1 00:00:00,680 --> 00:00:05,480 Last week, you and I briefly examined the future fall of 2 00:00:05,480 --> 00:00:08,760 Satan. More specifically, we consider 3 00:00:08,760 --> 00:00:12,440 the second of four falls of the devil that the Book of 4 00:00:12,440 --> 00:00:17,240 Revelation describes. And this second fall, as we 5 00:00:17,240 --> 00:00:20,200 learned, will take place during the Tribulation period. 6 00:00:21,200 --> 00:00:27,600 It will banish Satan from heaven forever, and it will bar him 7 00:00:27,600 --> 00:00:32,759 from having access to God to accuse the children of God. 8 00:00:33,880 --> 00:00:37,280 This is a marvelous outcome out of this conflict between the 9 00:00:37,280 --> 00:00:41,360 Evil 1 and Michael the Archangel, because it will also, 10 00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:45,960 in a sense, clear the path for Christ's return. 11 00:00:47,920 --> 00:00:54,240 But what is wonderful in one sense is also woeful in another, 12 00:00:54,920 --> 00:00:59,960 specifically for those who will dwell on the earth after Satan 13 00:00:59,960 --> 00:01:03,760 is cast down in this way and is confined to this world. 14 00:01:05,120 --> 00:01:08,160 And what we are going to consider is that although Satan 15 00:01:08,160 --> 00:01:13,080 loses this war in heaven that we studied, he's going to declare 16 00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:16,840 another World War on earth. He's going to declare another 17 00:01:16,840 --> 00:01:20,600 war on earth. And the introduction to this 18 00:01:20,600 --> 00:01:25,680 escalation of Satan's fury is given to us in great detail in 19 00:01:25,680 --> 00:01:28,200 the remaining verses of Revelation chapter 12. 20 00:01:28,200 --> 00:01:31,760 And I invite you to turn with me there to that chapter, because 21 00:01:31,760 --> 00:01:35,080 we're about to see that after being cast out of heaven, the 22 00:01:35,080 --> 00:01:38,200 devil will rise from his humiliation and great wrath. 23 00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:43,080 He's not going to take this embarrassing eviction lightly. 24 00:01:43,640 --> 00:01:45,800 He's going to do something about it. 25 00:01:46,400 --> 00:01:49,920 And we're going to read about it beginning in verse 13. 26 00:01:52,800 --> 00:01:55,600 And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the 27 00:01:55,600 --> 00:01:59,760 earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male 28 00:01:59,760 --> 00:02:03,400 child. But the woman was given the two 29 00:02:03,400 --> 00:02:05,960 wings of the great eagle, so that she might fly from the 30 00:02:05,960 --> 00:02:09,440 serpent into the wilderness to the place where she is to be 31 00:02:09,440 --> 00:02:14,600 nourished for a time and times and half a time the serpent 32 00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:18,360 poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to 33 00:02:18,360 --> 00:02:22,440 sweep her away with a flood. But the earth came to the help 34 00:02:22,440 --> 00:02:25,840 of the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed 35 00:02:25,840 --> 00:02:28,120 the river that the dragon had poured from his mouth. 36 00:02:28,120 --> 00:02:32,160 Then the dragon became furious with the woman, and went off to 37 00:02:32,160 --> 00:02:35,840 make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the 38 00:02:35,840 --> 00:02:40,680 commandments of God, and hold to the testimony of Jesus. 39 00:02:42,160 --> 00:02:47,720 And the ESV adds this. And he stood on the sand of the 40 00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:51,640 sea. Father, we pray, Oh, we pray for 41 00:02:51,640 --> 00:02:53,800 your grace. There is a lot of material to 42 00:02:53,800 --> 00:02:56,120 cover in our time in the word today. 