continually devoting themselves to . . .

          • The devotion these new believers had was to all four things listed there (teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer)

        • First Century

          • The apostles were probably teaching the following things:

            • The person and work of Jesus Christ (Son of God, perfect/without sin, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension)

            • The way of salvation (by grace, through faith in Jesus)

            • How Jesus was concealed in the Old Testament, but had fulfilled what the prophets had said

            • The importance of a Christian witness

            • Matthew 28:19-20, Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. ​​ And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

              • These are the marching orders of every Christian given to the disciples when Jesus returned to heaven

              • Here at Idaville Church we summarize these two verses into a three-phrase tag line

              • Pursue Disciples, Grow Disciples, Multiply Disciples

            • The teaching of the apostles would have included obedience to everyone of Jesus’ commands

            • The apostles’ teaching was authenticated by the many wonders and miraculous signs they were able to do

              • This was God’s way of letting the listeners, who sat under the apostles’ teaching, know that they were genuinely commissioned by Him

              • The power to do many wonders and miraculous signs came from God

              • The same is true today of anyone who has the gift of healing – it only comes from God

          • This is certainly how the 1st Century Christians would have understood the teaching of the apostles, but what does it look like for us, today?

        • Today

          • The teaching of the apostles is now confirmed for us through the canon of Holy Scripture – the Bible

          • The New Testament, specifically, has the teaching of the apostles for us

          • What was concealed in the Old Testament is now revealed in the New Testament – the early church was experiencing the New Testament firsthand

          • God continues to preserve His Word throughout history

          • Opportunities to devote ourselves to the teaching of God’s Word

            • Worship Service (children’s church during the message)

            • Sunday school (we have classes for all age groups)

            • Discipleship Groups (we have groups forming right now that you can join, just see our Welcome Center attendant this morning and ask about Discipleship/Small Groups)

            • Wednesday evening (children, youth, and adults)

            • Sunday evening (youth)

        • “Let me say here that openness to being fed by the Word is key evidence that one is truly regenerated. ​​ Many people come to Christ to have a felt need met because they hear that the God of the Christians is a prayer-answering God. ​​ In their eagerness to be blessed by this God, they go through the motions of ‘making a decision.’” ​​ [Fernando, The NIV Application Commentary, Acts, 132]

          • This has been my experience with new believers that I’ve had the privilege of discipling

          • They are hungry for God’s Word and are looking for more and more opportunities to study God’s Word

          • I’ve experienced that hunger in a new believer within the past week

        • Making disciples is so much more than just a one-time conversion experience – it is a continual, ongoing process of growing together

        • The new believers in Jerusalem weren’t just devoted to the apostles’ teaching, they were also devoted to loving one another

    • Loving Church (Acts 2:42b, 44-45; Romans 12:10)

        • They were devoted to fellowship

          • The Greek word is koinonia and means fellowship, sharing in common, communion, close relationship

            • This Greek word would also be used for the mutual give an take of a marriage relationship [Bock, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, Acts, 150]

              • The love shared between a husband and wife is perhaps the closest relationship we can have here on earth

              • If the marriage is functioning as it should, moving toward oneness instead of isolation, then both people will be loving and looking out for each other

              • They will sacrifice whatever they need to for the relationship

            • This kind of mutual give and take should be evident within the Christian community also

              • The believers, here in Jerusalem, were fulfilling Jesus’ words to His disciples prior to His crucifixion

              • John 13:34-35, “A new command I give you: ​​ Love one another. ​​ As I have loved you, so you must love one another. ​​ By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

              • Romans 12:10, Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. ​​ Honor one another above yourselves.

          • Stott expresses that it is both sharing in together and sharing out together [Stott, 82-83]

            • Sharing in

              • 1 John 1:3, We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. ​​ And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.

              • 2 Corinthians 13:14, May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all

            • Sharing out

              • “In secular Greek the word was used for the sharing of possessions.” [Fernando, 120]

              • 2 Corinthians 9:13, Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with (koinonia) them and with everyone else.

          • Interesting note – the Greek word koinōnikos means “generous”

          • We see in vv. 44-45 what being devoted to the fellowship looked like

        • Sharing of possessions

          • They were together

            • The idea expressed here is one of unity

            • Philippians 2:1-4, If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. ​​ Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. ​​ Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

            • Acts 4:32, All believers were one in heart and mind. ​​ No one claimed that any of his possessions were his own, but they shared everything they had.

          • Everything in common

            • The Greek word for “common,” in v. 44, is another form of koinonia, it is koina

              • Jesus and His apostles shared a common purse (Judas was in charge of it)

              • This same concept was practiced by at least one Jewish party that was more rigorous in their belief system [Bruce, The New International Commentary on the New Testament, Acts, 74]

            • Luke explains in v. 45 what this looked like for the early church

              • Selling their possessions

                • Possessions is probably referring to their real estate or land holdings

                • The idea expressed through the imperfect tense of the verbs “selling” and “gave” is two-fold

                  • First, it meant that this was continual, ongoing practice of selling possession and goods and not a one-time “initiation fee” into Christianity

                  • It also meant it was voluntary and based on need (the apostles weren’t stock piling funds)

                  • When Peter confronts Ananias and Sapphira about selling some property, but only giving a portion of it to the Lord, he says, Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? ​​ And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? ​​ What made you think of doing such a thing? ​​ You have not lied to men but to God (Acts 5:4)

              • Selling their goods

                • Goods is probably referring to their valuables

                • This would include anything other than real estate or land

              • Giving to anyone as they had a need

                • When a need arose among any of the believers it was probably brought up to the whole community

                • Different individuals, led by God, would sell possessions or goods and bring the money to the apostles so they could distribute it to those in need

                • As a church, we do a great job of taking care of those within our church community

                • We also do a great job of taking care of those in our community

                • There have been some repeat individuals who have come by the church, looking for financial help, and my response to them is that the greatest help they will ever receive is to join with a body of believers

                • We see that Biblical precedence here

          • “This pooling of property could be maintained voluntarily only when their sense of spiritual unity was exceptionally active.” ​​ [Bruce, 74]

          • PRINCIPLE – God is pleased when His people help each other when they are in need.

            • As a body of believers, we can only help with needs that we are aware of

            • That means the need has to be expressed

              • We have a benevolence committee that includes me, Laurin Fleming as chairperson of the board, Bev Fleming as chairperson of the spiritual care commission, and Donna Kerrigan as treasurer

              • If you have a need, please let one of us know

              • My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Let the benevolence committee know that I have a need. ​​ (we will contact you for more details about your need)

            • The other side of this principle is giving to help meet that need

              • We can sometimes get so caught up in our own world that we are blind to those around us

              • We can very easily overlook someone who is obviously in need

              • We can also think that we can’t afford to help someone in need

              • I want to challenge you today to consider how and what God may be calling you to sacrifice, so you can help meet the needs of others

              • It may be property or personal possessions that you can sell in order to help

              • My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Ask the Lord to show me if there is anything He wants me to sacrifice so I can help those in need.

        • We have seen that a healthy church is a learning and loving church, but it is also a worshipping church

    • Worshipping Church (Acts 2:42c, 46-47a)

        • Their fellowship wasn’t limited to just caring for their fellow believers, but also in worshipping corporately

        • The third thing that the new believers were devoted to was to the breaking of bread

          • Most scholars agree that this is referring to the Lord’s Supper (communion) that took place during the larger agape feasts that were part of the early church

          • In the second half of v. 46 we see that they broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts

            • They were doing this every day, going from house to house, sharing a meal together, and remembering the Lord’s suffering until He comes (communion)

            • They were enjoying each other’s company, which speaks volumes about the unity they were experiencing

            • This is not to say that this early church did not have its faults (disagreement between the Grecian and Hebraic Jews over the treatment of their widows, Rom. 6:1-6)

            • I’m not trying to gloss over the difficulties they had in an attempt to guilt us into acting a certain way

            • I just want to encourage us to think about whether or not we could improve in the area of having meals together (hospitality)

            • I remember the years when my Mother would make extra food for Sunday lunch with the expectation that we would invite a family over for a meal – it was intentional and purposeful

            • We could come prepared each Sunday to invite a new family out to lunch, so they know that they belong here

          • They weren’t just sharing meals and communion together, they were also praying together

        • The fourth thing the believers were devoted to was prayer

          • This wasn’t just private prayer, although I’m sure they were practicing that too

          • This was corporate prayer times they had every day

            • They were meeting in the temple courts, probably under Solomon’s Colonnade and praying for the Jews who didn’t recognize Jesus as the Messiah and for their fellow Gentiles who perhaps didn’t believe in God at all

            • They were probably spending time in prayer before and after the meals they shared together from house to house

          • This is an encouragement for us to spend time in prayer informally when we get together to share a meal

          • It is also an encouragement for us to spend time formally in corporate prayer

            • We see this in our Sunday school classes

            • We have a Wednesday evening worship, praise, and prayer time for adults

            • We have a prayer warrior ministry that has started again during the worship service

            • We have a group that meets at the prayer rail on Sunday mornings at 8:45 am to pray for the morning services

          • PRINCIPLE – God is honored when His people worship Him through agape meals, the Lord’s Supper, and prayer.

            • When we honor through these acts of worship, then those in our community who do not have a relationship with Jesus will see a difference

            • We will enjoy the favor of all the people

            • This only comes through the power of God when we focus on Him and His people instead of ourselves – when we strive for unity and love within the body of Christ

        • There is one more aspect of a healthy church, one that is W.E.L.L. and that is evangelism

    • Evangelistic Church (Acts 2:47b)

        • John Stott explains that we can learn three vital lessons about local church evangelism from these early believers [Stott, 86-87]

          • First, the Lord (Jesus) is the one who added to their number

            • He obviously used the teaching of the apostles to share the truths of God with unbelievers

              • Gospel

                • Sin problem (Rom. 3:23, 6:23)

                • God’s solution (Rom. 5:8; 1 Cor. 15:3b-4)

                • Our response (Rom. 10:9-10)

              • My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Confess with my mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in my heart that God raised Him from the dead to take my punishment for sin.

            • He also used the koinonia fellowship through the body of believers to encourage and strengthen those who were seeking the truth

            • 1 Corinthians 3:6-7, I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. ​​ So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.

            • Those early believers and unbelievers had found a place to belong

          • Second, what Jesus did was two things together: ​​ he added to their number . . . those who were being saved

            • There weren’t nominal Christians in the church who weren’t transformed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ

            • There weren’t people who simply believed in God, but didn’t have a relationship with Jesus

            • He also didn’t save them to a solitary Christian life

            • They were added to the community of believers

            • Hebrews 10:24-25, And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. ​​ Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

          • Finally, the Lord added people daily

            • The verb “added” is in the imperfect tense meaning “kept adding” – a continual process

            • PRINCIPLE – God promises to add believers to His church when His people focus on worshipping, evangelizing, loving, and learning together.

              • A W.E.L.L. church is a healthy church

              • “What happens to believers who worship, work, and witness for their Lord? ​​ The Lord grows the church. ​​ Let’s not miss the order – first godly relationships with each other, then growth.” ​​ [Gangel, 32]

        • While the Lord did the adding, we have a responsibility to plant and water

 

  • WE/YOU

    • Our actions toward one another shows our community that this is a place to belong

        • To be a healthy church we have to focus on being W.E.L.L. (worshipping, evangelizing, loving, and learning together)

        • We have to teach new believers to obey every command that Jesus gave His disciples

        • We have to love one another by sharing in and sharing out

        • We have to find joy in worshipping together as a unified body of believers

        • We have to be committed to Pursuing, Growing, and Multiplying Disciples

    • What part do you need to play in helping our church to be W.E.L.L.?

 

CONCLUSION

“When we have forgotten the past, the community helps us re-learn our own story. The case of ‘Benjamin Kyle’ is instructive. In the early morning of August 31, 2004, employees of a Burger King in Richmond Hill, GA found a man unconscious next to a dumpster. He was naked, sunburnt, and had bites from red ants. His skull had three depressions, apparently from blunt force trauma. He also had amnesia and was unable to remember his own name, much less how he came to be found beaten behind a Burger King. The employees called 911, and he was taken to a hospital in Savannah; but without identity papers or memory, they listed him only as ‘Burger King Doe.’

 

For more than ten years he was unable to remember his name and thus was unable to get a Social Security card. He could not obtain a job nor collect any kind of benefits from the government. He named himself ‘Benjamin Kyle,’ sensing that his first name might have been Benjamin, and he sought a community that knew him previously to help him piece together his identity. You see, without a community, this man had no access to his story. Finally, with the help of investigative reporters and genetic testing, ‘Benjamin Kyle’ learned his real name and likely family of origin. As he started to identify with his community again he said, ‘Looking at all these names, all these people, kind of gives me a sense of belonging,’ he said. ‘I have a history. I'm not just some stranger that materialized out of thin air.’

 

Jeffrey Arthurs, Boston, Massachusetts; source: ​​ Kent Justice, “Man with no name finally knows real identity,” News4Jax.com (9-15-16)

 

[https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2016/december/7120516.html]

11

 

/by

The Hangry Dragon

,

Jesus Unveiled

The Hangry Dragon

(Revelation 12:1-6)

 

INTRODUCTION

VIDEO – “Super Bowl 2015: ​​ Snickers Ad” [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UO2A2p-19A].

 

How many of you are familiar with the term “hangry?” ​​ It means to be bad-tempered or irritable as a result of hunger.

 

BODY

  • ME

    • Hangry

        • When we lived in Shippensburg, PA and my father pastored Prince Street UB Church, my Mom would always pack me a snack to eat on the car ride home

        • I would actually get sick in my stomach without that snack, because I was so hungry

        • That hunger and stomach ache would make me irritable

        • Now we didn’t have the term “hangry” back then, but that’s exactly what I was

    • Protection from being hangry

        • My Mom knew that to protect herself and the rest of the family, from me being bad-tempered and irritable on Sunday mornings, was to pack a snack for me to eat

        • It wasn’t a full course meal, just some animal crackers, or other kinds of crackers that would take the edge off my hunger

        • It allowed me to remain pleasant on the car ride home until we could have lunch together

        • She knew that the snack would also protect me

 

  • WE

    • Hangry

        • I’m certain I’m the only one who has ever experienced being hangry

        • I can’t imagine that anyone else would act bad-tempered or irritable because of hunger

        • Perhaps we all know someone who deals with being hangry (let’s keep their names to ourselves, this morning)

    • Protecting others

        • Perhaps those of us who have hangry people in our lives should start packing snacks, especially when we’re going to miss a meal or be late in eating a meal

        • This will protect those around us from experiencing the bad-temper or irritability of those who are hungry

        • Maybe a Snickers will do the trick

 

We’ll see today that Satan, described as a hungry dragon, is waiting, ravenously, to devour the child that a pregnant woman is preparing to give birth to. ​​ When that child is snatched away the dragon will pursue the woman, but she is protected by God. ​​ John wants us to understand that...

 

BIG IDEA – God protects His people and Jesus so they can fulfill His plan.

 

Let’s pray

 

  • GOD (Revelation 12:1-6)

    • Introduction to Scene 4 (Rev. 11:19)

        • Last week I mentioned that Rev. 11:19 could be the conclusion of Scene 3, but it could also be the introduction of Scene 4

        • There are some repeated items throughout Revelation that seem to mark the beginning of various scenes

        • Wilcock does an excellent job of outlining those repeated items [Wilcock, The Bible Speaks Today, The Message of Revelation, 114]

          • 1:1 – Introduction

          • 1:12 – John turns to see who is speaking to him: ​​ Scene 1

          • 4:1 – In heaven a door is opened and a voice says ‘Come’: ​​ John is taken to a vantage point from which he can see the whole heavenly sphere: ​​ thunder and lightning (v. 5): ​​ Scene 2

          • 8:2 – The angels with the trumpets appear: ​​ thunder and lightning (v. 5): ​​ Scene 3

          • 11:19 – In heaven the temple is opened; thunder and lightning: ​​ Scene 4

          • 15:5 – In heaven the temple of the tent of witness is opened: ​​ Scene 5

          • 17:1 – An angel says ‘Come’: ​​ John is taken into a wilderness: ​​ Scene 6

          • 19:11 – Heaven itself is opened: ​​ Scene 7

          • 21:9 – An angel says ‘Come’: ​​ John is taken to a mountain top: ​​ Scene 8

          • 22:20 – Epilogue

        • This in Wilcock’s understanding of the Rev. 11:19 as the introduction to Scene 4

        • As mentioned last week, it certainly could be the conclusion of the previous scene, but there seems to be a break between Rev. 11:18 and 11:19

    • The Woman (vv. 1-2, 6)

        • If Rev. 11:19 is the introduction to Scene 4, it is an incredible introduction before two signs appear in the heavens

          • Seeing God’s temple opened with the ark of his covenant visible would be awe inspiring

          • The flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and earthquake and a great hailstorm would get my attention and cause me to look heavenward

          • That’s when I would see the great and wondrous sign

          • “This is the first of seven signs that appear in the remainder of the Revelation (see 12:3; 13:13, 14; 15:1; 16:14; 19:20).” ​​ [Akin, Christ-Centered Exposition, Exalting Jesus in Revelation, 210]

        • There is a woman whose appearance is majestic (v. 1)

          • Clothed with the sun

            • Yahweh is described as being clothed in light

            • Psalm 104:1-3a, Praise the Lord, O my soul. ​​ O Lord my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty. ​​ He wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent and lays the beams of his upper chambers on their waters.

            • Light represents God’s majesty

            • The woman clothed with the sun speaks of her majesty

            • We’ll understand who the woman is in just a moment, but remember that she is clothed in majesty

          • Moon under her feet

            • In the Old Testament the moon was representative of beauty (Song 6:10) and glory (Isa. 24:23; 30:26)

              • Song of Songs 6:10, Who is this that appears like the dawn, fair as the moon, bright as the sun, majestic as the stars in procession? (this is spoken by the friends of the Lover and the Beloved)

              • Isaiah 24:23, The moon will be abashed, the sun ashamed; for the Lord Almighty will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and before its elders, gloriously.

              • Isaiah 30:26, The moon will shine like the sun, and the sunlight will be seven times brighter, like the light of seven full days, when the Lord binds up the bruises of his people and heals the wounds he inflicted.

            • The position of the moon being under her feet would represent dominion or reigning over a kingdom

              • Jesus (Luke 20:43) and Paul (Acts 2:35) both reference Psalm 110:1 and apply this not to David, who wrote the Psalm, but rather to Jesus as the One who will reign and have dominion over the entire world

              • Psalm 110:1, The Lord says to my Lord: ​​ “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”

            • As we identify who the woman is, we will understand the dominion she will have

          • Crown of twelve stars on her head

            • This represents victory

            • The Greek word is stephanos and is the crown or wreath that was given to those who were victorious in the games

            • This crown was made of twelve stars

            • This description of the crown is significant when we look at the background for this woman

          • Background for her appearance

            • Most scholars agree that the background for the imagery of the woman comes from Joseph’s dream found in Genesis 37:1-11

            • Read Genesis 37:1-11

            • We see all three elements here – the sun, the moon, and the stars

              • The sun represented Joseph’s father, Jacob

              • The moon represented Joseph’s mother, Rachel

              • The stars represented the tribes of Israel

            • We know that Jesus came from Jacob’s line

          • From this description of the woman, it should be clear who the woman represents

        • Who is this woman?

          • The woman represents the people of God – the Israelites

          • She also represents all redeemed people, whether Jews or Gentiles

          • Revelation 12:17, Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring – those who obey God’s commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus.

        • Application

          • PRINCIPLE – God sees His people as majestic and victorious through His power.

            • I think this principle is overlooked and marginalized in our culture today

            • We are majestic in God’s eyes

              • We don’t really believe that God sees us as majestic, beautiful, and victorious

              • There are many who have a defeatists mentality and live their lives with that belief

              • They don’t consider themselves worthy, beautiful, or of value (Satan likes to remind us of our sin)

              • Some, go so far as to consider themselves just a placeholder in this world – of no significance

              • God considers every human being of importance and value, because He created everyone

                • On the sixth day God created human beings, both male and female

                • He gave them dominion over every living creature, whether on land, sea, or air

                • Then this is what He said at the end of the sixth day of creation

                • Genesis 1:31, God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. ​​ And there was evening, and there was morning – the sixth day.

                • My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Recognize that God sees me as His beautiful creation even when I don’t see myself that way.

            • We are victorious in God’s eyes

              • While God looks at every human being as a very good creation, He says this about those who are followers of Jesus

                • 2 Corinthians 5:21, God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

                • God sees us as without sin, through the blood of Jesus Christ

                • We are born with a sin problem (Rom. 3:23)

                • There is a consequence for our sin – separation from God (Rom. 6:23a)

                • But God provides a free gift for everyone who confesses their sin to Him and believes in Jesus as their Savior (Rom. 6:23b)

                • John 3:16-18, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. ​​ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. ​​ Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

                • Through the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ we are victorious in God’s eyes

              • My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Receive God’s gift of eternal life by believing in Jesus Christ as my Savior.

          • This majestic, victorious woman who has dominion on earth is also pregnant

        • She is pregnant (v. 2)

          • The time for her delivery has arrived

          • She is crying out in pain, which obviously draws the attention of the dragon

          • We will unwrap who the dragon is in just a moment, but I want us to skip down to verse 6 where the woman is spoken about again

          • She has already given birth to her child, who is immediately snatched up to God and his throne

        • She is protected (v. 6)

          • A heavenly battle ensues and the dragon is hurled from heaven where he then pursues the woman (Rev. 12:13)

          • God protects the woman from the serpent’s reach by sending her into the desert

            • This is reminiscent of the Israelite’s exodus from Egypt

            • At every turn, when they grumbled against Moses, Aaron, and God, God would provide just what they needed (water from the rock, bread in the form of manna, meat in the form of quail)

            • When they rejected God’s plan to enter the Promised Land the first time they arrived, God sent them into the wilderness to wander for 40 years

            • During that time He provided for them and protected them until it was time to enter the Promised Land

            • Their sandals and clothing did not wear out (Deut. 29:5)

            • God took care of them supernaturally

          • God has prepared a place for the woman where she will be taken care of for three and a half years (1,260 days)

            • Jesus talked about the people of God fleeing when the end times come

            • Matthew 24:15-16, “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel – let the reader understand – then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.

            • Read Isaiah 16:1-4

            • “As your margin might say, ‘Sela’ means ‘Rock’ or ‘Petra.’ ​​ Petra is truly an amazing city. ​​ Located in Moab, or present-day Jordan, this city carved of stone has stood for centuries, preserved largely because the sole entrance is a passageway only twelve feet wide.” ​​ [Courson, Jon Courson’s Application Commentary, New Testament, 1730]

            • [Show pictures of Petra]

            • Perhaps Petra is the place that is referred to here, but we are not told in Revelation – only that it will be in the desert

          • God protects His people so they can fulfill His plan.

            • The same is true of us today

            • God will protect us so we can fulfill His plan

            • Our mission statement tagline is Pursue Disciples, Grow Disciples, Multiply Disciples (that is the Great Commission in three statements)

            • That’s what we are called to do

            • I’m thinking about the Back to Church Sunday next week

              • We’ve provided engagers for everyone to use in inviting family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers to come back to church

              • While we may be fearful about inviting people, we can rest assured that God will protect us so we can fulfill His plan, the Great Commission

            • We’re also focusing on discipleship here at Idaville Church

              • We’ve been encouraging our board members to begin a discipleship relationship with one other person or couple

              • We’re encouraging everyone in the congregation to either be in a discipleship group or working with someone else in a discipleship capacity

              • We’re providing more small group opportunities where individuals can be discipled

              • God will protect us so we can fulfill His plan

              • My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Be in a discipleship relationship either individually or in a group (Pastor Marc Webb will be in contact with you to get that started).

        • We have determined then that the woman represents all redeemed human beings who are majestic and victorious in God’s eyes, and protected by Him so they can fulfill His plan

        • This leads us to the second character in this new scene

    • The Dragon (vv. 3-4)

        • A second sign in heaven appears

        • An enormous red dragon (v. 3)

          • Color red

            • It symbolizes Satan’s character and desire – he wants to shed bled, to murder people

            • John 8:44, You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. ​​ He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. ​​ When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

          • Who is the dragon?

            • John explains who the dragon is in v. 9, The great dragon was hurled down – that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray.

            • The use of the word serpent takes us back to the Garden of Eden where Satan deceived Adam and Eve

            • It was at that time that God promised to send a Savior to redeem humanity from sin

            • This dragon isn’t only enormous and red, but has multiple heads and horns

          • Seven heads

            • The number seven is a symbol of completeness

            • “Most likely, the meaning of the ‘seven heads’ is the dragon’s pretension to sovereignty over the earth.” ​​ [Osborne, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, Revelation, 460]

            • Satan believes that he has complete sovereignty over the earth, but it will only be short lived

            • His sovereignty will only be over his own followers and not all of humanity

          • Ten horns

            • “Horns” in the Bible refer primarily to strength or power

            • Daniel described a very powerful beast from his vision that had ten horns

            • Daniel 7:7, “After that, in my vision at night I looked, and there before me was a fourth beast – terrifying and frightening and very powerful. ​​ It had large iron teeth; it crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left. ​​ It was different from all the former beasts, and it had ten horns.

          • Seven crowns

            • The Greek word for “crowns” here is diadēma which is the royal crown instead of the victors crown (stephanos) that the woman is wearing

            • This again points to Satan’s pretension to rule and reign

            • He is given royal titles throughout Scripture

              • Prince of the world (John 12:31; 14:30; and 16:11)

              • Ruler of the kingdoms of the air (Eph. 2:2)

              • God of this world (2 Cor. 4:4)

            • Satan is continually trying to imitate God and Jesus

              • This is perhaps his most powerful tool in deceiving humanity

              • He wants everyone to believe that He is god

              • He wants them to worship him instead of the true and living God

          • This enormous red dragon with seven heads and crowns to match and ten horns is fighting a heavenly battle

        • Battle in the heavens (v. 4a)

          • This battle is described in more detail in Revelation 12:7-12, so we will not spend much time unpacking it here

          • What is described here is Satan’s rebellion against God

          • Satan convinced a third of God’s angels to join him in his rebellion

          • God’s punishment for this rebellious group was to cast them out of heaven

          • We see this fall in 2 Peter 2:4 and Jude 6

        • Waiting for the woman to give birth (v. 4b)

          • Since Satan’s rebellion was unsuccessful in heaven, he will try anything to circumvent God’s authority and plan

          • We see here that he is waiting for the woman to give birth

            • I envision this dragon with drool dripping from his mouth – He is hangry

            • I also think about our dog Fester when I get his leash ready – he starts prancing around and lifting his front paws off the ground (there is anticipation and excitement)

            • That’s Satan demeanor as he waits for the woman to give birth – he is excited, angry, and anticipating ruining God’s plan of redemption

          • He has tried to do that all along

            • God’s declaration is what Satan has been fighting against from the very beginning, “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” (Gen. 3:15)

            • Satan has tried throughout history to stop this child from coming

              • Akin outlines it for us [Akin, 211]

              • “He moved Cain to kill Abel (1 John 3:12)”

              • “He moved Pharaoh to kill Hebrew baby boys (Exodus 1-2)”

              • “He moved wicked Athaliah to destroy all the royal heirs of the house of Judah (2 Chron. 22:10)”

              • “He moved Haman to plot genocide against the Jews (Esther)”

              • “He moved Herod to kill Jesus (Matt. 2)”

            • All of his efforts have failed

        • We see that Jesus was protected so He could fulfill God’s plan

    • The Son (v. 5)

        • The woman gave birth to a son

          • We know that this male child is referring to Jesus

          • Jesus came from the line of Jacob/Israel, which is what the woman represented (the whole Israelite family)

          • “The birth of Christ on that day in Bethlehem inaugurated the death of this ancient serpent, just as it had been promised in Genesis 3. ​​ The birth of Christ declared the death of the ancient serpent; the death of Christ defanged the adversary. (“Fighting,” 2012).” ​​ [David Platt cited by Akin, 212]

        • His purpose is to rule all the nations with an iron scepter

          • This was spoken of by David in Psalm 2

          • Psalm 2:7-9, I will proclaim the decree of the Lord: ​​ He said to me, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father. ​​ Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession. ​​ You will rule them with an iron scepter; you will dash them to pieces like pottery.

          • The idea behind ruling here is shepherding

          • “As a shepherd defends his flock against the wild beasts of prey, so Christ will strike the nations that oppress and persecute his church.” ​​ [Mounce, The New International Commentary on the New Testament, Revelation, 234]

        • God protected Jesus

          • We see the birth and ascension of Jesus in v. 5

            • There seems to be a lot of Jesus’ life and ministry missing

            • What about His death, burial, and resurrection?

            • Aren’t they important?

            • They are, but when mentioning the first and last item in a list it encompasses everything in between

            • In Revelation 5 we have an incredible explanation of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection

          • The baby boy is snatched up to God and his throne

            • “Snatched” is a strong verb meaning to “take suddenly and vehemently.” ​​ [Osborne, 463]

            • Satan’s plan to stop God’s plan is foiled when God protects Jesus by taking Him back to heaven

            • From Jesus’ position in heaven, at God’s right hand, He will be able to fulfill God’s plan completely

            • God protected Jesus so He could fulfill God’s plan.

 

  • YOU

    • God sees you as beautiful and majestic

        • Don’t let the world tell you differently

        • He has created you in His image and He loves you very much

    • God also sees you as victorious through the blood of Jesus Christ

        • You and I have no righteousness of our own

        • Our righteousness comes through a relationship with Jesus Christ, who sacrificially gave His own life on the cross for you and me

        • We are victorious over sin and death, because of Jesus Christ

    • God protects you so you can fulfill His plan

        • It is the Great Commission

        • Pursue Disciples, Grow Disciples, Multiply Disciples

 

  • WE

    • It’s our responsibility as followers of Jesus Christ to tell the world that God sees them as beautiful and majestic – His creation!

    • We must also tell them that God can see them as victorious when they confess their sins and believe in Jesus Christ for salvation

    • We can have confidence that God will protect us as we fulfill His plan

CONCLUSION

Satan is always out to get us. ​​ Peter describes him like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8). ​​ Peter’s advice is to stand firm in the faith, because there are other believers who are suffering just like we are (2 Peter 5:9). ​​ Standing firm in the faith and doing God’s will affords us God’s protection from being devoured.

13

 

/by

Taking Back the Reign(s)

,

Jesus Unveiled

Taking Back the Reign(s)

(Revelation 11:15-19)

 

INTRODUCTION

VIDEO – “Stock Footage – Stage Coach Out of Control video clip.” ​​ [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vT33fQm58ko].

 

BODY

  • ME

    • Motorcycle test

        • Seth and I took the motorcycle course in Gettysburg so we could get our motorcycle license

        • It was two days in the classroom and three days on the course

        • The last day is when we took our road test on the course

          • It had been raining and the blacktop was wet

          • Part of the test was to accelerate into to second gear and then downshift and brake at the same time, so you could stop within a certain distance

          • We were not supposed to brake early, but only start to brake after the front wheel past the two cones

          • This one had me the most nervous

          • We got one practice run through this element and I starting braking before the cones

          • When it was time to do it for the test, I waited to brake until my front wheel past the cones, but then the wheels locked up and I started to slide

          • I had to put my feet down so the motorcycle wouldn’t tip over (that would have been an automatic fail)

          • I also went past the last stopping line on the pavement

          • I thought for sure that I had failed, but they waved me on to the next element

          • I past, by the way

        • I felt like I was losing control and had to reign in the motorcycle

    • Boys in the car

        • Judy remembers coming outside when we lived in Missouri and finding the car rolling backwards down the driveway

        • One of the boys had gotten in the front seat and knocked the stick shift into neutral, causing it to roll backwards

        • Praise the Lord she was able to get in the car and reign it in

 

  • WE

    • Vehicles

        • Perhaps all of us can remember a time when we lost control of a vehicle (some of us don’t want to think about it, because we never told our parents)

        • Teaching our children to drive can make it feel like things are out of control

        • But there are other situations when things can get out of control

    • Other areas where we feel like things can get out of control

        • Work – what seems like a small thing at work can very quickly spiral out of control if people don’t address it immediately (rumors about layoffs or buyouts, etc.)

        • Relationships – if we don’t communicate with others correctly and clearly (boyfriend, girlfriend, spouse, parent, child, neighbor, coworker, etc.) things can get out of hand and feelings can get hurt. ​​ In a dating relationship emotions and passions can get pretty intense and we find ourselves having to reign them in, so we don’t cross the line

        • Finances – it’s easy, sometimes, to throw caution to the wind and just buy that item that’s a want or buy something simply because we think we deserve it. ​​ Others may struggle with spending, because they are trying to keep up with their friends or neighbors

        • Entertainment – sometimes it’s difficult to reign in the amount of time we spend participating in entertainment (sports, video games, other kinds of games, outdoor activities, etc.)

 

In Revelation 11:15-19, we will see that the seventh angel sounds his trumpet and instead of some judgment coming down from heaven, we see a worship service break out in heaven. ​​ John wants us to understand from this worship service that...

BIG IDEA – We can have confidence that God will reign for ever and ever.

 

He may have allowed Satan to reign on the earth for a period of time – under His watchful eye, of course – but at the end of the age, He will take back the reign of the earth and judge the dead.

 

Let’s pray

 

  • GOD (Revelation 11:15-19)

    • Announcement (v. 15)

        • The seventh angel sounds his trumpet

          • The unexpected happens again like it did with the opening of the seventh seal

          • What we saw with the first six seals was judgment

          • The same is true with the first six trumpets – judgment!

          • When the seventh seal was opened there was silence in heaven for half an hour (Rev. 8:1) – what happened to the judgment?

          • When the seventh trumpet is sounded we don’t see more judgment, but rather rejoicing and a hymn of praise

          • There is a change in perspective once again from an earthly scene to a heavenly scene (we saw last week the two witnesses who were prophesying in Jerusalem)

        • Loud voices

          • We have been introduced to loud voices ten times in Revelation including this occurrence (1:10; 5:2, 12; 6:10; 7:2, 10; 8:13; 10:3; 11:12)

          • We will see the use of loud voices nine more times throughout the rest of the book (12:10; 14:7, 15, 18; 16:1, 17; 19:1, 17; 21:3)

          • In some of the earlier passages we talked about the fact that the loud voice represented clarity – those who heard what came from the loud voice will understand what is being said

          • This is true here as well

          • There is a heavenly choir that’s filling the air with their praise!

          • Osborne believes this heavenly choir is singing during the eschaton when Christ returns [Osborne, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, Revelation, 440]

          • Revelation 19:11-12, I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. ​​ With justice he judges and makes war. ​​ His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. ​​ He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself.

        • God is taking back full control

          • “First, in a sense there has never been a time when all the cosmos, including the kingdoms of this world, have not belonged to the Lord. ​​ But there is also a sense in which, under the overarching rule of divine providence, satanic forces have been allowed to exercise limited sovereignty in the world.” ​​ [Patterson, The New American Commentary, Revelation, 252]

          • Kingdom of the world

            • There has been a rejection of God as the king of this world since the beginning, when Adam and Eve disobeyed God – they rejected Him as their king

            • God’s chosen people, the Israelites, rejected Him as their king in favor of an earthly king

            • 1 Samuel 8:6-9, But when they said, “Give us a king to lead us,” this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord. ​​ And the Lord told him: ​​ “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. ​​ As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. ​​ Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will do.”

            • The Jews in the 1st Century rejected Jesus as the Messiah and had Him killed

            • People of every generation continue to reject the Lord as king of their lives

              • They want to be their own boss

              • They don’t want anyone else telling them what to do

              • This is the human condition of sin!

            • Regardless of whether we recognize God and Jesus’ rule, their kingdom will one day overcome the kingdoms of this world

          • Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ

            • Aorist tense [Osborne]

              • In the original Greek we see a string of verbs that are in the aorist tense in vv. 15, 16, ​​ and 19

                • V. 15 – “there were” and “has become”

                • V. 16 – “fell” and “worshiped”

                • V. 19 – “was opened,” “was seen,” and “there came”

              • The aorist tense gives us the idea of a completed action

              • “. . . it is an event so certain that it is spoken of as if it has already taken place.” ​​ [Courson, Jon Courson’s Application Commentary, New Testament, 1728]

              • We can have confidence that God will reign for ever and ever.

              • This is particularly important because John is seeing and writing about future events as though they have been completed

              • That is certainly how God sees His reign over the earth, especially after Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection

                • The war has been won!

                • Jesus is victorious!

                • Everything is set for Jesus’ return

                • “Of course, Christ does not claim His royal rights until He returns; but the victory has already been won. ​​ Satan offered Him the world’s kingdoms, but He refused the offer (Matt. 4:8-9). ​​ Instead, He died on the cross, arose, and returned victoriously to heaven; and there the Father gave Him His inheritance (Ps. 2:4-9).” ​​ [Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, New Testament, Volume 2, 600]

              • This isn’t brand new information

            • This was predicted by the prophets of old

              • Daniel 2:44, “In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. ​​ It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever.”

              • Zechariah 14:9, The Lord will be king over the whole earth. ​​ On that day there will be one Lord, and his name the only name.

              • Read Psalm 2:1-12

            • This completed action of Jesus reigning will not be temporary, but eternal

          • He will reign for ever and ever

            • The Greek here can be translated literally as “unto the ages of the ages.”

            • In the Hebrew tradition this depicts something that never ceases [Patterson, 252]

            • Daniel 7:13-14, “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. ​​ He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. ​​ He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. ​​ His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.”