43 00:02:56,120 --> 00:03:00,200 So we need your help to be able to seize every truth, to be able 44 00:03:00,200 --> 00:03:04,960 to understand your mind, to look at these prophetic things and be 45 00:03:04,960 --> 00:03:08,480 able to leave out, leave with a confidence and understanding 46 00:03:08,880 --> 00:03:11,280 what you have in store for the days to come. 47 00:03:11,280 --> 00:03:13,880 And Lord, we pray that it would impact the way we Live Today, 48 00:03:14,520 --> 00:03:17,480 but only You can translate those things into our hearts. 49 00:03:17,480 --> 00:03:21,360 So we pray with humility and dependency that You would guide 50 00:03:21,360 --> 00:03:24,920 us into Your heart as revealed in Your Word. 51 00:03:25,320 --> 00:03:27,400 In Jesus name we pray. Amen. 52 00:03:29,400 --> 00:03:33,560 If you're reading carefully, you might have noticed something 53 00:03:33,640 --> 00:03:35,120 about these verses that we just read. 54 00:03:35,880 --> 00:03:41,600 Satan is going to declare war on the earth, but he's actually 55 00:03:41,600 --> 00:03:43,640 going to perform three waves of attack. 56 00:03:44,600 --> 00:03:48,040 There are three assaults that are highlighted in these verses. 57 00:03:48,440 --> 00:03:52,280 And I think organizing our thoughts around these Satanic 58 00:03:52,280 --> 00:03:55,800 strikes will make these truths more memorable for us. 59 00:03:56,280 --> 00:03:58,720 And so we're going to look at these things individually and 60 00:03:59,080 --> 00:04:01,320 they're going to be many questions asked and hopefully 61 00:04:01,320 --> 00:04:03,720 answered. But there is a main one that I 62 00:04:03,720 --> 00:04:07,680 want to bring to your attention. The main question we want to ask 63 00:04:07,680 --> 00:04:12,280 is what can we expect Satan to do in the latter part of the 64 00:04:12,280 --> 00:04:15,160 tribulation just before Christ is going to return? 65 00:04:16,360 --> 00:04:18,360 And you might be thinking, can we actually know that? 66 00:04:18,480 --> 00:04:22,600 And I'm here to tell you with an emphatic, absolute yes, we can 67 00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:26,240 know that because this passage tells us exactly what he's going 68 00:04:26,240 --> 00:04:29,720 to plan to do and understand that his time is short. 69 00:04:29,720 --> 00:04:33,280 He is going to launch three major and targeted assaults of 70 00:04:33,280 --> 00:04:37,000 historic proportions. And so this is what we're 71 00:04:37,280 --> 00:04:39,080 planning to do together as a church. 72 00:04:39,080 --> 00:04:41,520 Let's look at these three assaults separately. 73 00:04:42,520 --> 00:04:46,280 Assault number one is found in verse 13 to verse 14. 74 00:04:46,800 --> 00:04:49,480 We read it. The first thing that the devil 75 00:04:49,480 --> 00:04:53,520 will do after he learns that he is expelled from heaven during 76 00:04:53,520 --> 00:04:57,000 this tribulation period is pursue the woman. 77 00:04:57,800 --> 00:05:00,920 And we know that the woman represents the nation of Israel. 78 00:05:02,240 --> 00:05:05,560 Hopefully remember that her identity is confirmed in the 79 00:05:05,600 --> 00:05:07,480 earlier portions of Revelation 12. 80 00:05:07,480 --> 00:05:10,680 And if you weren't here for that message, I highly encourage you 81 00:05:10,680 --> 00:05:14,400 in your own time to listen to that teaching because you will 82 00:05:14,400 --> 00:05:17,720 see that there is evidence proving that this woman is 83 00:05:17,720 --> 00:05:20,280 exactly that. She is representing and 84 00:05:20,280 --> 00:05:21,640 symbolizing the nation of Israel. 85 00:05:21,920 --> 00:05:25,720 And just in case you haven't heard that teaching yet or maybe 86 00:05:25,720 --> 00:05:29,400 you forgot, just what we find here in these verses actually 87 00:05:29,400 --> 00:05:33,600 further confirms her identity. So look down at verse 17 again. 