          • We can have confidence that God will reign for ever and ever.

        • As the loud voices of heaven make this proclamation about the eternal reign of Jesus, we see the 24 elders enter the vision again

    • Hymn (vv. 16-18)

        • The twenty-four elders first appeared in Rev. 4:4 when John sees the throne room of God

          • They worshiped God in Rev. 4:10-11 as the One who created and sustains all things [Akin, Christ-Centered Exposition, Exalting Jesus in Revelation, 206]

          • They worshiped Jesus in Rev. 5:8-14 who brought redemption through His blood poured out on the cross [Akin, 206]

          • Just as they did in chapter 4, the twenty-four elders leave their thrones and fall face down before the Lord

        • They are worshipping Him again in vv. 17-18

          • Their worship is focused on God’s eternal reign after ending the world

          • Give thanks for who God is

            • The title of Lord God Almighty has already been given to God by the living creatures in Rev. 4:8

            • We know that God is supreme over everything, which is what almighty is referring to here

            • Part of the three-fold designation for God is missing

              • We normally see God as the one “who was, and is, and is to come”

              • The order is changed here and the third designation is omitted

              • God is the One who is (present)

              • God is the One who was (past)

              • In John’s vision the end has arrived, the eschaton is here!

              • There is no need to mention that He is the One to come, because God’s eternal reign has begun!

              • PRINCIPLE – God is eternal!

            • Great power

              • God’s great power here is not talking about His omnipotence as general attribute of God

              • Rather, it refers back to what we saw in Daniel 2:44, Zechariah 14:9, and Psalm 2:1-12

              • God will crush all the kingdoms of the earth and will establish Jesus as the only true king and ruler of the world

            • When Jesus begins to rule some people are not going to be happy

          • God’s judgment of the dead

            • We see that the nations were angry

              • The Greek word for angry is the same root word that is translated as God’s wrath in the second half of the sentence (it is a play on words in the Greek)

              • The nations were expressing their anger (wrath) towards God by rebelling against Him

              • “In the end the anger of the nations is not directed merely against one another but is a deep-seated hostility to all the truths and virtues of God and against him personally.” ​​ [Patterson, 254]

              • God’s righteous wrath has come

                • This is not God getting upset really quickly and flying off the handle at the unrighteous inhabitants of earth

                • Rather, it’s a settled frame of mind that God has towards those who have continued to reject His offer of redemption through Jesus Christ

                • It is the consequences of their sin and rebellion

            • Jesus will judge everyone (righteous and unrighteous)

              • Judging the dead

                • This can be taken two ways

                  • The dead could be referring to the unrighteous (inhabitants of the earth)

                  • It could also be referring to everyone who has already died, both the righteous and unrighteous

                  • Daniel 12:2, Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: ​​ some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.

                  • Daniel views it as everyone who has died prior to Jesus’ return will be resurrected and then “judged” (those who are righteous will be rewarded after being judged and those who are unrighteous will be destroyed after being judged)

                • The way it’s been translated in English makes it sound like there are three distinct times that are appointed by God

                  • Time for judging the dead

                  • Time for rewarding the righteous

                  • Time for destroying the unrighteous

                  • I’m still trying to determine if the judging of the dead encompasses the rewarding of the righteous and destroying of the unrighteous, or whether they are three separate events

                • We see next those who are rewarded

              • Reward

                • There is debate concerning how many groups are being identified here

                  • Some believe there are five groups (servants/slaves; prophets; saints; those who fear Your name; small and great)

                  • Others believe there are only two groups (prophets; saints) with the other terms describing those two groups in more detail

                  • I believe were looking at two groups who are both servants of God that revere (fear) Him

                  • The reference to both small and great was a commonly used phrase to indicate everyone

                • We aren’t told directly what their reward is, but the most obvious one, as Christians, would certainly be eternal life – being in the presence of God for ever and ever

              • Destruction

                • The word destroy is used twice here and is a word play in the Greek

                • The Greek word can mean “to destroy completely” and “to corrupt morally”

                • “God’s judgment on those who have led the earth into moral depravity is that they will be condemned to eternal destruction.” ​​ [Easley, Holman New Testament Commentary, Revelation, 198]

                • Romans 2:5, But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed.

                • They will receive in like kind what they have been giving out – destruction

        • This ends the hymn of the twenty-four elders, but there is one last thing in this chapter

    • Cosmic Events (v. 19)

        • Most commentators include v. 19 as the conclusion of the hymn from the twenty-four elders, but there is also evidence that it could also be the transitional verse that introduces the events coming in chapters 12-14

        • So, we will talk about how it concludes the hymn this week, but also begin with this verse next week

        • God’s presence with us

          • Opening of the temple in heaven

            • It is not a temple like we find on earth, but rather the sanctuary of God in heaven

            • God and Jesus are the temple in heaven, so it’s not a physical building like it was on earth

          • Ark of his covenant

            • The ark was “the symbol of God’s faithfulness in fulfilling his covenant promises.” ​​ [Mounce, The New International Commentary on the New Testament, Revelation, 228]

            • It was also a symbol of God’s continual presence with His people

              • The ark was used in battle as an encouragement and reminder that God was with them

              • 1 Samuel 4:5, When the ark of the Lord’s covenant came into the camp, all Israel raised such a great shout that the ground shook.

              • When it was captured by the Philistines, they put in the temple of Dagon and found out that the living God was more powerful than the idol Dagon

              • They people of Ashdod also realized how powerful God was when they were inflicted with tumors, because God’s had was heavy on them

              • The city of Gad also experienced the wrath of God when the ark was sent there

              • The people in Ekron refused to have the ark brought to their city

              • It was eventually returned to Israel

            • ​​ PRINCIPLE – God promises His presence with His people for all eternity.

              • What an incredible promise for us

              • One day we will be with God in the new heaven and the new earth

              • Revelation 21:3, And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. ​​ They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.

              • My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Claim God’s promise that He will always be present with me.

                • In whatever area of life you may feel like things are out of control, God is present with you

                • Whether it is work, relationships, finances, or entertainment, God is there

        • God’s wrath on the unrighteous

          • Some believe the flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a great hailstorm are forms of punishment for the unrighteous

          • Those same things can also represent the sovereignty of God over the eschaton (end times)

 

  • YOU

    • God keeps His promises, so we can claim His promise that He will always be with us

    • We can also have confidence that He will reign for ever and ever

        • God has allowed Satan to reign on the earth for a short period of time

        • As we saw today, God will take back the reign of this world and His kingdom will be eternal

 

  • WE

    • This is an incredible truth that we need to share with the world

    • That is our commission as followers of Jesus Christ

 

CONCLUSION

VIDEO – “Royal Choral Society: ​​ ‘Hallelujah Chorus’ from Handel’s Messiah.” ​​ [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUZEtVbJT5c].

10

 

/by

Mission Protection Plan

, ,

Jesus Unveiled

Mission Protection Plan

(Revelation 11:1-14)

 

INTRODUCTION

“[Michael and Margaretha Sattler] were husband and wife evangelical Anabaptists in the early sixteenth century. ​​ Devoted followers of and witnesses to Christ, their lives were cut short by martyrdom in their 20s. ​​ The record of their death has been providentially preserved as a testimony of their faithfulness:

 

The torture, a prelude to the execution, began at the market place where a piece was cut from Sattler’s tongue. ​​ Pieces of flesh were torn from his body twice with red-hot tongs. ​​ He was then forged to a cart. ​​ On the way to the scene of the execution the tongs were applied five times again. ​​ In the market place and at the site of the execution, still able to speak, the unshakable Sattler prayed for his persecutors. ​​ After being bound to a ladder with ropes and pushed into the fire, he admonished the people, the judges, and the mayor to repent and be converted. ​​ Then he prayed, ‘Almighty, eternal God, Thou are the way and the truth: ​​ because I have not been shown to be in error, I will with thy help to this day testify to the truth and seal it with my blood.’

As soon as the ropes on his wrists were burned, Sattler raised the two forefingers of his hands giving the promised signal to the brethren that a martyr’s death was bearable. ​​ Then the assembled crowd heard coming from his seared lips, ‘Father, I commend my spirit into Thy hands.’

Three others were executed. ​​ After every attempt to secure a recantation from Sattler’s faithful wife had failed, she was drowned eight days later in the Neckar. ​​ (Estep, The Anabaptist Story, 47)

 

Today there is a memorial plaque at the site of Michael Sattler’s execution. ​​ It reads,

 

The Baptist Michael Sattler was executed by burning after severe torture on 20 May 1527 here on the ‘Gallows Hill.’ ​​ He died as a true witness of Jesus Christ. ​​ His wife Margaretha and other members of the congregation were drowned and burned. ​​ They acted for the baptism of those who want to follow Christ, for an independent congregation of the faithful, for the peaceful message of the Sermon on the Mount.

 

The Baptist historian William Estep says, ‘Perhaps no other execution of an Anabaptist had such far-reaching influence’ (The Anabaptist Story, 47).”

 

[Akin, Christ-Centered Exposition, Exalting Jesus in Revelation, 198-99].

 

BODY

  • ME

 

  • WE

 

In two parts of this passage this morning (vv. 1-2, 7), we will see that God provided protection for His people and His two witnesses until they complete their part in His mission. ​​ John wants us to understand that...

 

BIG IDEA – We have God’s promise of protection to complete His mission.

 

Let’s pray

 

  • GOD (Revelation 11:1-14)

    • Ministry of the witnesses (vv. 1-6) [Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, New Testament Volume 2, 598]

        • Measuring the temple (vv. 1-2)

          • Reed

            • They were like bamboo, but were a reed that grew in the Jordan River valley

            • They were long, straight, hollow, and rigid

            • They could be cut to certain lengths and then used as a template to measure the same length again and again

            • They could grow anywhere from 10 to 15 feet long

            • They were used only when other measuring tools were not available

          • Symbolism in Scripture

            • Prophets (Old and New Testament)

              • Isaiah 20:2-5, at that time the Lord spoke through Isaiah son of Amoz. ​​ He said to him, “Take off the sackcloth from your body and the sandals from your feet.” ​​ And he did so, going around stripped and barefoot. ​​ Then the Lord said, “Just as my servant Isaiah has gone stripped and barefoot for three years, as a sign and portent against Egypt and Cush, so the king of Assyria will lead away stripped and barefoot the Egyptian captives and Cushite exiles, young and old, with buttocks bared – to Egypt’s shame. ​​ Those who trusted in Cush and boasted in Egypt will be afraid and put to shame.

              • Read Ezekiel 12:1-7

              • Acts 21:10-11, After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. ​​ Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, “The Holy Spirit says, ‘In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’”

            • Background for the symbolism of measuring the temple

              • “In Ezek. 40-42 the measuring of the temple signifies God’s ownership and protection of his people. ​​ God is present with his people, and they belong to him.” ​​ [Osborne, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, Revelation, 409]

              • Zechariah 2:1-5, Then I looked up – and there before me was a man with a measuring line in his hand! ​​ I asked, “Where are you going?” ​​ He answered me, “To measure Jerusalem, to find out how wide and how long it is.” ​​ Then the angel who was speaking to me left, and another angel came to meet him and said to him: ​​ “Run, tell that young man, ‘Jerusalem will be a city without walls because of the great number of men and livestock in it. ​​ And I myself will be a wall of fire around it,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will be its glory within.’

            • Measuring in Scripture could refer to judgment, but in this particular section of Scripture, as elsewhere in Scripture, John’s measuring is referring to God’s protection of those counted within the inner court of the temple

              • To measure something means to claim it as your own

              • “The Lord is saying through John, ‘I own this city and this temple, and I claim both for Myself!’” ​​ [Wiersbe, 598]

              • They were promised God’s protection until they completed their part of His mission

              • We have God’s promise of protection to complete His mission

                • Those who will be counted have an important role to play in God’s story, so He will protect them until their part is complete

                • We have an important role to play in God’s story also, so He will protect us until our part is complete

                • We’re going to come back to this principle later

            • There are some questions that need to be answered as we look as these first two verses

          • Questions

            • What is God’s temple?

              • Is John’s vision of a literal temple building or is it symbolic of something else

              • There is great division among scholars concerning this particular question, which tells me that we don’t really know and can’t say definitively

              • First, it symbolizes the church and all Christians

                • Those who hold to this belief use other scriptures to point to the fact that the church or Christians are referred to as God’s temple or the sanctuary of God

                  • Jesus used the image of the temple to refer to Himself in John 2:19-22

                  • The church is called the sanctuary/temple of God in 1 Cor. 3:16, ​​ 2 Cor. 6:16, and Eph. 2:21-22

                  • Christians are a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit as seen in 1 Cor. 6:19-20 and a spiritual house in 1 Pet. 2:5

                • They also point to the fact that by the time of John’s writing, Jerusalem had been destroyed and there was no longer a Temple of the Lord there

                • All of that is very compelling

              • Second, it refers to a literal temple that will be built during the tribulation period

                • So, these scholars agree that it is not referring to a current Temple in Jerusalem during John’s time or ours

                • It is important to note that the Greek word used for temple (naos) only refers to the building itself and not the entire temple area (the courts)

                • Wiersbe wisely asks the question, “if the temple is the church, then who are the worshipers and what is the altar?”

                • Akin points to Jesus and Paul’s words to express his belief that a future temple will be built during the last days

                  • Matthew 24:15-16, “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel – let the reader understand – then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.

                  • 2 Thessalonians 2:4, He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.

                • There are plans already in the making to build a fourth temple in Jerusalem

                  • Courson shares that 60% of all the instruments needed for temple worship have already been made according to Old Testament regulations [Courson, 1725]

                  • There are two Jewish schools that are training Jews, with the last name Cohen (priest), to be able to offer sacrifices

                  • The most religious of the Hasidim in Israel are aware of the intention to build another temple in Jerusalem [Patterson, The New American Commentary, Revelation, 240]

                  • The work of Dr. Asher Kaufman has revealed some intriguing aspects of Jerusalem and the location of the original temple [Courson, 1726]

                  • His work was highlighted in the March/April 1983 addition of Biblical Archaeological Review

                  • He believes that the original location for the Holy of Holies is not under the Dome of the Rock, but rather 100 meters to the north in a gazebo-like structure that is the only other location in Jerusalem where the original bedrock of the temple is exposed – here the rock is flat instead of jagged, like it is under the Dome of the Rock [Courson, 1726]

                  • The Mishna (the book of Jewish oral traditions) says that when the priest stood in the Holy of Holies on the Day of Atonement, he could look through the veil, through the door, and see the Eastern Gate directly before him [Courson, 1726]

                  • The original Eastern Gate was found to be directly below the current Eastern Gate, which makes it visible from the location 100 meters north of the Dome of the Rock

                  • Jews can build another Temple on that location and the Dome of the Rock would be in the outer court (the court of the Gentiles) [Courson, 1726]

                  • This would coincide with what we just read about (Rev. 11:1-2) where John excludes the outer court, in his measuring, because it has been given to the Gentiles

              • While there are some key scriptural clues and historical clues to support either a literal or symbolic temple, the most important thing to remember is that God promises to protect His people from spiritual harm and He will keep His promise

              • Our second question is . . .

            • What is the holy city?

              • The Greek word used for “Gentiles” is translated in other parts of Revelation as “nations,” referring to the inhabitants of the earth (those in rebellion against God)

              • Trampling (persecution/martyrdom)

                • Only those measured in the temple (inner court) will be protected physically and spiritually during this time

                • Believers who are part of the outer court will be subject to the “trampling” of the nations

                • They will be persecuted and probably martyred

                • They will be protected spiritually in the sense that their martyrdom will result in being with Jesus

              • The holy city has been interpreted in two ways

                • Christians, the people of God

                • More likely, it is the actual city of Jerusalem

              • The final question in these first two verses is . . .

            • How do we understand 42 months?

              • It would be three and a half years

              • Some scholars believe it simply represents a short period of time

              • Either way, God is in control and He again limits how long the persecution and suffering of the believers will last

              • PRINCIPLE – Evil is only able to flourish under the sovereign will of God.

          • We see now the ministry of the two witnesses

        • The two witnesses (vv. 3-6)

          • Who are they?

            • This is a hotly debated topic, so again I believe we are not supposed to know specifically

            • Rather, we need to focus on what they are doing instead of who they

            • Here are three primary theories [Easley, Holman New Testament Commentary, Revelation, 190]

              • Easley does an excellent job of compiling what most scholars are saying

              • Actual people

                • Two historical figures

                  • Enoch and Elijah

                  • Moses and Elijah

                  • Peter and Paul

                  • Zerubbabel and Joshua (Zechariah 4)

                • Two future individuals who have not yet been identified or revealed (therefore, their names are not given in Revelation)

              • Twin components of divine revelation

                • Law and Gospel

                • Law and prophets

                • Old Testament and New Testament

              • All or part of the church on earth in its prophetic role

                • We’ll develop this theory more when we look at v. 4 when they are identified as the two olive trees and two lampstands

                • This is perhaps the best theory of the three options, but still all three are questionable, nothing definitive

            • While who they are is greatly debated, we know what is given to them by God and what they are supposed to do

          • God gives them power (vv. 3a, 6)

            • The power they are given is explained in v. 6

              • They are given the power to stop rain from falling on the earth while they are prophesying (Elijah was given this power from God, 1 Kings 17:1)

              • They can turn the water to blood (Moses was given this power from God, Exodus 7:14-18)

              • They can call down any kind of plague on the earth as often as they want (Moses was also given this power from God, Exodus 8:12)

            • They are certainly given some incredible power from God

          • They will prophesy (v. 3b-4)

            • One other power that God gives them is simply stated in the first half of v. 3

              • They are also given power to prophesy to the nations

              • This would be boldness to share the Gospel in the temple courts where the Gentiles are trampling on believers

              • PRINCIPLE – God empowers His people to share the Gospel.

                • He has given us that same power through His Holy Spirit

                • We can share the Gospel with confidence knowing that God is with us and will give us the words to speak

                • Psalm 56:10-11, In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord, whose word I praise – in God I trust; I will not be afraid. ​​ What can man do to me?

                • Psalm 118:6, The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. ​​ What can man do to me?

            • They will prophesy for the same amount of time as the Gentiles are given to trample on the holy city

              • 1,260 days is the same as 42 months, which equals 3.5 years

              • Whether this is a literal 3.5 years or simply a short period of time does not affect the bigger picture of this passage

            • Dressed in sackcloth

              • This was the coarse garment made of goats hair

              • It was used when an individual was showing others that they were grieving, mourning, or repenting

              • It is seen throughout Scripture, especially of those who were showing the Lord that they were repentant of their sins

              • So these two witnesses are sharing a message of repentance with the nations

            • Two olive trees and two lampstands

              • This is a reference to Zechariah’s vision found in Zechariah 4

                • In his vision there is only one lampstand with seven lamps on it

                • There are two olive trees on either side of the lampstand

                • “Already in chapter 1 the seven churches (symbolic of the church universal) have been symbolized by seven lampstands. ​​ They are the bearers of divine light (cf. Matt 5:15-16). ​​ These light bearers are also olive trees in that ‘the oil of the Spirit . . . keeps alive the light of the life.’” ​​ [Mounce, The New International Commentary on the New Testament, Revelation, 218]

              • So, if the lampstands have already been symbolic of the church universal, it is possible that the two witnesses represent the universal church also (it’s still not ironclad, it’s still debatable)

            • Why two witnesses?

              • Almost every commentator agrees that this points to the Biblical rules of evidence as outlined in Deut. 17:6; 19:15

                • Deuteronomy 17:6, On the testimony of two or three witnesses a man shall be put to death, but no one shall be put to death on the testimony of only one witness.

                • Deuteronomy 19:15, One witness is not enough to convict a man accused of any crime or offense he may have committed. ​​ A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.

              • “Early Christian witnesses were sent in pairs whenever possible (Mark 6:7; Acts 13:2-4).” ​​ [Keener, The NIV Application Commentary, Revelation, 293]

            • We know that these two witnesses are to prophesy and while they are doing that they will be supernaturally protected from harm

          • Supernaturally protected (v. 5)

            • If anyone tries to harm them during the 3.5 years they are prophesying they will be killed by fire that comes out the two witnesses mouths

            • We see fire coming from heaven to protect Elijah in 2 Kings 1

              • King Ahaziah sent one of his captains with 50 men to bring Elijah back to him, but they were consumed by fire from heaven

              • The king sends a second company of 50 men and they too were consumed by fire

              • The third captain and his company are sent, but this captain falls on his knees before Elijah in humility

              • The angel of the Lord allows Elijah to return with him to King Ahaziah

            • We have God’s promise of protection to complete His mission

              • “The Baptist missionary to China, Lottie Moon, said, ‘I have a firm conviction that I am immortal ‘til my work is done’ (Akin, 10 Who Changed the World, 64).” ​​ [Akin, 203]

              • “The faithful missionary to the Auca Indians, Jim Elliott, had the same conviction as Lottie Moon. ​​ In a letter to his parents, he wrote, ‘Remember you are immortal until your work is done. ​​ But don’t let the sands of time get into the eyes of your vision to reach those who still sit in darkness. ​​ They simply must hear. (Akin, 10 Who Changed the World, 81).” ​​ [Akin, 203]

              • This should give us great confidence in sharing the Gospel with those around us

              • It goes back to what the Psalmist said that God is with us, so we don’t have to be afraid – what can man do to us

                • We don’t always feel that way, though

                • We are afraid of what man can and will do to us

                • We’re afraid of being alienated, marginalized, and labeled

                • Read Luke 9:57-62

                • Matthew 16:24-26, Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. ​​ For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. ​​ What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? ​​ Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?

              • We can trust God to protect us while we are on mission for Him (Pursuing, Growing, and Multiplying Disciples)

              • This is a promise we can claim for ourselves as His children

              • My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Claim God’s promise to protect me until I have completed His mission.

        • The two witnesses will complete their part in God’s mission after the 3.5 years

    • Martyrdom of the witnesses (vv. 7-10) [Wiersbe, 599]

        • The beast will overpower and kill them (v. 7)

          • Supernatural protection is gone

            • Once their part is complete, their supernatural protection will be removed

            • They will no longer have the ability to shoot fire from their mouths and destroy those who try to hurt them

          • The beast

            • This is the first mention of a beast in Revelation

            • He is most likely a demonic figure

            • There will be several other times that a beast is mentioned in this book

            • Patterson cites Thomas: ​​ “For the first time and somewhat by way of anticipation, thērion, the beast enters the description. ​​ Thērion is a word for a beast of prey, one with a ravenous appetite, a carnivore, like a lion or a panther, it connotes a cunning of unreasoning violence that acts according to its own cruel nature.” ​​ [Patterson, 246]

            • The beast comes up out of the Abyss

              • This is the same Abyss that was mentioned in Rev. 9:2 where the locusts with the scorpion tails came from

              • The Abyss has already been opened and this beast probably waits until he is called upon to accomplish his task with the two witnesses

          • Attack

            • He is literally making war with the two witnesses, which is the meaning behind the Greek word that is translated as “attack”

              • Some scholars see this as another indication that the two witnesses represent the whole church instead of just two individuals

              • We could debate that all day, but again we must focus on the bigger picture and not get caught up in the minor details

            • Without the protective power of God, the two witnesses will be overpowered by the beast and killed

          • While this is hard for us to comprehend, God is still in control – this is all part of His story, His plan

        • The witnesses will be mistreated even after death (vv. 8-9)

          • The great city

            • This is referring to Jerusalem, because that is where Jesus was crucified

            • John also identifies Jerusalem figuratively as Sodom and Egypt

              • The actual Greek word should be translated “spiritually” instead of “figuratively”

              • This fits well with the context here in Revelation

            • Sodom, as describes in Gen. 19:4-11, was morally filthy and focused on fulfilling sinful desires, which is why God called down fire and burning sulphur from heaven to destroy it and Gomorrah

            • Egypt was known by the Jews as a place of idolatry, oppression, slavery, and suffering

            • This describes how far Jerusalem will fall from being a place where God’s presence and glory resides

          • They are refused burial

            • The fourfold description of those who look at the bodies of the two witnesses simply means everyone (people, tribe, language, and nation)

            • None of the inhabitants of the earth, who are in rebellion against God, will offer to bury the two witnesses

            • Refusing to bury someone was the most shameful thing to do in the ancient world

            • This was reserved for those who were considered vile criminals

          • There is significance in the three and a half days they are left exposed in the street

            • It connects with the three and a half years that is mentioned in months (42) and days (1,260)

            • It is a reminder that decomposition begins to happen after three days

              • There was a belief in the ancient world that the soul of a person remained near the dead body for three days

              • After that it would continue its journey to the after life

              • Jesus remained where he was a couple more days after Lazarus passed away to ensure that those who witnessed Him bringing Lazarus back to life would recognize the power of God

              • Jesus’ own resurrection took place after three days

            • God’s plan includes making sure that the inhabitants of the earth recognize that the two witnesses are truly dead

          • They not only refuse to bury them, but they celebrate their death

        • The inhabitants of the earth will celebrate (v. 10)

          • The pagan people will gloat over the two witnesses

          • They will also celebrate a new, short-lived holiday, “Dead Witnesses Day” [Akin, 204]

          • They will send each other gifts celebrating the fact that the torment of the two witnesses has finally ended after three and a half years

          • Evil has a way of celebrating too soon

            • Have you ever seen that in a sporting event

            • There’s one video I’ve seen where the fans rush the football field before time is up and one player from the opposing team has the wherewithal to continue running down the field and score the winning touchdown

            • That’s how I see evil celebrating at Jesus’ death and the two witnesses death

            • “We’ve won! ​​ It’s over! ​​ No more torment. ​​ No more making me feel guilty about my immoral and idolatrous lifestyle.”

        • “Hold on! ​​ Wait a minute! ​​ Did you see one of those rotting corpses move?”

    • Resurrection of the witnesses (v. 11-14) [Wiersbe, 599]

        • God gives them the breath of life and they ascend to heaven (v. 11-12)

          • PRINCIPLE – God promises to raise His people from the dead, reversing their temporary defeat at the hands of evil powers!

            • Death is not the end for those who are in Christ

            • Death is actually the beginning of eternal life

            • 1 Corinthians 6:14, By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also.

            • Romans 8:11, And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.

            • My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Claim God’s promise that He will raise me back to life when Jesus returns.

          • God does it again!

          • He brings His two witnesses back to life

          • He breaths the breath of life back into them

          • They stand up on their feet and God calls them home to heaven

          • They go to heaven the same way that Jesus did – in the clouds!

          • Now, those who witnessed this miracle are struck with terror

            • They have just experienced, firsthand, the power of God

            • They recognize what the two witnesses were saying about God was true

            • They need to get the gifts back from those they gave them to, so they can return them

            • Cancel “Dead Witnesses Day!”

        • God’s judgment through an earthquake (v. 13a)

          • An earthquake strikes the city and a tenth of it collapses

          • Seven thousand people will be killed (this would have been a tenth of the population of Jerusalem during John’s day)

          • This is again God’s attempt to get the rebellious people of the earth to repent and turn to Him

        • Some repent (v. 13b)

          • There is debate again about whether or not “giving glory to the God of heaven” represents true conversion or simply acknowledgment of God’s sovereign power

          • In other passages of scripture when the phrase “giving glory to God” is used it is referring to a conversion experience or refusing to convert

          • “John MacArthur points out that giving glory to the God of heaven is a mark of genuine worship in Revelation and elsewhere in Scripture (see 4:9; 14:7; 16:9; 19:7; see also Luke 17:18-19; Rom 4:20): ​​ ‘This passage then, described the reality of the salvation of Jews in Jerusalem, as God fulfills His pledge of blessings for Israel (Romans 11:4-5, 26)’ ​​ (MacArthur, Revelation 1-11, 305).” ​​ [Akin, 205]

          • It definitely does not mean that there is a universal conversion of the remaining inhabitants of the earth

            • We’ll see later that the inhabitants of the earth refuse to convert and instead worship the beast and the Antichrist

            • As MacArthur points out, it could be the conversion of a group of Jews still on earth – that is certainly a viable idea

        • More to come (v. 14)

          • The sixth trumpet is finished and the seventh trumpet is about to sound

          • John explains that the second of three woes has passed and the third is coming

 

  • YOU

 

  • WE

 

CONCLUSION

It wasn’t just the prophesying and death of the two witnesses that brought terror and repentance, but rather the resurrection of the two witnesses.

Keener explains his experience as a new convert in his teenage years.

 

“But sometimes it takes more than our preaching to make people’s hearts receptive. ​​ Two of us new converts witnessed boldly in high school, but the turning point in many people’s receptivity was after a two-month period when six individuals who had rejected and mostly mocked our message died in various ways. ​​ What preaching and witness may not accomplish for our land, God’s judgment may yet accomplish for those who survive it. ​​ In this age his judgment is always an act of love; he normally leaves a remnant who can learn from the judgment.” ​​ [Keener, 303].

14

 

/by

Feeding on the Word

, ,

Jesus Unveiled

Feeding on the Word

(Revelation 10:8-11)

 

INTRODUCTION

I heard or read this quote somewhere, “Readers are leaders, and leaders are readers.”

 

I know a couple of pastors who are voracious readers. ​​ They post on Facebook the various books they have read or how many books they have read so far this year. ​​ I’m always amazed at how they find the time to read so many books.

 

You could say that they devour or feed on books.

 

BODY

  • ME

    • Reading

        • Many years ago, I used to read three books at a time (Leadership, Personal Growth, Fun)

        • I would go through quite a few books in a year

        • I still like to read, but I’m not reading three books at a time

    • Commentaries

        • I do read nine commentaries every week in preparation for God’s message for you all

        • I want to know what God’s Word says, so I can share it intelligently and correctly with you all

        • I enjoy and look forward to the task of digging deep into the passage and learning the nuances that the original Greek or Hebrew has to offer

        • I also find that God begins to apply His Word to my life as I’m studying and preparing

        • He will challenge, correct, encourage, and strengthen me through His Word, so that I’m not just telling you what God wants you to do and know, but I can tell you what God wants us to do and know

 

  • WE

    • Things we feed on

        • Sports (statistics of the players; films and playbook)

        • Black Friday sales/advertisements (plan of attack)

        • Stock market

        • Video games (next battle pack is coming out; community event)

        • Hunting (phases of the moon; movement of the deer, turkey, geese, etc.)

    • God’s Word

        • Do we feed on God’s Word the same way we feed on these other things?

        • Can we say that we pursue learning God’s Word with the passion and energy that we learn other things?

        • Do we even share what we’ve learned from God’s Word like we share what we’ve learned from other sources?

 

As we’ll see today, John had to internalize and feed on God’s Word, so he would be able to accomplish the task that God had for him. ​​ John wants us to understand that...

 

BIG IDEA – We have to know God’s Word to share God’s Word.

 

Let’s pray

  • GOD (Revelation 10:8-11)

    • Take the Word (v. 8) [Akin, Christ-Centered Exposition, Exalting Jesus in Revelation, 194]

        • John again hears the voice from heaven

        • Last week (Rev. 10:1-7) we saw that the voice from heaven told John not to write down what the seven thunders said, but rather to seal it up

        • Now, the voice from heaven gives him two imperatives/commands

          • Go

            • John is no longer a bystander

            • He is an active participant in the vision from Jesus

            • He is no longer to stand on the outside looking in at the events unfolding in the future

            • This first imperative command is for John to approach the mighty angel that has the little scroll in his hand

            • Imagine John’s potential apprehension at approaching an enormous angel

            • Prior to the command, he probably would have never thought about approaching this angel, because the angel represented God’s glory, majesty, and dominion over the entire earth

            • Yet, someone even greater (the voice of God from heaven) has commanded him to approach this angel

            • John is told to go to the mighty angel and take the scroll from his hand

          • Take

            • “Take” is the second imperative command from God

            • Approaching the angel may have been difficult enough, but now John is to take the open scroll from his hand

            • A couple of significant aspects

              • John is worthy to take the scroll from the angel’s hand

                • In Rev. 5:1-5 we saw that God was holding a scroll that had seven seals on it

                • Another mighty angel was proclaiming in a loud voice, “who is worthy to break the seals and the open the scroll?”

                  • No one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was found worthy to open the scroll

                  • John wept, because no one was found worthy

                  • Yet, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David – Jesus – had triumphed and was able to open the scroll and its seven seals

                • There were no seals on this scroll and John is commanded to go and take it

              • The scroll is open and its contents are not sealed

                • John will be able to see, immediately, what the contents of this scroll are

                • God needs John to know and understand the contents of this scroll, because he has a job for him to do, pertaining to what is written on it

                • God has provided an open book for us also – the Bible

                • “As John is commanded to go and take this little scroll for his spiritual edification, God commands us to go and take His big book and explore its truths. ​​ For us there is no intimidating angel to approach. ​​ There is an open book ready for the taking. ​​ All you have to do is go and get it.” ​​ [Akin, 194]

                • We live in an incredible culture where God’s Word is freely available to us, in multiple translations and in multiple forms

                  • The Gideons and their auxiliary are an incredible organization of committed business men and women who are dedicated to getting God’s Word into the hands of children, youth, young adults, and adults

                  • Life.church developed YouVersion which is an app that can be downloaded onto any electronic device, so the Bible can be at your fingertips

                  • The American Bible Society and the International Bible Society are dedicated to the spreading of God’s Word

                  • The only downside to having the Bible so readily available is that we take it for granted

                  • While it’s right there for the taking, we don’t always value it like we should

                  • For those in second world cultures, it is a privilege just to have a portion of the Bible

                  • They cherish that portion and devour its contents, many times putting it to memory before passing it on to others

                  • You could say that they are devouring God’s Word or truly feeding on it

                  • Could that be said of us?

        • That’s what we see happening next with John as he approaches the mighty angel

    • Feed on the Word (vv. 9-10) [Akin, 194]

        • John approaches the angel and humbly asks him for the little scroll

        • The angel gives John two imperatives/commands

          • Take

            • The repeating of “take” can elude to the importance of John actively taking the little scroll as opposed to passively receiving it

            • This is also important for us in appropriating and assimilating God’s Word for ourselves

            • We should be actively pursuing the study of God’s Word for ourselves and not just passively sitting back and receiving insights from other people’s study and research

            • Acts 17:11, Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.’

            • We should follow the example of the Bereans as it pertains to hearing and receiving God’s Word

            • As followers of Jesus Christ we have the Holy Spirit living in us, to guide us into all truth concerning the Word of God

            • John wasn’t supposed to just take the scroll, but he was commanded to feed on it – to actually eat the scroll

          • Eat

            • The eating of the scroll is a clear indication that John is to assimilate the contents of the scroll into his very being – the words found there are to become a part of who he is

              • The message that John will be sharing, as we’ll see in v. 11, is not his own message, but rather a message from God

              • “In Aristotle’s canons of rhetoric, the philosopher called for ethos, pathos, and logos. ​​ Ethos reflected the credibility of the witness. ​​ Johns’ venerable age, consistency of conviction, and long-term service to the Lord were sufficient ethos. ​​ Logos represented the content itself; and since the content is part of divine revelation, sufficient logos insured. ​​ Pathos referred, however, the internalizing of the message of the logos, accentuated by the ethos of the messenger, and this gives the persuasive power and the empathy needed in effective communication.” ​​ [Patterson, The New American Commentary, Revelation, 234-35]

              • John would need to internalize the message and allow it to transform him before he shares it with others

              • The same is true of preachers today – they have to internalize the message before they can effective share it with others

              • Has the interpretation and application of God’s Word transformed the preacher? ​​ If so, they will be able to effectively share it with their congregation

            • Two other prophets understood the significance of eating the Word of God (internalizing it), before sharing it

              • Ezekiel’s commissioning as God’s prophet is the background for John’s commissioning here

              • Ezekiel 2:9-3:3, Then I looked, and I saw a hand stretched out to me. ​​ In it was a scroll, which he unrolled before me. ​​ On both sides of it were written words of lament and mourning and woe. ​​ And he said to me, “Son of man, eat what is before you, eat this scroll; then go and speak to the house of Israel.” ​​ So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat. ​​ Then he said to me, “Son of man, eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it.” ​​ So I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth.

              • Jeremiah 15:16, When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, O Lord God Almighty.

          • In the beginning of v. 10, we see that John takes the scroll and eats it

        • The effects of eating the scroll

          • PRINCIPLE – Preaching God’s message brings both joy and sorrow.

          • John was told by the angel that two things would happen when he ate the scroll and John then testifies that both of those things happened to him

            • It tasted as sweet as honey in his mouth

              • Honey

                • Psalm 19:10, They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb (David is talking about God’s law, precepts, commands, and ordinances – His Word!)

                • Psalm 119:103, How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

              • Other foods

                • Bread – Matthew 4:4, Jesus answered, “It is written: ​​ ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

                • Meat – 1 Corinthians 3:1-2, Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly – mere infants in Christ. ​​ I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. ​​ Indeed, you are still not ready.

                • Milk – 1 Peter 2:2-3, Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

              • How many of us could say that we know what it means for God’s Word to be as sweet as honey?