88 00:05:33,600 --> 00:05:36,080 Notice what the dragon will do after his failed attempts to 89 00:05:36,080 --> 00:05:39,240 harass and oppress the woman. And verse 17 we read and the 90 00:05:39,240 --> 00:05:43,040 dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war 91 00:05:43,040 --> 00:05:48,680 on the rest of her offspring. Highlight that on those who keep 92 00:05:48,680 --> 00:05:52,720 the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. 93 00:05:54,520 --> 00:05:59,200 So if you are among those who claim that this woman represents 94 00:05:59,200 --> 00:06:03,800 the church or the people of God as a whole, I have a question 95 00:06:03,800 --> 00:06:06,760 for you. How would you explain the 96 00:06:06,760 --> 00:06:08,720 distinction being made in this verse? 97 00:06:09,680 --> 00:06:13,640 There's a clear difference being drawn here between the woman and 98 00:06:13,640 --> 00:06:18,200 the rest of her offspring who are identified as who followers 99 00:06:18,200 --> 00:06:21,640 of Jesus Christ. It's a double title. 100 00:06:21,640 --> 00:06:24,600 Those who obey or keep the commandments of God and hold to 101 00:06:24,600 --> 00:06:28,080 the testimony of Jesus. So let's just step back then. 102 00:06:29,320 --> 00:06:37,160 If this woman is supposed to be apparently the church, then why 103 00:06:37,160 --> 00:06:41,320 is there a difference being made between her and the object of 104 00:06:41,320 --> 00:06:45,560 Satan's new focus after he tries to devour the woman? 105 00:06:46,520 --> 00:06:52,640 Who are the offspring then? And you can revisit the first 106 00:06:52,640 --> 00:06:56,240 few verses of this chapter to see again how there's more 107 00:06:56,240 --> 00:07:00,200 evidence to conclude that what makes the most biblical sense is 108 00:07:00,200 --> 00:07:05,720 that this woman is the entity Israel, ethnic Israel, the 109 00:07:05,720 --> 00:07:10,200 Jewish people. But for most of us, that's 110 00:07:10,200 --> 00:07:13,480 already been established. Yet there still may be questions 111 00:07:13,680 --> 00:07:17,880 that remain, one of the main ones being perhaps, OK, why? 112 00:07:18,920 --> 00:07:22,280 I get it. It's very difficult to debate 113 00:07:22,280 --> 00:07:23,600 that this is speaking about Israel. 114 00:07:23,840 --> 00:07:28,320 But why does Satan seem to have such special interests for her? 115 00:07:29,200 --> 00:07:32,920 Why does he find it in himself to pursue her with such 116 00:07:32,920 --> 00:07:39,320 aggression and hatred? And I believe that in this text 117 00:07:39,320 --> 00:07:44,520 alone there are two answers, 2 answers to why Satan will make 118 00:07:44,520 --> 00:07:48,280 it his top priority as time is winding down, as his faith is 119 00:07:48,280 --> 00:07:52,120 about to be sealed, to actually run after the woman. 120 00:07:53,160 --> 00:07:56,600 The 1st is because of Israel's history. 121 00:07:57,520 --> 00:08:02,240 Israel's history. Notice how this verse here in 122 00:08:02,240 --> 00:08:04,880 verse 13 tells us who he is pursuing. 123 00:08:05,120 --> 00:08:09,120 He pursued the woman at the end of the verse who had given birth 124 00:08:09,240 --> 00:08:12,080 to the male child. And we know that the male child 125 00:08:12,080 --> 00:08:16,680 to be Jesus Christ. And so we see here that Satan 126 00:08:16,680 --> 00:08:23,200 goes after this woman, understanding her role and what 127 00:08:23,200 --> 00:08:26,000 she did in God's redemptive purposes on the earth. 128 00:08:26,880 --> 00:08:32,440 Her history, her resume, so to speak, is enough for Satan to 129 00:08:32,440 --> 00:08:34,280 hold great animosity towards her. 130 00:08:34,880 --> 00:08:38,640 And what I find interesting is that the very things that Satan 131 00:08:38,640 --> 00:08:43,360 hates Israel for are the very characteristics and truths that 132 00:08:43,360 --> 00:08:46,480 inspired great affection in the heart of Paul for them. 133 00:08:47,920 --> 00:08:49,480 I want you to turn to Romans 9 with me. 134 00:08:49,480 --> 00:08:56,960 Look at verse 3 down to verse 5, Romans 9, verse 3 to verse 5. 