                • Think for a moment to the last time you were reading God’s Word and it spoke directly to the situation you were going through

                • Perhaps you were feeling down, sad, depressed, or lonely and God’s Word encouraged you and strengthened you

                • Maybe you read a promise from God’s Word that you claimed concerning the circumstance you were going through

                • It’s during those times that we understand the sweetness of God’s Word

                • Sharing the Gospel with someone is another time when God’s Word is so sweet

              • There are other parts of Scripture that we know are hard to swallow, convicting, or difficult to read and comprehend

            • It turned his stomach sour

              • John’s current situation

                • He knew the message he would have to share was going to be difficult

                • God’s people

                  • If the contents of the scroll he ate were Rev. 11:1-19 or even Rev. 11:1-14:20, those passages refer to the suffering of God’s people

                  • They will be pursued by Satan and alienated from the culture if they refuse to take the mark of the beast

                  • Some will experience death

                • Unbelievers

                  • John also knew that potentially the message would include the wrath of God for those who refused to turn from their rebellion against God

                  • The prophets of old had been marginalized and mistreated by those who refused to repent of their rebellion against God

              • Prophets of old

                • Nowhere in the Old Testament do we find the prophets of Lord sharing a feel-good message with the leaders of the people

                  • Time and time again they were prophesying punishment for the people of God, because of their rebellion against Him

                  • 1 Kings 22:15-18, When he arrived, the king asked him, “Micaiah, shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I refrain?” ​​ “Attack and be victorious,” he answered, “for the Lord will give it into the king’s hand.” ​​ The king said to him, “How many times must I make you swear to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?” ​​ Then Micaiah answered, “I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd, and the Lord said, ‘These people have no master. ​​ Let each one go home in peace.’” ​​ The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t I tell you that he never prophesies anything good about me, but only bad?”

                • Examples

                  • Moses, Jeremiah, and Jonah were reluctant to share God’s message with their intended audiences

                  • Elijah had just defeated the prophets of Baal and heard that Jezebel was seeking his life, so he ran for his life

                  • 1 Kings 19:3-4, Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. ​​ When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a day’s journey into the desert. ​​ He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. ​​ “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. ​​ “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.”

                • The prophets of old were obedient to share God’s message and it normally resulted in them being persecuted, ridiculed, and even put to death

              • Our modern times

                • Some preachers today avoid certain passages of Scripture, because they have hard sayings or cover topics that are not uplifting and positive

                • One of the reasons I prefer to preach verse-by-verse through books of the Bible is so that we will understand the whole will of God as Paul states in Acts 20:27

                  • When we go verse-by-verse we will keep each passage in context rather than taking it out of context

                  • We will also not skip over difficult passages, but address them as they come up (divorce, sexual immorality, homosexuality, gossip, etc.)

                  • Finally, we will hit on each topic found in the Bible according to the amount of time God spends on it – we will not continue to preach the same topics over and over again (some preachers can fall into that cyclical type of preaching)

                  • We will give each topic the same percentage of time that God gives it in His Word – not overemphasizing or underemphasizing any topic – giving it just the right amount of attention

                • Read 2 Timothy 4:1-5

            • It can be difficult to share God’s message with others

          • Application (Sweet and Sour)

            • Spiritually

              • Sweet

                • Sharing the Gospel with someone and watching them pray to receive Christ is perhaps the sweetest experience we will ever have this side of heaven

                • Watching a new believer grow in their understanding of God or Jesus Christ is another sweet experience

                • Having a believer take the next step in their spiritual walk by participating in believer’s baptism is incredible!

                • 2 Corinthians 2:15-16, For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. ​​ To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. ​​ And who is equal to such a task?

              • Sour

                • Sharing the Gospel with a loved one and watching them refuse to repent of their sins is heart breaking (sour)

                • Having to talk with another believer about their attitude or a sin they have continued to pursue is definitely sour

                • Having to confess our own sins to those we have hurt is sour at first, but reconciliation can be so sweet

                • Activating church discipline for an individual in the church in order for them to repent is never fun, but definitely necessary

                • Confronting someone who is teaching something that is false is also not enjoyable

            • Physically

              • “Mike and Trina are the loving parents of Chris, a high-school senior, and Casey, a twelve-year-old. ​​ Casey was born with a severe case of cerebral palsy. ​​ She is mentally retarded and confined to a wheelchair. ​​ Mike and Trina, through our church, have become my good friends during the past two year.

                Casey is a blessing to many who meet her. ​​ She smiles and gurgles with pleasure when people give her attention. ​​ Chris loves to light up her life. ​​ Trina, a neonatal-care nurse, has told me, ‘Because of Casey, I’ve been able to counsel many parents who have just learned that their newborn is mentally or physically handicapped. ​​ I have been able to witness to Christ’s love and grace in ways that would never have been possible without Casey. ​​ When God sent us Casey, he entrusted us with a precious treasure.’

                Casey is also a great burden. ​​ She will never walk. ​​ She requires her own special caregiver when Mike and Trina are both away from home. ​​ Frankly, her distorted features are hard to look at. ​​ Mealtime is difficult. ​​ Many marriages do not survive the stress that a handicapped child brings. ​​ When I once complimented Mike for the way he has cheerfully accepted responsibility for Casey, he replied, ‘I didn’t think I had a choice. ​​ There really wasn’t an option.’ ​​ [Easley,                 Holman New Testament Commentary, Revelation, 179]

              • Empathy

                • If you’ve ever had to take care of a special needs child, you understand the sweet and sour or the blessing and burden that John is referring to here

                • For some of us, we have been the care giver of a parent or spouse and know the joy and heartache that each day, or even hour can bring

              • In order for us to move forward, we have to internalize God’s Word – hide it in our hearts – that’s what will carry us through the difficult times

        • PRINCIPLE (Big Idea) – God’s people must internalize His Word, so they can proclaim it.

        • This was the purpose behind why John was actively involved in this part of the vision – God needed him to proclaim the word!

    • Proclaim the Word (v. 11) [Akin, 195]

        • “‘You must’ sounds a moral imperative, a moral and spiritual obligation.” ​​ [Akin, 195]

        • John’s message could be two-fold

          • Persecution of the church (Rev. 11:1-14:13)

          • Judgment of the unbelievers (Rev. 14:14-16:20)

 

  • YOU

    • Feeding on God’s Word

        • Are you spending time reading and studying God’s Word each day?

          • Are you dedicating the same amount of time feeding on God’s Word as you do other things that you enjoy?

          • My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Commit to spend as much time feeding on God’s Word as I do with other activities or hobbies.

        • Feeding on God’s Word means that we are internalizing it, meditating on it, allowing it to transform us

          • Read Psalm 119:9-16

          • Have you hidden God’s Word in your heart?

          • Has it become a part of you?

          • My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Begin memorizing a passage of Scripture that has been helpful for me in the past.

    • Sweet and Sour

        • We are wired to embrace the sweet and avoid the sour (except when it comes to Sour Patch Kids or WarHeads candy)

        • As children of God, we have to be willing to share the sweet and the sour

          • As followers of Jesus Christ, we know the sweetness of the Gospel

          • But if you’ve ever shared the Gospel with someone who has rejected it, you also know how that can make you feel sick in your stomach

          • We cannot allow the sour to keep us from continuing to share the Gospel (the Great Commission)

        • We have to accept God’s goodness and His discipline

          • We also know that certain portions of Scripture challenge us and confront our own sin

          • God’s discipline is sour, but when we repent we enjoy the sweet restoration of fellowship with God

        • My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Rejoice in the sweetness of God’s Word and trust Him to transform me through the sour portions

 

  • WE

    •  

 

CONCLUSION

“Just like John, we have roles to play in God’s ultimate plan. ​​ We can’t call ourselves ‘apostle,’ and we don’t receive literally visions and revelations from God. ​​ We’re not required to swallow prophetic books to utter inspired words. ​​ But each of us has been given a crucial mission to share the good news of salvation with the world (Matt 28:19-20). ​​ Yet just like John, we must first internalize the message, allowing it to become a part of our own lives.

 

It’s true that the gospel of Jesus Christ involves both bad news and good news – bad news about lost humans subject to divine judgment but good news about the righteous Redeemer, Jesus Christ, who paid the complete penalty for us and saves us when we simply trust in Him. ​​ As ambassadors for Christ in this age, we must not only understand and accept the gospel ourselves, but we must also be able to communicate that message to others.

 

Have you accepted God’s commission on your life?

Or, like John, are you ready for a recommissioning from God? (Insights, 151)”

 

[Akin, 196].

11

 

/by

No More Delay!

, ,

Jesus Unveiled

No More Delay!

(Revelation 10:1-7)

 

INTRODUCTION

“There once was a fellow who, with his dad, farmed a little piece of land. ​​ Several times a year they would load up the old ox-drawn cart with vegetables and go into the nearest city to sell their produce. ​​ Except for their name and the patch of ground, father and son had little in common. ​​ The old man believes in taking it easy. ​​ The boy was usually in a hurry . . . the go-getter type.

One morning, bright and early, they hitched up the ox to the loaded cart and started on the long journey. ​​ The son figured that if they walked faster, kept going all day and night, they’d make the market by early the next morning. ​​ So he kept prodding the ox with a stick, urging the beast to get a move on.

‘Take it easy, son,’ said the old man. ​​ ‘You’ll last longer.’

‘But if we get to the market ahead of the others, we’ll have a better chance of getting good prices,’ argued the son.

No reply. ​​ Dad just pulled his hat down over his eyes and fell asleep on the seat. ​​ Itchy and irritated, the young man kept goading the ox to walk faster. ​​ His stubborn pace refused to change.

Four hours and four miles down the road, they came to a little house. ​​ The father woke up, smiled and said, ‘Here’s your uncle’s place. ​​ Let’s stop in and say hello.’

‘But we’ve lost an hour already,’ complained the hotshot.

‘Then a few more minutes won’t matter. ​​ My brother and I live so close, yet we see each other so seldom,’ the father answered slowly.

The boy fidgeted and fumed while the two old men laughed and talked away almost an hour. ​​ On the move again, the man took his turn leading the ox. ​​ As they approached a fork in the road, the father led the ox to the right.

‘The left is the shorter way,’ said the son.

‘I know it,’ replied the old man, ‘but this way is so much prettier.’

‘Have you no respect for time?’ the young man asked impatiently.

‘Oh, I respect it very much! ​​ That’s why I like to look at beauty and enjoy each moment to the fullest.’

The winding path led through graceful meadows, wildflowers, and along a rippling stream – all of which the young man missed as he churned within, preoccupied and boiling with anxiety. ​​ He didn’t even notice how lovely the sunset was that day.

Twilight found them in what looked like a huge, colorful garden. ​​ The old man breathed in the aroma, listened to the bubbling brook, and pulled the ox to a halt. ​​ ‘Let’s sleep here,’ he sighed.

‘This is the last trip I’m taking with you,’ snapped his son. ​​ ‘You’re more interested in watching sunsets and smelling flowers than in making money!’

‘Why, that’s the nicest thing you’ve said in a long time,’ smiled the dad. ​​ A couple of minutes later he was snoring – as his boy glared back at the stars. ​​ The night dragged slowly, the son was restless.

Before sunrise the young man hurriedly shook his father awake. ​​ They hitched up and went on. ​​ About a mile down the road they happened upon another farmer – a total stranger – trying to pull his cart out of a ditch.

‘Let’s give him a hand,’ whispered the old man.

‘And lose more time?’ the boy exploded.

‘Relax, son . . . you might be in a ditch sometime yourself. ​​ We need to help others in need – don’t forget that.’ ​​ The boy looked away in anger.

It was almost eight o’clock that morning by the time the other cart was back on the road. ​​ Suddenly, a great flash split the sky. ​​ What sounded like thunder followed. ​​ Beyond the hills, the sky grew dark.

‘Looks like big rain in the city,’ said the old man.

‘If we had hurried, we’d be almost sold out by now,’ grumbled his son.

‘Take it easy . . . you’ll last longer. ​​ And you’ll enjoy life so much more,’ counseled the kind old gentleman.

It was late in the afternoon by the time they got to the hill overlooking the city. ​​ They stopped and stared down at it for a long, long time. ​​ Neither of them said a word. ​​ Finally, the young man put his hand on his father’s shoulder and said, ‘I see what you mean, Dad.’

They turned their cart around and began to roll slowly away from what had once been the city of Hiroshima.

 

[“If We Had Hurried” by Billy Rose, Stories for the Heart, 201-03]

 

[Show pictures of Hiroshima]

 

BODY

  • ME

    • Driving

        • I know that I am very much like the boy in the story, especially when I’m driving

        • I hate to be delayed behind traffic

        • It has gotten worse since living here, because my commute is normally walking across a parking lot

        • I rarely, if ever, get stuck behind another person walking across the parking lot

    • Waiting for a box of books

        • Just a couple of weeks ago, I was waiting for a box of books to arrive in the mail

        • With modern technology, I knew that the box had been delivered

        • When we returned from Ohio, I expected to find the box on our dining room table where the person who was taking care of our animals and the mail would put it

        • When we went in the house, the box wasn’t on the table

        • After talking with the individual who was getting our mail, they told me that the box had not been delivered

        • I was confused and frustrated by the delay in getting the box of books

        • I assumed that the delivery service hadn’t left the box and would bring it by on Monday

        • Well, the delivery service didn’t bring it by, but the next door neighbor did

        • The box had been delivered on the edge of his car port and had been ruined by the rain

        • The books were now in a plastic bag – some of them were ruined

        • The box had been delivered to the wrong house (my name and address were correct on the label)

 

  • WE

    • Most of us don’t like to be delayed

        • How many of us have waited for hours for a rain delay at the baseball park?

        • How many of us have waited for hours at the airport for a delayed flight due to weather conditions?

        • Perhaps some of us have delayed too long in having children and are now not able to have children

        • Maybe life circumstances caused some of us to delay pursuing higher education and have found that we never went back to get that degree

        • In some situations, we have waited to purchase something that was on sale and realized later that we missed the sale

    • Instant gratification

        • We are a culture of instant gratification

        • We can run out to the store and purchase just about anything

        • If we can’t find it at the store, Amazon Prime provides us with next day shipping

          • How many of you remember department store catalogs?

          • The Sears catalog was the one I remember the most (it was so thick you could use it as a high chair or a step stool)

          • The one catalog I used most often was Bass Pro Shops

          • I would fill out the order form, include a check, and then send it by snail mail

          • I had to wait 6-8 weeks to receive the items I ordered

          • Those days are long gone

 

From a human perspective, the return of Christ is the most delayed promise ever. ​​ Just imagine the excitement and anticipation of the 1st Century believers who believed that Jesus would return within their lifetime. ​​ That’s been over two thousand years ago. ​​ The saints under the golden altar have been asking God how long it will be until His justice is served. ​​ As we’ll see today, the wait is over. ​​ John wants us to understand from Revelation 10:1-7 that...

 

BIG IDEA – We can trust God to complete His work.

 

Let’s pray

 

  • GOD (Revelation 10:1-7)

    • Angel’s appearance and action (vv. 1-4)

        • John now sees another mighty angel descending from heaven

          • This is not the first time that a mighty angel is mentioned

          • In chapter 5, we see God holding the seven-sealed scroll in his hand and John saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” ​​ (Rev. 5:2)

          • The second mighty angel is mentioned here in Rev. 10:1

          • The final reference to a mighty angel is found in Rev. 18:21, Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a large millstone and threw it into the sea, and said: ​​ “With such violence the great city of Babylon will be thrown down, never to be found again.”

          • These are no ordinary angels if they’re putting one foot in the sea and the other on land and picking up boulders the size of large millstones

          • Some believe that the mighty angel is Jesus Christ, primarily because of how the angel is described

        • The angel’s appearance

          • John uses terms to describe this mighty angel that have also been used of Jesus and God

            • “I suggest this is an angel of importance who, like Moses in Exodus 24, takes on characteristics of the Lord because he is in the presence of the Lord. ​​ This encourages me because the same thing is true for us. ​​ If we spend time with the Lord, we begin to sound like Him, look like Him, and act like Him a little more each day.” ​​ [Courson, Jon Courson’s Application Commentary, New Testament, 1720]

            • PRINCIPLE – God’s glory and attributes are evident in and through those who have been with Him.

              • Most of us haven’t had the opportunity to see God face-to-face like this mighty angel or Moses who met the Lord in the Tent of Meeting and on Mt. Sinai

              • But that doesn’t mean we can’t be in His presence

              • We have the Holy Spirit of God who lives within us

              • We enter God’s throne room through prayer, worship, and meditating on God’s Word

              • God speaks to us through His Word as the Holy Spirit gives understanding

              • It’s fairly evident by the joy and contentment on a person’s face that they have been with the Lord

              • Do those around you recognize that you have been with God?

              • Is God’s glory and attributes evident in and through you?

              • My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Commit to spend time daily with the Lord, so that His glory and attributes will be evident to those around me.

            • So, what attributes of Jesus and God did this angel reflect?

          • Robed in a cloud

            • The form of the word “robed” in the original Greek (perfect passive participle) gives the idea that the angel has been permanently clothed with the cloud

            • It symbolizes glory, power, and majesty that comes from God

            • God

              • Exodus 16:10, While Aaron was speaking to the whole Israelite community, they looked toward the desert, and there was the glory of the Lord appearing in the cloud.

              • Leviticus 16:2, The Lord said to Moses: ​​ “Tell your brother Aaron not to come whenever he chooses into the Most Holy Place behind the curtain in front of the atonement cover on the ark, or else he will die, because I appear in the cloud over the atonement cover.

              • Luke 9:34-35, While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. ​​ A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.”

            • Jesus

              • Daniel 7:13-14, “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. ​​ He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. ​​ He was given authority, glory, and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. ​​ His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.

              • Acts 1:9-11, After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. ​​ They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. ​​ “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? ​​ This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

              • The two angels were simply confirming what Jesus had already told His disciples

              • Jesus explained this to His disciples in Matthew 24:30 when He told them that He would be returning on the clouds of the sky

            • This mighty angel is reflecting the glory, power, and majesty of God and Jesus

          • Rainbow above his head

            • We’ve already seen a rainbow in Revelation 4:3, And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian. ​​ A rainbow resembling an emerald, encircled the throne.

            • Ezekiel sees the radiance and glory of the Lord and describes it like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day (Ezekiel 1:28)

            • Since the time of Noah, the rainbow has always represented God’s mercy and promise that He will never again destroy the earth by flood

            • “While the cloud symbolizes judgment, the rainbow represents God’s covenant mercy in the midst of judgment (as it did in 4:3).” ​​ (MacArthur, Revelation 1-11, 280).: ​​ [Akin, Christ-Centered Exposition, Exalting Jesus in Revelation, 191]

            • This mighty angel is reflecting God’s mercy

          • Face was like the sun

            • Jesus’ face shone like the sun when He was transfigured here on earth (Matthew 17:2)

            • John described Jesus in Rev. 1:12-16 and we read this about Him in v. 16, In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. ​​ His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.

            • We see in these two references that Jesus’ glory radiated from Him as light that looked like the sun

            • When Moses met with the Lord face-to-face on Mt. Sinai and in the Tent of Meeting, his face would shine so brilliantly that the Israelites asked him to cover his face with a veil (Exodus 34:29-35)

            • Being in the presence of the Lord caused this mighty angel’s face to shine like the sun

          • Legs like fiery pillars

            • This speaks of stability and uncompromising holiness

            • John describes Jesus in a similar manner in Revelation 1:15, His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace . . .

            • Most scholars acknowledge that the background for this imagery of God’s guidance and protection come from the Israelites wandering in the wilderness

              • Exodus 13:21, By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night.

              • Exodus 14:24-25, During the last watch of the night the Lord looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud at the Egyptian army and threw it into confusion. ​​ He made the wheels of their chariots come off so that they had difficulty driving. ​​ And the Egyptians said, “Let’s get away from the Israelites! ​​ The Lord is fighting for them against Egypt.”

          • So, this mighty angel is reflecting the glory and attributes of God and Jesus, because he has been in the presence of God and is now coming down to earth to accomplish God’s will

        • The angel’s actions

          • Holding a little scroll

            • As the angel descends from heaven, John notices that there is a little scroll that is laying open in his hand

            • Scholars are not in agreement concerning what scroll this is

              • Some believe it is the same scroll that God had in his right hand in chapter 5 that Jesus takes from Him, as the only One worthy to open it, and begins to break the seven seals as outlined in chapter 6

              • Others believe it is a different scroll that contains either the contents of Rev. 11:1-13 or some other prophecy that John will be sharing

            • We are not told what the contents of the scroll are, so it’s best not to speculate, but to continue with John’s description of what this mighty angel is doing

          • Standing on the earth

            • The angel is obviously tremendous in size, since he is able to place his right foot in the sea and his left on the land

            • Colossus of Rhodes

              • “Ancient readers would have thought of the Colossus of Rhodes, one the ancient ‘seven wonders of the world,’ a 105-foot-high bronze statue of Chelios (the patron deity of the city) built in 280 B.C. and destroyed by an earthquake in 224 B.C.” ​​ [Osborne, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, Revelation, 395-96]

              • There was a popular myth that this statue straddled the port and that ships had to navigate between its legs to enter the port [show first picture]

              • It was most likely set on a pedestal that overlooked the port [show second picture]

            • The significance of this enormous angel with one foot in the sea and the other on land is that he has authority and dominion over all the earth and that his message is for the entire world

            • His message is a warning for everyone that will be heard by everyone

          • Shouting

            • The angel gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion

            • There have been multiple uses of a loud voice in Revelation so far and they have all been described differently

              • Revelation 1:10, On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, (this is the voice of Jesus speaking to John)

              • Revelation 6:1, I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. ​​ Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, “Come!”

            • All of the references to the loud voices help us understand that the message from Jesus, the living creature, and now this mighty angel, are clear and understandable to those who hear their message

            • The angel’s shout elicited an immediate response from the seven thunders

              • The seven thunders are not identified any further than that

              • The plural is used to describe them (voices, thunders), so there are obviously more than one of them (seven to be exact)

              • They were sharing something with the mighty angel and with John

              • Almost every scholar agrees that this is an illusion to Psalm 29:1-11 where God’s voice is described seven different ways as being powerful and awesome

              • Read Psalm 29:1-11

          • I know that you all want to know what the seven thunders said, but unfortunately that’s impossible

        • John is not allowed to record what the seven thunders said

          • Just when John is about to write down what the seven thunders said, God speaks from heaven and tells him not to write it down – this is in contrast to what he was told to do at the beginning of Revelation (write down everything he sees and hears)

          • The message from the seven thunders is to be sealed up

            • This speaks of the sovereignty of God

            • PRINCIPLE – God knows exactly what needs to be revealed to His people.

              • We know that Jesus did many other things that were not recorded in the Bible (John 21:25)

              • God’s Word doesn’t provide all of the predictions about the end times, but it does provide what He wants us to know

              • “. . . the Bible is sufficient revelation for salvation and life, but it is not exhaustive revelation.” ​​ [Easley, Holman New Testament Commentary, Revelation, 174]

          • I agree with several scholars (Osborne, Mounce, Akin) that the seven thunders probably represented another series of plagues or judgments that God was going to use to bring repentance

            • I can only imagine how heartbroken God is when people reject Him and refuse to repent

              • That’s exactly what happens at the end of chapter 9

              • Read Revelation 9:20-21

              • We saw God’s heart last week from Peter’s second letter

                • 2 Peter 3:8-10, But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: ​​ With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. ​​ The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. ​​ He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

                • That’s God’s desire for you!

                • He wants you to repent (turn from your sins) and seek His forgiveness

                • God’s forgiveness is available to us through Jesus Christ who willingly died on a cross to take your punishment for sin

                • Ephesians 1:7-10, In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. ​​ And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment – to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.

                  • God offers everyone the forgiveness of sins according to His grace (giving us what we don’t deserve)

                  • He did this through Jesus’ blood, our perfect sacrificial Lamb

                  • My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Accept God’s offer of forgiveness of my sins, through Jesus’ perfect sacrifice.

              • For some of you here today, you’ve heard the Gospel message multiple times and you are still rejecting His forgiveness through the blood of Jesus Christ

                • He’s been trying to get your attention through some difficult circumstances in your life, but instead of acknowledging God’s power and sovereignty in those situations, you are blaming Him and rebellion against Him even more

                • My prayer is that you will recognize God’s attempts to draw you to Himself

                • He loves you!

                • Don’t wait until it’s too late

            • Because God is all-knowing, He realizes that sending an additional seven plagues or judgments is not going to change the hearts and minds of the inhabitants of the earth

        • The mighty angel makes an oath, declaring that God will no longer delay the removal of His restraining power, holding back the culmination of His righteous plan of judgment

    • Angel’s oath (vv. 5-7)

        • As the mighty angel is still straddling the sea and land, he raises his right hand to heaven

          • This is the normal and common posture for taking an oath

          • We see this happening in official capacities in our world today

            • A witness in a court of law taking the oath to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me God

            • When government officials are sworn in

            • When those who have completed all the requirements to become citizens of the United States are sworn in

          • Old Testament examples

            • Genesis 14:22-23, But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the Lord, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, and have taken an oath that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the thong of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, ‘I made Abram rich,’”

            • Daniel 12:7, The man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, lifted his right hand and his left hand toward heaven, and I heard him swear by him who lives forever, saying, “It will be for a time, times and half a time. ​​ When the power of the holy people has been finally broken, all these things will be completed.

        • The mighty angel swears by God

          • We’ve already mentioned God’s sovereignty as it pertains to what He has revealed and sealed in His Word

          • PRINCIPLE – God is sovereign over all His creation.

            • This principle takes us back to v. 2 where the mighty angel stands over all the earth, representing God’s authority and dominion

            • Here the angel spells it out more clearly – God is infinite and He is the One who created the heavens, the earth, and the sea, including everything in them

          • The oath that the angel makes is that there will be no more delay in the unfolding of God’s end-time plan

        • No more delay

          • The mystery of God will be accomplished as the seventh angel prepares to sound his trumpet

          • God’s redemptive plan, that began at the foundation of the world, will finally come to fruition and be completed in its fullness

          • “From this point forward God will not intervene to give the human race further opportunity to repent. ​​ Restraint is to be removed, and the Antichrist is to be revealed (cf. 2 Thess 2:3ff).” ​​ [Mounce, The New International Commentary on the New Testament, Revelation, 206]

          • All of this was told to the prophets of old – it had already been revealed to them

          • We can trust God to complete His work.

            • He is working in us right now, through the pleasant and difficult circumstances we are experiencing

              • It could the death of a loved one

              • Financial struggles

              • Difficulty at work or at home

              • Fear about starting school (college, high school, middle school)

            • Philippians 1:6, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus

              • Paul is talking to the Philippian believers about their partnership in the gospel

              • Our relationship with Jesus is what allows us to face the difficulties of this life with confidence, strength, and power

 

  • YOU

    • God is trustworthy

        • Are you trusting Him today for your circumstances?

        • Perhaps you need express that to the Lord

        • My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Tell the Lord that I am trusting Him to complete His work in me.

          • It may be a work of justification (repentance/salvation) for the first time

          • Or, it may be a work of sanctification (becoming more like Jesus Christ)

  • WE

    •  

 

CONCLUSION

Most of us are aware of the bridges that are being repaired around our area. ​​ The rural mail carriers are acutely aware of which bridges are being repaired. ​​ For those of us who travel north to Carlisle, we know that there will be a delay when we get close to the Appalachian Trail. ​​ They have only closed one side of the bridge.

 

While my desire is that they complete it sooner than later, I know that I can trust the state to complete the work they are started. ​​ They will not leave the bridge partway done or totally incomplete. ​​ We may not enjoy or agree with the timeframe in which these bridges are being completed, but in most cases they will be completed according to the schedule that has been established.

 

We can trust that God will complete His redemptive work according to His plan and timing.

12

 

/by

God’s Goodness and Power

, ,

Jesus Unveiled

God’s Goodness and Power

(Revelation 9:13-21)

 

INTRODUCTION

VIDEO – “Does Neil deGrasse Tyson Believe in God? | Netflix [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXAokvnv7Mc].

 

BODY

  • ME

    • Healed shoulder

        • When Wade and Seth were much younger, I would wrestle with them on the floor

          • I would take on both of them at the same time

          • Once, while I was doing this, I had one of them over my left shoulder holding on to them while I attacked the other one with my right arm

          • The boy who was on my left shoulder started to fall and would have landed on his head if I wouldn’t have grabbed him tightly and held on

          • The result of saving my son from landing on his head was that I hurt my rotator cuff

          • It ached most of the time, but wasn’t too painful

        • God’s goodness and power

          • I had been to the doctor at least one time before about the pain in my shoulder

          • When I went back, probably a year later, the doctor said that if I was still having pain in a couple of months, he would recommend a cortisone injection

          • I don’t like needles and I was too young to start getting injections

          • Judy and I began to pray and at the same time we started taking some nutritional supplements

          • I’m here today with a left shoulder rotator cuff that is perfectly fine

          • I never had to have any injections or surgery to repair the rotator cuff

          • God’s goodness was displayed to me through His healing power

    • Salvation

        • I have seen God’s goodness and power in saving me from my sins

        • I accepted Jesus Christ as Savior at the age of 4

        • While I didn’t understand everything that my decision entailed, I can look back on my life and see how God’s sovereign power has protected me as I grew and learned more about Him

        • I see how He directed my path through my education, work experience, and life circumstances to bring me to this time in my life, right now

        • For me, that is proof of God’s goodness and power working together simultaneously

 

  • WE

    • Healing

        • Perhaps you have experienced God’s goodness and power through a healing you have experienced in your own life

        • I know there are those in our congregation who have experienced that firsthand

        • Maybe you’ve experienced it through a family member or close friend that God healed

        • God’s goodness and power can also be seen and experienced through the healing of relationships – that may be your experience instead of a physical healing

    • Salvation

        • If you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, then you’ve experienced God’s goodness and power working together

        • Think back to your conversion experience

          • What kind of sin were you embracing when Jesus arrested you and set you free from the slavery to sin?

          • For some individuals the desire to continue to pursue certain sins completely left them at the moment of conversion – that is God’s goodness and power at work!

 

Throughout the seven seals and the first five trumpets we saw that God’s goodness and power are true, simultaneously. ​​ This has been true of God from the very beginning. ​​ John wants us to understand that...

 

BIG IDEA – The proof of God’s goodness is His restraining power.

 

Unfortunately, not everyone will see and understand that. ​​ Those who believe like Neil deGrasse Tyson does, don’t understand that God in His goodness has been using His power to restrain evil from having full sway in our world. ​​ We have seen through Revelation so far, that God, in His sovereign power, has limited His wrath and the power of Satan and His demons. ​​ He has not allowed them to do everything that’s in their heart to do. ​​ They want to completely destroy anything and everything that has been created in God’s image.

 

Let’s pray

 

  • GOD (Revelation 9:13-21)

    • Demons released (vv. 13-16)

        • When the sixth angel sounded his trumpet, John heard a voice coming from the horns of the golden altar

          • Golden altar

            • This golden altar is the same one we were introduced to in Rev. 6:9 (souls of those who had been slain were under it)

            • It was also mentioned in Rev. 8:3 (angel with golden censer stood at the altar and offered up the prayers of the saints)

            • Here the horns (projections) of the altar are mentioned

              • They were on the four corners of both the altar of incense (Ex. 37:25) and the altar of burnt offering (Ex. 38:2)

              • Throughout scripture, when the term “horn” is used it traditionally signified strength and power

              • The horns on the altar would represent the strength and power of Yahweh (God)

          • Voice

            • The voice comes from the horns of the altar

            • It’s interesting that John would say that an inanimate object would speak

              • We know that Balaam’s donkey spoke

              • We also hear Jesus tell the religious leaders, who are instructing Him to silence His followers when He’s entering Jerusalem, that if they remain silent even the rocks will cry out

              • So, it’s not impossible for God to give a voice to an inanimate object

            • Two good potentials emerge from what we have previously seen in Revelation

              • It could be the souls under the altar who have been lifting up prayers

              • It’s probably better to see it as the angelic-priest who offered up the incense and prayers of the saints in Rev. 8:3

            • Whomever the voice represents, we know that they are not speaking outside of the will and plan of God as we’ll see in a moment

          • The voice speaks to the sixth angel who blew the trumpet, and gives him a command

        • Command

          • The sixth angel is to go the great river Euphrates and release the four angels that have been bound there

            • This is the one and only time that one of the angels who blows a trumpet or pours out a bowl is asked to do anything else

            • There is probably no significance to this angel being asked to do this while the other angels haven’t been asked to do anything extra

          • Euphrates River

            • “The Euphrates, originating in Armenia, is the long river winding steadily across the face of the Middle East and touching Turkey, Syria, and Iraq until uniting with the Tigris and together reaching the Persian Gulf.” ​​ [Patterson, The New American Commentary, Revelation, 224]

            • This river is fairly significant throughout Scripture

            • In the New Testament it is only found in Revelation at two places, 9:14; 16:12

            • This river was the eastern boundary of the Roman Empire

            • The Parthians lived on the other side and had breached the river and successfully defeated those on the western shore, twice

            • In the Old Testament we see the Euphrates River mentioned several places

              • In Gen. 2:14 it is listed as one of the four rivers flowing out of Eden (Pishon, Gihon, Tigris, Euphrates)

              • Gen. 15:18 has it as part of the boundary line for the covenant that God was making with Abram

              • In Deut. 11:24 it is mentioned as part of the boundary line for the Promised Land

              • There are many other Old Testament references to the Euphrates River

            • It’s significance in the Old Testament is primarily as the eastern boundary for the Promised Land

            • This river is still an important part of future history as there are four angels bound there

          • Four angels

            • “Evil angels were thought to be bound in various places (9:14; 20:2, 7), including subterranean chasms (1 En. 10:4-6, 12-13; 88:1-3; Jub. 5:6) and bodies of deep water (Test. Sol. 6:3-6; 25:7).” ​​ [Keener, The NIV Application Commentary, Revelation, 271]

            • The fact that these four angels are bound, is a good indication that they were evil angels being restrained by God’s power

            • God is in control of every created thing, including evil angels

            • They should not be associated with the four angels in Rev. 7:1 that are standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth – these were four good angels acting with God’s power

            • The four angels that are bound are probably the leaders of the 200 million strong demonic force that is unleashed, after these angels are released from their restraints

          • God’s perfect timing and plan

            • God had a specific timeframe established, when these four angels were going to be released

              • That is the significance of the reference to the increasing time frames – hour, day, month, and year

              • PRINCIPLE – God’s timing is perfect!

                • God has prepared His plan for the end of the world and has bound these four angels in advance for this specific time and purpose

                • He will not be caught off guard by the events of the end of the world, because He planned them

                • He is not caught off guard by the circumstances of your life either, because He is always present (omnipresent) and all-knowing (omniscient)

                • Whatever difficulty you are currently facing, He is aware of it (spiritual, emotional, physical, financial, or relational)

                • He knows how long you will be going through it and how long you need to go through it

                • His timing is perfect, so trust Him and rest in Him

            • God’s plan to avenge the blood of His saints is perfect

              • He hadn’t forgotten the prayers of the souls under the golden altar

              • He had given them white robes and told them to wait a little while longer until the full number of martyrs had been reached

              • Now His plan to deal with those who had killed them was beginning

              • His plan was limited to a third of the unbelievers who were still on the earth

                • A fourth of the unbelievers had already been killed by the rider of the pale horse (Death) when the fourth seal was opened

                • Now an additional third of unbelievers will be killed, which means that half the population of the earth, at that time, will be gone

                • PRINCIPLE – God is the only One who knows how to judge mankind rightly.

                  • Since God knows our heart, the part of us that thinks and feels, He knows our true intentions in every situation, circumstance, conversation, and interaction

                  • We can hide our true intentions from other human beings, but we can’t hide them from God

                  • We may think we know what someone is thinking and why they are acting the way they are, but we can be wrong

                  • That’s why talking to them is the best way to know what’s going on

            • God has a perfect plan worked out for the end of the world and He will execute that plan at the perfect time

            • As we saw last week, and now again this week, He can and will use evil to judge evil

          • Demonic troops

            • Behind these four evil angels is a mounted demonic force of 200 million troops

            • John heard the number clearly, so it must have been announced

            • There have been attempts to connect this to our modern world

              • Some point to the fact that China could rally a military force of 200 million soldiers

              • We have to avoid the temptation to try to connect John’s vision to our modern culture

              • When we do that we can add to Scripture what was not intended to be there

              • The force that John sees is a demonic one

              • God could certainly use this demonic force to influence governments and nations to join together to form a force of 200 million mounted soldiers

              • We may not know how this force will be formed, but we know that it will be formed and will fulfill their purpose of killing a third of unbelievers who are still on the earth

        • John moves from describing what happens, after the sixth trumpet is sounded, to describing what this mounted force looks like

    • Demon force described (vv. 17-19)

        • John again uses the word “like” and “resembled” in describing what he saw in his vision of this mounted force

        • Breastplates

          • Most translations of the Bible translate the Greek text to read that only the riders of the horses have the breastplates on

          • These riders have these beautiful tri-colored breastplates that are fiery red, smoky blue, and sulfury yellow

          • The tri-colored breastplates match what comes out of the mouths of the lion-headed horses

          • The riders are not the ones who are killing a third of mankind, but rather the three plagues that come out of the mouths of the “horses”

        • Horses appearance

          • These are probably not horses at all, but that is the closest thing, from John’s experience and knowledge, to compare them to

          • Heads resembled the heads of lions

            • John is trying to explain what he is seeing, so he says the heads of the horses resemble the heads of lions

            • Their heads are not actually lions’ heads

          • Tails like snakes

            • Their tails were like snakes

            • They were not actually snakes, but they appeared to be snake heads that could cause injury

          • This mounted force was able to inflict injury and death from both directions (front and back)

          • In the second half of v. 17 and v. 18 we see that what came out of the mouths of these demonic creatures is what caused the death of a third of mankind

        • How a third of mankind dies

          • What came out of their mouths was:

            • Fire – we all know that fire can kill a person

            • Smoke – we also know that inhaling smoke from a fire can also cause death

            • Sulfur – we need help from the Old Testament to understand that God used burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 19:24, 28)

          • In an effort to understand what John is seeing, there have been two ideas presented

            • Neither of these seem viable to me

            • If God wanted us to know exactly what this mounted force is supposed to be, He would have explained it in His Word

            • The closest comparison that John would have had to a fire breathing creature would have come from Greek mythology or from Job’s description of the Leviathan

              • Keener points out that in Greek mythology there was a horrifying creature called the Chimaera (it had the head of a lion, the tail of a dragon or serpent, and the body of a goat). ​​ This creature would belch fire [Keener, 271-72]

              • Listen to how Job describes Leviathan, Firebrands stream from his mouth; sparks of fire shoot out. ​​ Smoke pours from his nostrils as from a boiling pot over a fire of reeds. ​​ His breath sets coals ablaze, and flames dart from his mouth (Job 41:19-21)

            • In our modern era, there have been individuals who have tried to connect events and images from Revelation to what we are familiar with, in an effort to determine the time of Christ’s return

              • In that vein, they will say that John was seeing modern forms of warfare and was trying to explain, in 1st Century terms, what he was seeing

              • Those who hold to this kind of application believe that John was seeing tanks, cannons, battleships, missile launchers, flame throwers, etc.