135 00:08:59,720 --> 00:09:02,640 Satan no longer has access to the immediate presence of God. 136 00:09:02,640 --> 00:09:04,760 That's what we've learned in Revelation 12 so far. 137 00:09:05,200 --> 00:09:08,520 And So what does he do? He will go after whom God loves. 138 00:09:10,200 --> 00:09:14,000 He will go after Israel, who played a major, major role in 139 00:09:14,000 --> 00:09:17,000 what God has done in the earth. Notice how Paul says in Romans 140 00:09:17,000 --> 00:09:20,880 9, verse 3. For I could wish that I myself 141 00:09:20,880 --> 00:09:24,760 were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my 142 00:09:24,760 --> 00:09:27,920 brothers, my kinsmen, according to the flesh. 143 00:09:27,920 --> 00:09:31,440 Pause. These are astounding 144 00:09:31,560 --> 00:09:34,840 confessions. I don't have time to open this 145 00:09:34,840 --> 00:09:37,280 up, this one verse. But what I want to highlight is 146 00:09:37,280 --> 00:09:44,000 that Paul is speaking about his love, his concern for the people 147 00:09:44,000 --> 00:09:47,080 according to his flesh, who share his ethnicity. 148 00:09:47,240 --> 00:09:49,080 He's not talking about spiritual Israel. 149 00:09:49,640 --> 00:09:52,760 He's talking about actual Israel, the Jewish people. 150 00:09:54,600 --> 00:09:58,720 Notice what he says in verse 4. They are Israelites, and to them 151 00:09:58,720 --> 00:10:02,640 belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the 152 00:10:02,640 --> 00:10:05,000 law, the worship and the promises. 153 00:10:05,440 --> 00:10:10,000 To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according 154 00:10:10,000 --> 00:10:15,760 to the flesh is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed 155 00:10:15,760 --> 00:10:16,800 forever. Amen. 156 00:10:17,640 --> 00:10:21,360 So here's the apostle expressing his sorrow and his woes. 157 00:10:21,840 --> 00:10:25,080 Because of what His His brethren, according to the 158 00:10:25,080 --> 00:10:30,040 flesh, have denied the Messiah, and His pain is not merely 159 00:10:30,040 --> 00:10:34,920 because He shares their blood, but as we just read, because the 160 00:10:34,920 --> 00:10:37,280 Lord has used them in a very special way to accomplish His 161 00:10:37,280 --> 00:10:41,040 will across the ages. Paul highlights 9 specific 162 00:10:41,040 --> 00:10:43,680 privileges that were granted to this people. 163 00:10:43,680 --> 00:10:46,640 We won't get into them now, but they can be summarized in this 164 00:10:46,640 --> 00:10:50,440 way. Israel was a designated vehicle 165 00:10:50,920 --> 00:10:57,600 that was used by God to usher in progressive revelation on the 166 00:10:57,640 --> 00:11:02,200 earth concerning who He is. In other words, God had selected 167 00:11:02,200 --> 00:11:05,480 this people group to be a national platform on the earth 168 00:11:05,920 --> 00:11:10,920 to display the multifaceted glory of God to the rest of the 169 00:11:10,920 --> 00:11:16,720 world. And the climax of this is that 170 00:11:16,720 --> 00:11:20,360 through this race came the Savior of humanity. 171 00:11:21,240 --> 00:11:24,320 Through this race came the Jewish Messiah, yes, but it was 172 00:11:24,320 --> 00:11:27,840 also the Redeemer of all mankind. 173 00:11:29,720 --> 00:11:35,160 Jesus Christ himself speaks about these crowning privileges 174 00:11:35,160 --> 00:11:37,320 that the Jews shared. When He was speaking to the 175 00:11:37,320 --> 00:11:40,040 Samaritan woman, what did he say in John 4/22? 