              • Modern instruments of warfare could certainly be described as shooting fire, smoke, and burning sulfur out of their mouths, but John likens then to a horse with a head like a lion and a tail like a snake

            • I believe that God has purposely allowed John’s description to sound supernatural so we won’t become obsessed with trying to connect it with something we are familiar with, but rather so we will remain focused on what this mounted demonic force is doing – they are executing God’s judgment on those who have continued to reject His grace and mercy

          • A third of mankind will be killed

            • This proves God’s goodness to humanity

            • He could have allowed this demonic mounted force to wipe out all of the remaining unbelievers on the earth, but He restrained His power out of love and a desire for them to repent

            • The proof of God’s goodness is His restraining power.

        • The final two verses in this section are heart breaking!

    • Demons worshiped (vv. 20-21)

        • The remaining two-thirds of unbelievers, who’ve just experienced the death of a third of the population, still reject God

        • They refuse to repent of two things:

          • Sins directed against God

            • They didn’t stop worshiping demons, the very beings that had tortured them for five months and have now killed a third of the population

            • They continue to worship the idols they’ve made, with their own hands, out of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood

            • The deception of Satan is thorough when human beings make their own idols, knowing that they are lifeless (can’t see, hear, or walk), and continue to worship them

            • Easley directions our attention to the first four Commandments found in Exodus 20:1-11 – these are sins directed against God [Easley, Holman New Testament Commentary, Revelation, 161]

            • Read Exodus 20:1-11

          • Sins directed against God’s creation (other human beings)

            • They were still murdering, practicing magic arts, participating in sexually immoral acts, and stealing

            • We see these four and more in Exodus 20:12-17, the last six Commandments

            • Read Exodus 20:12-17

        • You would think that after God gave His Commandments and then executed His judgment on sinful humanity that they would repent and turn to Him, but that’s not the case

          • God’s judgment appears to drive them deeper into rebellion against Him

          • PRINCIPLE – The depravity of humanity blinds them to the truth of God’s heart.

            • 2 Peter 3:8-10, But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: ​​ With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. ​​ The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. ​​ He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

            • “One of the strangest things about human nature is that man has not changed because of punishment. . . . He may desist from evil because he is afraid, but his heart is still evil. ​​ He would do evil if he could get by with it. ​​ A man is really changed only by the Gospel of the grace of the Son of God. (Sermons, 3:192).” ​​ [W. A. Criswell cited by Akin, Christ-Centered Exposition, Exalting Jesus in Revelation, 186]

            • “Those who love God will be made more godly by suffering; those how hate him will become more rebellious.” ​​ [Easley, 162]

            • Romans 1:32, Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.

            • 1 Timothy 4:1-2, The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. ​​ Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.

          • Here’s the kicker for me, and we saw it in the video at the beginning, humanity wants to be able to do whatever they want without any consequences and then be accepted by God solely on His attribute of love

            • When they are told that God can and will judge them, they refuse to believe in Him, because His lack of love, long-suffering, and tolerance somehow negates His deity [Patterson, 227]

            • If God will not accept me, without me repenting of my sins, then He is not all-powerful or all good and therefore not important

            • God is perfectly good and perfectly just at the same time, therefore He is all-powerful

            • “For God to fail to judge when – despite the fact that people continue in their iniquity – he has given every conceivable warning of what it means to be the recipient of divine judgement, is unthinkable. ​​ Such inaction would present to the world a God who is powerless in the face of evil.” ​​ [Patterson, 227]

            • We saw today that God is all-powerful

              • He is able to bind evil angels until His perfect timing for judgment arrives

              • He is able to restrain a demonic mounted force to only kill one third of the remaining population on earth

              • He did this so that the other two-thirds would repent and turn to Him for salvation, but they refused

              • The proof of God’s goodness is His restraining power.

 

  • YOU

    • God’s timing is perfect

        • Do you need to claim that promise for yourself today?

        • God is fully aware of the circumstances you are currently experiencing

        • He has not been caught off guard

        • He knows what’s best for you and how long you need go through this situation

        • My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Rest in God’s perfect timing and plan for me.

    • Let God judge

        • Perhaps you’ve been dealing with a situation where you think you know the intentions of a family member, coworker, neighbor, or fellow Christian

        • God is the only One who knows how to judge mankind rightly

        • Perhaps you need to go to the individual you are currently judging in your heart and have a conversation with them

        • I can almost guarantee that it will clear up whatever ideas you may have about the situation and/or the individual

        • Prayer is a key factor in being able to move beyond preconceived ideas and feelings associated with those ideas

    • God’s heart

        • We know from Scripture that God’s desire is that everyone will repent and turn to Him for salvation

        • He is infinitely patient with us, but a time is coming when He will have to execute judgment on those who refuse to repent

        • His judgment is evidence of His infinite power over evil

        • Gospel (Admit, Believe, Choose)

        • Ephesians 2:8-9, For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.

        • My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Accept God’s free gift of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.

 

  • WE

    • When we rest in God’s perfect timing and plan and when we let God judge rightly instead of us judging, then the world sees us a unified body of believers – that testimony alone speaks volumes

    • We are also commanded by God to share His heart with the world – that means telling others about the Good News of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, and God’s grace extended to us

 

CONCLUSION

“The gospel is not a tranquilizer for worried weaklings to help them sleep at night. ​​ It is not a mass of dead dogmas, deep frozen in some ancient cathedral to be carried as a burden through life and thawed out five minutes before death. ​​ The gospel is not a list of religious rules and regulations to be strung around the soul like a lucky charm in case of accidents. ​​ No, the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is a message – and what a message! ​​ It is a living message from the living God for living people, just like us, for people with sins just like us, for people with sorrows and heartaches just like us. ​​ It is the only message on the face of the earth with concrete promises and absolute assurances of an eternal inheritance that will withstand the impact of death and the collapse of the universe. ​​ (Uplook, 11)” ​​ [J. Boyd Nicholson cited by Akin, 184].

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The Wrong Side of the Glass

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Jesus Unveiled

The Wrong Side of the Glass

(Revelation 9:1-12)

 

INTRODUCTION

“An episode of the television western Gunsmoke once featured a huckster who traveled from town to town with a huge rattlesnake in a glass cage. ​​ He collected bets that no one could place his hand against the glass and keep it there when the rattlesnake struck.

The gullible townspeople bet on their fellow citizen who volunteered his courage. ​​ After all bets were collected, the huckster tore the cover off the glass cage, revealing a huge reptile coiling and buzzing his rattles. ​​ The man moved his hand toward the glass and the snake coiled even tighter. ​​ As soon as the hand touched the glass, the snake struck with fury. ​​ Involuntarily the man jerked his hand away. ​​ The huckster collected his money from the bets and left for the next town. ​​ He knew the glass would hold. ​​ There was nothing to fear but fear itself. ​​ He played on that fear to earn a living.

That story is a great picture of spiritual warfare. ​​ The snake is the devil and the forces of evil. ​​ The glass is Jesus. ​​ As long as we stay on the right side of the glass, we have nothing to fear. ​​ Real danger lurks on the wrong side of the glass, but we are safe on the right side of the glass, no matter how fearful things appear (adapted from Max Anders, Spiritual Warfare, 11-12) ​​ [Easley, Holman New Testament Commentary, Revelation, 164].

 

BODY

  • ME

    • Living in Florida and snorkeling

        • Judy and I lived in Florida right after we graduated from college

        • She had gotten a teaching job at a Christian school and I worked for a bank

        • We spent a lot of weekends at the beach, since we only lived a mile away from it

        • Our best friends, the Smith’s, would go with us to the beach

        • Steve and I would spend time snorkeling and using our Boogie Boards

        • One day while we were floating just off the shoreline over top of a manmade break under the water (they used highway dividers) he began to flail his arms and legs wildly

        • I thought this was hilarious and started laughing until he took his mask off and told me why he was flailing around

        • He said, “I don’t know what just went under us, but it was huge!”

        • He had been lying flat on his Boogie Board, while I had my arms draped over my Boogie Board with my legs hanging down in the water

        • You guessed it, I started flailing around as I scrambled to get on top of my Boogie Board

        • I felt like I was on the wrong side of the water

        • We both decided that snorkeling for the day was  done and headed back to the beach

        • We saw the warning signs of something potentially harmful and made the decision to remove ourselves from the situation before either of us got hurt – we choose to move to the right side of the glass

 

  • WE

    • Choosing the side of the glass we’re on

        • Perhaps we have all experienced something that has placed us on the wrong side of the glass

        • It could be an addiction (alcohol, drugs, pornography, gambling, work, video games, etc.)

        • It could be a moral or ethical situation that we’re confronted with at work, school, church, or in our neighborhood

          • While doing what our boss says, guarantees that we will keep our job, it may compromise our character and conscience

          • Not doing what our boss says will maintain our character, but cost us our job

          • The same is true in our friendships – doing what is right may cost us a friendship, but our character remains intact

        • We can trust the Lord to take care of us when we choose the right side of the glass – it may not be easy, but it’s right

 

In Revelation 9, we’ll see two demonic attacks that take place against those on earth who do not have a relationship with Jesus. ​​ These are both under the total control of God, as Sovereign. ​​ These judgements are an expression of God’s love for His creation. ​​ He wants the unbelievers to repent and turn to Him for salvation. ​​ In today’s passage, we’ll see that God has given them more time to repent. ​​ John wants us to understand that . . .

 

BIG IDEA – God’s judgment gives time for repentance.

 

Let’s pray

  • GOD (Revelation 9:1-12)

    • Star and Abyss (vv. 1-2)

        • Jason shared the first four trumpets and how the results of those affected the earth

        • This week we’re looking at the fifth trumpet where God’s wrath begins to affect a certain group of individuals on the earth

        • As the fifth angel blows his trumpet, John sees a star that had fallen from the sky to the earth

          • There is debate concerning who the star represents

          • Most scholars agree that it is representative of a being and not an actual star or meteor

          • Who this being represents has the scholars split, which tells us that we really don’t know for certain (that’s alright, because what the star does is more important than who the star represents)

          • Two views

            • Satan/Devil

              • Most modern translations correctly translate the Greek word used for fallen

                • In the Greek it is a participle in the perfect tense, which emphasizes an event that happened in the past but has continuing results

                • The falling that John is talking about is something that had happened in the past and not immediately during his vision, but the results of the falling still have results during his vision and even in to the future

              • Some scholars associate the perfect tense with Satan’s fall [Akin, MacArthur, Courson, Wiersbe, and Patterson]

                • In Luke 10:17, the seventy-two messengers, that Jesus had sent out, have returned and they are excited because even demons had submitted to them in Jesus’ name

                • Jesus then responds in vv. 18-20 by saying, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. ​​ I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. ​​ However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

              • In Isaiah 14:12, Satan is identified as a star, How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! ​​ You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!

              • Ezekiel explains why Satan was thrown out of heaven, You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. ​​ You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones. ​​ You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you. ​​ Through your widespread trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned. ​​ So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God and I expelled you, O guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones (Ezekiel 28:14-16)

              • The star could certainly represent Satan, but others believe it is one of God’s angels

            • One of God’s angels

              • We see in Revelation 1:20 that stars are often a symbol of angels

              • In the Old Testament and other extra biblical writings we see stars personified as angels (Judg. 5:20; Job 38:7; 1 Enoch 88.1; T. Sol. 8.2-11; 18.1-42) [Osborne, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, Revelation, 362]

              • We know that God has angels who carry out His will

                • In Revelation 20:1-3 we read these words, And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. ​​ He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. ​​ He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. ​​ After that, he must be set free for a short time.

                • This passage makes it clear that this angel is from God, coming down from heaven and he has the key to the Abyss

                • So, if stars are often symbols of angels and the angel in 20:1 has the key to the Abyss, it could very well mean that the star in 9:1 is the same angel

              • Some question how Satan or a fallen angel/demon could be entrusted with the key of the Abyss, but I like what Martin Luther has been credited with saying, “The Devil is still God’s Devil.” ​​ [Akin, Christ-Centered Exposition, Exalting Jesus in Revelation, 178]

              • God is still sovereign and the final authority over Satan and his minions – Satan has no power or authority that God has not given him

          • Both of these viewpoints are logical and have backing from Scripture, so who does the star represent? ​​ (That is not for us to know)

          • What is important is what the star is given

        • The star was given a key

          • The key that this being was given was for the shaft of the Abyss

            • While it’s not directly stated in verse 1, we know from all of Revelation that God is sovereign and in control of the judgments that are being poured out on the earth

            • So, it’s logical to believe and understand that God is the One who is giving the key of the Abyss to the star

          • Abyss

            • We know from other passages in the Old and New Testaments what the Abyss is

              • Place of dead

                • Romans 10:7, ‘WHO WILL DESCEND INTO THE ABYSS?’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). [NASB]

                • Romans 10:7, And don’t say, ‘Who will go down to the place of the dead?’ (to bring Christ back to life again). [NLT]

              • Prison for demons/evil spirits

                • Luke 8:30-31, Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” ​​ “Legion,” he replied, because many demons had gone into him. ​​ And they begged him repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss.

                • 2 Peter 2:4 and Jude 6 also talk about how God has bound demons with chains and placed them in dungeons until the final judgement – these are references to the Abyss

            • I like how Easley describes what John is seeing, “To follow John’s imagery, you must imagine the Abyss as something like a huge underground cavern, perhaps like an old California gold mine. ​​ Then imagine a narrow shaft going up to the surface, with a locked door at the top. ​​ Finally, picture the cavern filled with choking blue smoke created by a sulfurous, crude-oil burning furnace.” ​​ [Easley, Holman New Testament Commentary, Revelation, 157]

            • As the Abyss is opened the smoke that has been building behind the door is finally released

              • The sheer volume of smoke that is released from the Abyss is incredible

              • It cause the sun and sky to darken

              • We already saw last week after the fourth trumpet was sounded that a third of the sun was struck and turned dark

              • Now with the remaining two-thirds are being darkened by the smoke that has been released from the Abyss

        • Using the smoke as a screen, we see that demons, described as locusts, come down upon the earth

          • Throughout the Old Testament, locusts symbolized destruction

          • We see this in Joel 1:4-7, What the locust swarm has left the great locusts have eaten; what the great locusts have left the young locusts have eaten; what the young locusts have left other locusts have eaten. ​​ Wake up, you drunkards, and weep! ​​ Wail, all you drinkers of wine; wail because of the new wine, for it has been snatched from your lips. ​​ A nation has invaded my land, powerful and without number; it has the teeth of a lion, the fangs of a lioness. ​​ It has laid waste my vines and ruined my fig trees. ​​ It has stripped off their bark and thrown it away, leaving their branches white.

        • John uses many descriptive words to share what he is seeing, but the mighty force that springs from the smoke of the Abyss are not actually locusts

    • Demonic force (vv. 3-11)

        • Description (vv. 3a, 7-11)

          • Read Revelation 3a, 7-11

          • John uses the word “like” seven times in four verses

            • He is trying to put into human terms what he is seeing

            • The 1st Century believer would have understood the significance of a demonic force that destroyed and devoured like locusts

              • Throughout the Old Testament locust were a symbol of destruction (Deut 28:42; 1 Kings 8:37; Ps 78:46) [Mounce, The New International Commentary on the New Testament, Revelation, 186]

              • Those living in Israel and the surrounding region understood how powerful a swarm of locust could be, especially from spring through late summer (five month dry season), when millions of them could come out of the desert and completely destroy all the vegetation [Easley, 157]

              • So, John is describing a demonic force that has the same kind of destructive power that a swarm of locusts have

            • He is describing demons as Aune points out, “These are demons in the guise of locusts, for their king is Abaddon, the angel of the abyss [Rev. 9:11].” ​​ [Aune cited by Osborne, 364]

              • We could spend a large portion of our time explaining each of the figurative descriptions for the demons that John saw, but what they looked like is of less importance than what they are doing

              • Easley does an excellent job of summarizing the various images used to describe this horde of demons [Easley, 158]

                • Looked like horses prepared for battle – Battle horses are bred for strength and equipped with bridle and saddle. ​​ This was no slipshod host but was well prepared

                • They wore something like crowns of gold – They symbolize victory. ​​ They will succeed completely in their appointed mission

                • Their faces resemble human faces – There was cunning and intelligence in these creatures

                • Hair like women’s hair – This may be their antennae waving in the wind. ​​ Some ancient warriors, particularly Parthians, wore long flowing hair as a symbol of fierceness (not effeminacy)

                • Teeth like lions’ teeth – Such teeth tear apart. ​​ Again, fierceness and strength come to mind with such an image

                • Breastplates like breastplates of iron – This further specifies the military preparation of this evil horde. ​​ Ancient Roman breastplates were usually leather and bronze, so these were much stronger and much more invincible

                • Sound of their wings like the thundering of many horses – The military imagery continues as John turns up the volume for us. ​​ In times of war, battle lines sometimes advance with as much noise as possible. ​​ This army is no exception

                • Tails and stings like scorpions – normal locusts do not attach humans, but these locust demons are supernatural

            • John’s imagery is designed to strike fear into those who are reading his letter – this is something to take seriously

          • King over these demonic locusts

            • This is an interesting play on words

              • In the animal kingdom, locusts do not have a “king” or leader

              • Proverbs 30:27, locusts have no king, yet they advance together in ranks

              • This is another reason why we can rest assured that these are not actually locusts, but rather a demonic force

              • They obviously need a leader to direct them as they carry out their task

            • Abaddon/Apollyon

              • Here again, scholars are split on who this “king” is

              • Satan/Devil (Courson, Wiersbe, Akin, Patterson)

                • Those who believe it is Satan reference the fact that the two names used both mean “destroyer”

                • They look to John 10:10 which describes Satan, The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy

              • Arch demon (Keener, Mounce, Easley, Osborne)

                • Those who believe that it is some arch demon directed by Satan, mention that Satan is identified later in the book of Revelation, chapter 12

                • They also believe that this arch demon was imprisoned with the demonic horde in the Abyss and is released at the same time

              • Whether it is Satan or an arch demon doing his bidding, they are under the total control of God and His sovereign plan

              • PRINCIPLE – God is in control of everything, including demonic forces.

          • John has described for us a demonic force, with a leader, that has been released from the Abyss to accomplish a specific task

        • Torture (vv. 3b-6)

          • Throughout this section of Scripture we will see that this demonic force is given power to do one certain thing, but is also restricted from doing a couple of things

            • God’s sovereign control and plan may seem antithetical to us – even hard to understand

            • PRINCIPLE – God even uses demonic forces to accomplish or carry out His judgment on the wicked.

              • We’ll see that God uses evil to judge evil

                • We see this throughout the Old Testament

                • When the Israelites were in rebellion against God – worshiping idols – He sent them into exile

                • The countries where they were exiled were not following God, but were also worshiping idols and false gods

                • God allowed them to be separated from the Promised Land so they would repent and return to Him

                • When they repented, He restored them to the Promise Land

                • We see in the Old testament that the Israelites were exiled multiple times

              • What we have to understand is that the purpose behind God’s judgment here is to bring His creation to repentance

              • God’s judgment then is an expression of His love for humankind – He doesn’t want them to be separated from Him for all eternity

          • Power they were given (vv. 3b, 5b-6)

            • The imagery is that the locust were given power like that of scorpions of the earth

              • The sting of a scorpion is not lethal to most human beings, but can be for a small infant

              • While the sting is not lethal, the numbing, aching, and pain associated with the sting are intense

              • We are not told what kind of torture these demons use against unbelievers, only that the agony they endure will be like the sting of a scorpion

                • It is not inconceivable that these demons will inflict physical pain of some sort

                • The pain they inflict will probably also be spiritual and psychological

                • “Those who have experienced unrequited spiritual and psychological agony would be the first to attest that it can be far worse than any physical pain imaginable.” ​​ [Patterson, The New American Commentary, Revelation, 221]

              • We know the agony of the torture will be so intense that those who are afflicted will seek death

                • We try to run from death, but it eventually catches up to us

                • Here, those who are running after death are unable to catch up to it – they are too slow

                • John MacArthur summarizes very well what has been happening during the first four trumpet judgments

                • “So intense will be the torment inflicted on unbelievers that in those days (the five month of v. 5) men will seek death and will not find it; they will long to die, and death flees from them. ​​ All hope is gone; there will be no tomorrow. ​​ The earth people have loved and worshiped will have been utterly devastated, the land ravaged by earthquakes, fires, and volcanoes, the sea filled with the putrefying bodies of billions of dead creatures, much of the fresh water supply turned into bitter poison, the atmosphere polluted with gases and showers of heavenly debris. ​​ Then, worst of all, will come foul smoke from the pit of hell as demons are released to spiritually and physically torment wicked people. ​​ The dream of a worldwide utopia under the leadership of Antichrist (the beast of 13:1ff.) will have died. ​​ Driven mad by the filth and vileness of the demon infestation, people will seek relief in death – only to find that death has taken a holiday. ​​ There will be no escape from the agony inflicted by the demons, no escape from divine judgment. ​​ All attempts at suicide, whether by gunshot, poison, drowning or leaping from buildings will fail (Revelation 1-11, 261-62).” ​​ [Akin, 182]

              • The torture is limited to five months

                • It is interesting that the amount of time they are given to torture unbelievers corresponds to the life span of a locust

                • As was mentioned earlier, God’s purpose behind unleashing this demonic force was to cause His creation to repent and turn to Him

                • In limiting the torture of this demonic force, we see another principle

                • PRINCIPLE – God never stops showing mercy and extending grace to those He has created.

                  • This is an important principle here at trumpet 5, because trumpet 6 will usher in the death of a third of mankind

                  • What unbelievers will experience through physical, spiritual, and psychological agony is another attempt by God to help them see that He is sovereign and all-powerful and that they need to repent

                  • God’s judgment gives time for repentance

                  • Perhaps you feel like God is bringing judgment on you right now

                  • Maybe you feel like you’re on the wrong side of the glass and you are experiencing physical, spiritual, emotional, and/or psychological pain that is so intense you wish you could die

                  • It could be that God is allowing this suffering so you will recognize that He is all-powerful and sovereign

                  • He is giving you more time to repent

                  • But you also have to realize that eventually time will run out

                  • Gospel (sin, punishment, God’s love, Jesus perfect sacrifice)

                  • 2 Corinthians 5:21-6:2, God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. ​​ As God’s fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. ​​ For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” ​​ I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.

                  • It is not too late; you haven’t done too many bad things; it doesn’t depend on your worthiness or righteousness, but on Jesus Christ’s perfect sacrifice

                  • Repentance mean to make a 180 degree turn

                  • Acts 3:19-20, Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you – even Jesus.

                  • My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Repent and turn to God, so He can make me clean by wiping away my sins.

              • Though this demonic force was given power, it was very limited

            • They were only allowed to torture any human being that did not have the seal of God on their forehead

            • They were not given power over nature and those sealed by God

          • Power they were not given (vv. 4-5a)

            • God gave them a divine directive that they were not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree

            • They were not allowed to torture any human being that had the seal of God on their forehead

            • Their power was limited to torturing unbelievers, but they were not allowed to kill them

        • Transition (v. 12)

          • Some scholars include this verse with vv. 1-11, while others include it with vv. 13-21.

          • That leads me to believe that it is transition verse

          • It concludes the first of the three woes (the eagle cried out “woe, woe, woe” in Rev. 8:13)

          • Two more woes are still coming in the sixth and seventh trumpets

 

  • YOU

    • Discipline

        • As a follower of Jesus Christ, you be feeling like God is using evil individuals to discipline you

        • Maybe you are rebelling against His will for your life

        • Perhaps something in your life has become more important to you than God – it has become your idol

        • God does use evil forces to accomplish or carry out His judgment on the wicked

        • He will restore you when you repent and turn to Him

    • Salvation

        • If you are not a follower of Jesus Christ, you may be wondering why you are currently experiencing suffering or hardships

        • God loves you and His greatest desire is your salvation

        • He doesn’t want you to be separated from Him for eternity

        • Turn to God today and have your sins wiped away

 

  • WE

    • The Israelites were supposed to model what a relationship with the true and living God looked

    • While they did that sometimes, they often failed

    • As Christians, our responsibility is to model for unbelievers what a relationship with God looks like

    • We should be showing them how to live on the right side of the glass and not be driven by the fear of Satan

 

CONCLUSION

The episode of Gunsmoke only showed failure, but my guess is that somewhere along the line, the huckster lost when a rough tumble cowboy who had handled snakes in the past stepped up and accepted his challenge. ​​ The cowboy who beat the huckster knew all about snakes and did not fear them.

 

God’s Word tells us all we need to know about Satan. ​​ We can stand against him without fear, because we know his tactics and the end of the story. ​​ Jesus has already won and He gives us His Holy Spirit so that we can have the power over temptation, sin, and one day death.

11

 

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Your Kingdom Come

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22nd July, 2018

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Your Kingdom Come
Revelation 8:7-13

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Introduction

The Lord’s Prayer

In this prayer, we tell God that we want to see His Kingdom Come, His will be done. And as we saw in the beginning of this chapter, God answers the prayers of His people.

These trumpets and the plagues they usher in are God’s tangible answers to the prayers of His people for His Kingdom to come and His will to be done.

Here we see a God of action, in response to His people.

In the same way, the purpose of Revelation is not to promote speculation about the future, but rather to compel action in the present.

The trumpets being blown by the angels here remind us of the victory of Joshua and God’s people at Jericho. Seven priests blew seven trumpets as they marched around the city seven times. These trumpets brought both God’s judgment and the victory of His people, ushering them into His promise.

The trumpets in Revelation serve a very similar purpose, but on a much larger scale.

 

Body

    • The First Trumpet (v. 7)

      • Hail

        • Hail is also seen in the seventh plague on Egypt in Exodus 9:18-26

        • Hail is also seen in Joshua 10:11, in the story of God making the sun stand still for Joshua and the Israelites

        • In Job 38:22-23, God speaks of “storehouses of hail” which he “reserve[s] for times of trouble, for days of war and battle.”

        • In all of these instances, hail is seen as an instrument used by God to act against the enemies of His people (Exodus 9:17)

        • Keener points out that even in literary works from the ancient Mediterranean world, hail appears as a warning of divine judgment, such as in Homer’s Iliad.

        • So the hail here represents God’s power and judgment over the earth.

      • “...and fire, mixed with blood”

        • According to Osborne, fire and blood are often combined as symbols of judgment

          • Isaiah 9:5

          • Ezekiel 21:32; 38:22

        • In Joel 2:31, fire and blood are “wonders in the heavens,” displaying God’s power, as well as signs of the “coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.”

      • “...a third…”

        • This phrase occurs 12 times in verses 7-12

        • Why one third and not the whole?

          • Easley brings our attention to the fact that the destruction of one third of the earth and trees, while devastating, is not yet fatal. This is because this destruction is meant as divine warning of worse disasters to come.

          • This is because, as Osborne suggests, the purpose of these acts is to prove the sovereignty of God and give one last chance for repentance. God could have destroyed everything all at once, but systematic destroys only a portion so that the people of the world could repent before the complete and final destruction.

          • Joel 2:32--Even in the midst of this destruction, God still provides opportunity for salvation

          • In this way, God is showing mercy, even in His wrath, something only God could do.

      • “...a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees…”

        • This destruction would devastate the food supply, and create a barren, uninhabitable wasteland over much of the earth.

      • “...and all the green grass was burned up.”

        • According to Mounce, “grass” here refers to all vegetation, further limiting the supply of food on the earth.

        • Keener then observes that he destruction of all grass means the “impending death of sheep, goats, and cattle,” ending the world’s supply of meat, milk, and cheese.”

      • Already with this first blast, we see incredible destruction, but also indications of God’s M.O. His destruction is very systematic, leaving room for repentance.

Priciple One: Even in destruction and judgment, God is merciful.

    • The Second Trumpet (vv.8-9)

      • “Something like a huge mountain, all ablaze…”

        • This could be understood as a volcano. In his commentary, Mounce notes that less than twenty years before John wrote this passage, Vesuvius had erupted and destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum. Because this catastrophe was widely known, this imagery would have been especially powerful for a contemporary audience.

        • It does seem, however,that John is simply describing what he’s seeing the best that he can from what he knows. John cannot say exactly what this fiery mass is, but only that it is “like a huge mountain.”

      • “A third of the sea turned into blood, a third of the living creatures in the sea died...”

        • Very similar to the first plague in Egypt in Exodus 7:17ff

          • The consequence of this plague in Egypt, as seen in Exodus 7:18, was that the Egyptians lost their source of fish and clean drinking water. ​​ 

        • This plague on such a large scale would deliver yet another devastating blow to the world’s food supply.

      • “...and a third of the ships were destroyed.”

        • As Wiersbe states in his commentary, “this will be an ecological and economic disaster of unprecedented proportions.”

          • As of January 2017, there were 52,183 ships in the world’s merchant fleets. Imagine the effect on the shipping industry and the global economy as a whole if 17, 394 ships were suddenly destroyed, including all of their cargo.

      • Again, each destruction is only in part, affecting one-third of the sea, its life, and commerce. The purpose here, as before, is to warn and lead to repentance.

Principle Two: It is God’s desire for us to repent, turn from our sins, and surrender to Him.

    • The Third Trumpet (vv.10-11)

      • “...A great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky…”

        • According to Easley, it’s possible that this meteor-like device began as the fiery censer which an angel hurled down to earth in verse 5.

          • We see this action replicated in all of the first three trumpets:

            • In verse 7, hail and fire mixed with blood was “hurled down on the earth”

            • In verse 8, the fiery, mountain-like mass is “thrown into the sea.”

            • And here in verse 10, this great star falls from the sky.

          • This repetition of symbolism could represent the continuing response of God to the prayers of His people through the destruction following each trumpet.

        • Despite this speculation, however, Easley concludes that John provides no clear identification of this star beyond its name. So let’s examine the name.

      • “...The name of the star is Wormwood…”

        • According to Easley, wormwood was an extra bitter, but not poisonous plant with medicinal value.

        • Aune tells us that the taste of wormwood is so potent that one ounce of it can still be detected in 524 gallons of water.

        • Wiersbe also adds that this word translated as “wormwood,” Apsinthos, is the origin of our English word, “absinthe”, which is a popular liqueur in certain parts of the world.

          • The word means “undrinkable,” and in the Old Testament was synonymous with sorrow and great calamity.

          • This word was used to represent bitterness, poison, and death by both Jeremiah (Jer. 9:15; 23:15; Lamentations 3:15, 19) and Amos (Amos 5:7).

          • In Deut. 19:18, Moses warned that idolatry would bring sorrow to Israel, “like a root producing wormwood.”

          • In Prov. 5:4, Solomon warned that immorality might seem pleasant, but in the end, it produces bitterness like wormwood.

      • “...On a third of the rivers and on the springs of water….” “A third of the waters turned bitter, and many people died from the waters that had become bitter.”

        • Once again we are reminded of the first plague in Egypt (Exodus 7:17-18).

          • Though it is not blood tainting the water now, the effects of the Wormwood are very similar, causing the water to become undrinkable, and presumably uninhabitable for any sort of creatures.

        • This event is also reminiscent of Moses’ miracle at Marah in Exodus 15: 23-26, though the two stories seem to be the reverse of each other.

          • In the story of Moses at Marah, God instructs Moses to throw a certain piece of wood into undrinkable water, making it drinkable.

          • In verses 25-26, God decrees that if the Israelites listen carefully to Him and do what is right in His eyes, He will not bring upon them the diseases He brought against the Egyptians.

          • The reversal of this story in the events of the third trumpet-plague could be an allusion to the idolatry and disobedience to which these destructive events are a response. (Deut. 29:18)

          • Osborne concludes, however, that while the parallel to the story in Marah is obvious, it is difficult to prove that John had it in mind.

        • Further meaning can be found in the phrase, “springs of water.”

          • Osborne informs us that because of that fact that much of Judah’s water stems from natural springs, this phrase was used often in the Old Testament.

          • Springs were viewed as a source of life because of the scarcity of water in that region.

          • We see this metaphorical meaning in several places:

            • “The fountain of life” (Prov. 10:11; 13:14; 14:27)

            • God as “the spring of living water” (Jer. 2:13; 17:13)

            • Isaiah 35:7 promises that God would turn “the thirsty ground into bubbling springs”

            • In Revelation 7:17, the Lamb leads the saints to “springs of living water” and in 21:6 gives drink to the thirsty from “the spring of the water of life.”

          • Osborne’s conclusion is that what has been done to the rivers and streams during this trumpet-plague may be to “heighten the great reversal of water as life to water as death in this judgment.”

          • In the fourth trumpet-plague, God continues this theme of permanently altering the essential elements of nature on which we so thoroughly rely.

    • The Fourth Trumpet (v. 12)

      • “...a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them turned dark. A third of the day was without light, and also a third of the night.”

        • If there is one aspect of nature on which we know that we could always rely, it is the sun and moon. We rely so much on these two celestial bodies, in fact, that we plan our daily lives according to their cycles of movement.

        • Yet here, God chooses to flip the script and change even the patterns of the sun and moon. Now “day” and “night” themselves are no longer guaranteed, at least not how we’ve always known them.

        • There definitely seems to be a connection here to the ninth plague in Egypt in Exodus 10:21-22, in which God darkens the sky over the Egyptians for three days.

        • The bottom line, according to David Platt in “Life of the Christian” is this: “Do not put your ultimate hope in created things. All things--even the most secure things like the light of the sun--all things in heaven and on earth are passing away.”

        • Osborne summarizes in this way:

          • “The purpose of the first four trumpet judgments is primarily to disprove the earthly gods and to show that Yahweh alone is on the throne. By recapitulating the Egyptian plagues, God wants to make His omnipotence known to the world and to show the futility of turning against him. Each of these judgments addresses a different aspect of life in the ancient world and in the modern world as well. The first shows that the material world is no answer; the second and third address the sea trade, including food supplies; and the fourth focuses on life itself in the heat and light of the celestial bodies. The four together prove that those who live only for this world have chosen foolishly, for only in God is there true life. Earthy things turn on us, and we dare not depend on them.” (Revelation, 357)

Principle Three: God is the only one in this universe worth putting our hope in.

    • An Eagle’s Announcement of Three Coming Woes (8:13)

      • “...I heard an eagle that was flying in midair call out…”

        • According to Easley, this eagle may be an angelic being in the form of an eagle, especially considering the tendency of eagles not to speak in words decipherable to humans. He references Revelation 14:6, in which an “angel flying in midair” is also found making proclamations mid-flight. In fact, some Greek manuscripts even have “angel” instead of “eagle” here.

        • Wiersbe expands on Easley’s theory by suggesting that this was in fact the eagle-like living creature that John saw worshiping before the throne in Revelation 4:7-8. While this is an intriguing thought, Wiersbe himself admits that there is no way of saying for sure, though it is a possibility.

        • Wilcock offers yet another theory about this bird, noting that the Bible tends not to distinguish between eagles and vultures. He suggests that this bird, may be a vulture, symbolizing impending doom, “circling over the dying body of mankind.”

      • “‘Woe! Woe! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the trumpet blast about to be sounded by the other three angels!”

        • Wiersbe rephrases the words of the eagle in this way: “If you think this has been terrible, just wait! The worst is yet to come!” This seems to be the clear message of the eagle: that these first four trumpet-plagues were simply a warm-up, an introduction to what is coming.

        • Easley explains this comparison by pointing out that while the first four trumpet attacked nature, affecting humankind only indirectly, the next judgments will attack humanity directly.

          • Wilcock informs us that this shift in intensity and target (so to speak) is due to the steadfast impenitence of those remaining. God had given clear opportunity and reason for repentance in the first four trumpet-plagues, and now shifts toward directly affecting those who still refuse to repent.

          • These humans who are now being “attacked” directly are “the inhabitants of this world,” who Easley reminds us are only those hostile to God, and those, according to Wiersbe, who “live for the earth and the things of the earth.”

 

 

Principle One: Even in destruction and judgment, God is merciful.

Principle Two: It is God’s desire for us to repent, turn from our sins, and surrender to Him.

Principle Three: God is the only one in this universe worth putting our hope in.

My Next Steps:

  • ​​ Accept the opportunity to repent of my sins and turn to God.

  • Pray that others would also repent and turn to God.

  • Proclaim the Gospel of Salvation through Jesus Christ whenever and however you can.

 

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