176 00:11:41,120 --> 00:11:44,120 For salvation comes from who? The Jews? 177 00:11:44,760 --> 00:11:49,040 The Jews? So one would either have to be 178 00:11:49,040 --> 00:11:55,240 ignorant or blinded by unjustified hatred to deny that 179 00:11:55,240 --> 00:12:00,160 the Lord placed a peculiar calling upon these people and 180 00:12:00,160 --> 00:12:04,560 listen, one which the Christian faith has its roots in. 181 00:12:07,360 --> 00:12:09,600 And I believe many, many churches are doing a great 182 00:12:09,600 --> 00:12:14,480 disservice to the people of God, especially the pastors who 183 00:12:14,480 --> 00:12:17,160 ignored the Old Testament in their preaching and their 184 00:12:17,160 --> 00:12:21,080 teaching, who do not provide a regular diet of the Hebrew 185 00:12:21,080 --> 00:12:24,840 Scriptures. It makes many people, 186 00:12:24,840 --> 00:12:26,840 Christians, I'm speaking about professing Christians, think 187 00:12:26,840 --> 00:12:28,440 that Jesus just appeared out of nowhere. 188 00:12:29,440 --> 00:12:33,520 He just showed up on the scene, gave some beatitudes, and died 189 00:12:33,520 --> 00:12:35,760 on the cross for our sins. And if you want to go to heaven, 190 00:12:35,760 --> 00:12:38,200 just believe on them. Yes, the gospel message is 191 00:12:38,200 --> 00:12:41,120 beautifully simple, but it is rich with history. 192 00:12:42,440 --> 00:12:49,120 There's depth to it. There's context, and Paul 193 00:12:49,120 --> 00:12:52,080 reminds the Romans about the history of the Jewish people and 194 00:12:52,080 --> 00:12:56,680 the history of their own faith. So there are people who don't 195 00:12:56,680 --> 00:12:59,720 understand, they don't get it because they don't have a grasp 196 00:12:59,720 --> 00:13:03,200 of the Scriptures. But there is one who hates this 197 00:13:03,200 --> 00:13:07,400 people precisely because of what God has done through them, 198 00:13:08,720 --> 00:13:12,480 precisely because of how they were the foundation for the 199 00:13:12,480 --> 00:13:16,520 gospel, precisely because they were the means through which the 200 00:13:16,520 --> 00:13:22,280 Messiah entered into history. His name is Satan, and he will 201 00:13:22,400 --> 00:13:28,040 always hold this against them. He has bitterness towards them. 202 00:13:29,600 --> 00:13:33,760 He despises them. And you have to remember this, 203 00:13:34,280 --> 00:13:39,560 Satan always hates whatever and whomever God loves, and he is 204 00:13:39,560 --> 00:13:43,360 set an elective love upon the people of Israel. 205 00:13:44,240 --> 00:13:48,240 He did something with them in the past and he's going to do 206 00:13:48,240 --> 00:13:49,440 something with them in the future. 207 00:13:50,640 --> 00:13:53,440 That brings me to the second reason why the great dragon 208 00:13:53,440 --> 00:13:57,440 pursues the woman, because of Israel's future, not just their 209 00:13:57,440 --> 00:14:01,120 history, but what's to come. Go back to Revelation 12, verse 210 00:14:01,120 --> 00:14:02,800 12. Here's where I get that from. 211 00:14:04,320 --> 00:14:06,680 This is where we closed last week, but let's consider it 212 00:14:06,680 --> 00:14:09,320 again. The last part of verse 12 says, 213 00:14:09,520 --> 00:14:12,760 but woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to 214 00:14:12,760 --> 00:14:18,280 you in great wrath because he knows that his time is short. 215 00:14:19,640 --> 00:14:22,960 So we have to ask this question, what is the relationship between 216 00:14:22,960 --> 00:14:26,480 Satan realizing that his condemned faith is about to be 217 00:14:26,480 --> 00:14:28,680 sealed? He understands at this point of 218 00:14:28,680 --> 00:14:31,760 the Tribulation, Christ is about to crash into this world with 219 00:14:31,760 --> 00:14:33,680 this Kingdom. That means I'm going to be 220 00:14:33,680 --> 00:14:36,560 condemned. What relationship does Satan's 221 00:14:36,560 --> 00:14:45,200 understanding of that truth and him hunting down Israel, what 222 00:14:45,200 --> 00:14:46,800 kind of connection is there in that? 223 00:14:48,200 --> 00:14:52,440 How do those things relate? Well, evidently say to know 224 00:14:52,440 --> 00:14:53,720 something about this people group. 225 00:14:54,560 --> 00:14:57,840 He understands that Israel will play a crucial role in God's 226 00:14:57,840 --> 00:15:01,080 plans for Christ's return in the establishment of his Kingdom. 227 00:15:01,840 --> 00:15:05,760 He knows this. And so by targeting them, he 228 00:15:05,760 --> 00:15:08,920 really believes that he can either hinder or even prevent 229 00:15:09,360 --> 00:15:11,920 what the Scriptures promises about Christ's second coming. 230 00:15:13,320 --> 00:15:15,960 And we can spend the rest of this afternoon looking at all 231 00:15:15,960 --> 00:15:20,720 the connections, how Israel's future intertwines with the rest 232 00:15:20,720 --> 00:15:24,520 of God's redemptive program, namely in his return through 233 00:15:24,520 --> 00:15:26,240 Christ. But I want to just look at one 234 00:15:26,240 --> 00:15:28,520 Scripture, just one Scripture, because we have so much to cover 235 00:15:28,520 --> 00:15:33,360 today. Go to Matthew 23, look at verse 236 00:15:33,360 --> 00:15:36,760 37 down to verse 39. This is a familiar passage but I 237 00:15:36,760 --> 00:15:38,920 think many people miss the implications of it. 238 00:15:39,920 --> 00:15:42,880 And Matthew 23 verse 37 down to verse 39. 239 00:15:46,000 --> 00:15:50,600 We are nearing the end of Jesus earthly ministry and he offers 240 00:15:50,600 --> 00:15:55,040 his own lament. Matthew 2337 reads O Jerusalem, 241 00:15:55,040 --> 00:15:59,680 Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those 242 00:15:59,680 --> 00:16:02,640 who are sent to it. How often would I have gathered 243 00:16:02,640 --> 00:16:05,520 your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her 244 00:16:05,520 --> 00:16:10,160 wings, and you were not willing see your house is left to you 245 00:16:10,480 --> 00:16:11,880 desolate. Pause. 246 00:16:12,320 --> 00:16:15,360 Many people build their eschatology. 247 00:16:15,680 --> 00:16:18,840 That's a fancy word for their doctrine for the end times. 248 00:16:20,880 --> 00:16:24,840 Not considering the following verse, how Jesus ends this verse 249 00:16:24,840 --> 00:16:30,200 39 For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 250 00:16:30,400 --> 00:16:32,600 blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. 251 00:16:34,120 --> 00:16:37,040 So this scripture is often quoted to show Christ's lament 252 00:16:37,040 --> 00:16:41,720 over the unbelief of His people. But I want to see with you the 253 00:16:41,720 --> 00:16:43,920 end time prophecy contained in it. 254 00:16:45,880 --> 00:16:49,920 Notice how the Lord places a condition upon his return. 255 00:16:50,760 --> 00:16:52,440 What does he say? You? 256 00:16:52,440 --> 00:16:53,960 He's speaking about the people of Jerusalem. 257 00:16:53,960 --> 00:16:55,520 He's speaking about the leadership of Israel. 258 00:16:55,720 --> 00:17:02,240 You will not see me again until you accept and you acknowledge 259 00:17:02,480 --> 00:17:05,520 and you welcome me as the promised one. 260 00:17:06,280 --> 00:17:09,880 That's what this translates to because he's quoting a passage 261 00:17:09,880 --> 00:17:13,000 from Psalm one 18118, which is a Messianic Psalm. 262 00:17:13,200 --> 00:17:15,079 Blessed is you comes in the name of the Lord. 263 00:17:16,040 --> 00:17:19,640 But read it carefully. The Lord did not say unless you 264 00:17:19,640 --> 00:17:23,839 say blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, right 265 00:17:24,480 --> 00:17:29,200 until there's a difference. If Christ had said unless you 266 00:17:29,200 --> 00:17:32,240 say, then that leaves the possibility that Israel would 267 00:17:32,240 --> 00:17:35,480 never do it. We're not going to confess, but 268 00:17:35,480 --> 00:17:40,800 he doesn't say unless he says until implying what that it is a 269 00:17:40,800 --> 00:17:45,200 certainty that it will happen. It's only a matter of time until 270 00:17:46,440 --> 00:17:52,600 until you say and this I don't think it's coincidental where 271 00:17:52,600 --> 00:17:56,640 it's placed in our Bibles. Israel's future faith in 272 00:17:56,640 --> 00:18:00,720 crowning Jesus of Nazareth as their Messiah is mentioned 273 00:18:00,720 --> 00:18:03,440 immediately before what Matthew 24? 274 00:18:03,440 --> 00:18:05,400 Do you see that in your Bibles? And what's Matthew 24 about? 275 00:18:05,400 --> 00:18:08,200 At least the first part, Jesus teaching about the last days 276 00:18:10,640 --> 00:18:16,920 until you say it, anticipating their acceptance which coincides 277 00:18:16,920 --> 00:18:20,800 with his arrival. So how does this play into 278 00:18:20,800 --> 00:18:26,560 Satan's schemes? Well, Satan is aware that there 279 00:18:26,560 --> 00:18:30,320 is a future for this people to be saved by this Messiah. 280 00:18:31,240 --> 00:18:34,200 But if he can destroy this people, then there's no one left 281 00:18:34,200 --> 00:18:36,080 to say blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. 282 00:18:37,680 --> 00:18:39,840 And not only. If Satan even were to be able to 283 00:18:39,840 --> 00:18:43,720 accomplish such a thing, not only would he vaporize so many 284 00:18:43,720 --> 00:18:47,720 other promises that God has made, but he would ultimately 285 00:18:47,720 --> 00:18:52,400 prove Christ unfaithful. He would discredit the word of 286 00:18:52,400 --> 00:18:55,720 God. And so in his mind, he 287 00:18:55,720 --> 00:19:00,840 understands if I can, if I can destroy this race, if I can 288 00:19:00,840 --> 00:19:04,480 delete them, if I can remove them from the face of the earth, 289 00:19:05,960 --> 00:19:08,920 then that will cause some trouble for many prophecies and 290 00:19:08,920 --> 00:19:13,360 ultimately for the reign of Christ on the earth. 291 00:19:14,600 --> 00:19:16,880 So This is why he's going to step up his aggression in the 292 00:19:16,880 --> 00:19:20,280 Tribulation period as he realizes that his time is short. 293 00:19:21,680 --> 00:19:23,280 But we have to see what he's going to do. 294 00:19:23,280 --> 00:19:26,040 We haven't even considered his first assault yet, and if we 295 00:19:26,040 --> 00:19:27,760 want to, we got to go back to our main text. 296 00:19:27,760 --> 00:19:30,440 So what is he going to do? Now that we've established why 297 00:19:30,440 --> 00:19:33,200 he's going after the woman, let's consider what he will try 298 00:19:33,200 --> 00:19:35,760 to do against her. Revelation 12. 299 00:19:35,960 --> 00:19:38,800 Look at verse 13 and 14 again. And when the dragon saw that 300 00:19:38,800 --> 00:19:41,400 he'd been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who 301 00:19:41,560 --> 00:19:43,360 had given birth to the male child. 302 00:19:43,800 --> 00:19:47,400 But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle so that 303 00:19:47,400 --> 00:19:51,000 she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness, the place 304 00:19:51,000 --> 00:19:54,360 where she used to be nourished for a time and times and half a 305 00:19:54,360 --> 00:19:58,160 time. This woman, the nation's flight 306 00:19:58,160 --> 00:20:01,280 into the wilderness is something Jesus Christ spoke about. 307 00:20:01,760 --> 00:20:04,040 We don't have to turn there. But in Matthew 24, what did he 308 00:20:04,040 --> 00:20:08,360 say after speaking about global catastrophes and all these 309 00:20:08,360 --> 00:20:10,040 things that are going to shake up the earth? 310 00:20:10,600 --> 00:20:13,640 He zeroes in and he focuses on the Jewish people. 311 00:20:14,000 --> 00:20:15,680 And do you remember the beginnings of his ominous 312 00:20:15,680 --> 00:20:17,960 warning? He said. 313 00:20:17,960 --> 00:20:21,400 But when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the 314 00:20:21,400 --> 00:20:25,200 prophet Daniel sitting or standing rather in the holy 315 00:20:25,200 --> 00:20:28,680 place, let those who are in Judea do what? 316 00:20:28,680 --> 00:20:33,680 Flee to the mountains? And he gives all these other 317 00:20:33,680 --> 00:20:36,440 practical exhortations. Don't look back. 318 00:20:36,720 --> 00:20:40,560 Woe to those who are nursing. Pray that it wouldn't be in the 319 00:20:40,560 --> 00:20:41,840 winter. Pray that it wouldn't happen on 320 00:20:41,840 --> 00:20:45,600 the Sabbath. Then he says something along the 321 00:20:45,600 --> 00:20:48,480 lines of for then there will be great tribulation, such as not 322 00:20:48,480 --> 00:20:50,080 been from the beginning of the world until now. 323 00:20:50,080 --> 00:20:54,520 No, and never will be. Here's how this all ties in 324 00:20:54,520 --> 00:20:58,360 together. There will be a point in the 325 00:20:58,360 --> 00:21:03,200 tribulation where the Antichrist has gained global power, yes, 326 00:21:04,320 --> 00:21:09,080 but he will also enter into the temple that is in Jerusalem, 327 00:21:09,680 --> 00:21:13,480 declare himself to be God, and will turn on the Jewish people 328 00:21:13,480 --> 00:21:17,200 specifically and the Jewish people alive at this time. 329 00:21:17,200 --> 00:21:19,800 Many of them will recognize that this is indeed an act of 330 00:21:19,800 --> 00:21:23,160 betrayal. It could be that even many of 331 00:21:23,160 --> 00:21:26,320 them who have been hearing the preaching of the 144,000 and and 332 00:21:26,320 --> 00:21:30,040 others might have been introduced to the warnings of 333 00:21:30,040 --> 00:21:32,440 Jesus in Matthew 24. And so there will be a 334 00:21:32,440 --> 00:21:37,600 collective effort to flee. They will realize now that there 335 00:21:37,600 --> 00:21:43,760 is a rising attack against them specifically, and so they will 336 00:21:43,760 --> 00:21:47,040 abandoned everything. This is emergency protocol. 337 00:21:47,440 --> 00:21:51,320 This global political power is now declaring himself to be God 338 00:21:51,320 --> 00:21:55,640 in our very temple. Run for your life. 339 00:21:57,000 --> 00:21:59,160 And that's the that's exactly what they will seek to do. 340 00:21:59,160 --> 00:22:02,920 But John in Revelation 12 gives us the spiritual activity behind 341 00:22:02,920 --> 00:22:05,920 all of this. So yes, the abomination of 342 00:22:05,920 --> 00:22:08,800 desolation who ultimately symbolizes a person who will 343 00:22:08,840 --> 00:22:11,880 stand in the holy place, declare himself to be God according to 344 00:22:11,880 --> 00:22:15,520 the Second Thessalonians 2. But we learn in this chapter of 345 00:22:15,520 --> 00:22:17,880 our main text that it's the great dragon behind all of that 346 00:22:17,880 --> 00:22:22,320 Satan, who's energizing the Antichrist, who's using this 347 00:22:22,320 --> 00:22:26,400 great empire in this future time to now focus all their energy 348 00:22:26,400 --> 00:22:29,280 and efforts towards liquidating this people. 349 00:22:30,520 --> 00:22:33,480 In other words, he wants there to be a new Holocaust. 350 00:22:36,280 --> 00:22:41,120 And so the people flee. And we know that this is Satan's 351 00:22:41,120 --> 00:22:45,120 agenda ultimately, but we also see God's intervention in it as 352 00:22:45,120 --> 00:22:48,080 the people flee, as they run. And there's a lot of terrain in 353 00:22:48,080 --> 00:22:49,480 the Middle East for people to be able to run to. 354 00:22:49,480 --> 00:22:53,680 What do we read in that verse, verse 14? 355 00:22:53,880 --> 00:22:57,480 But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle so that 356 00:22:57,480 --> 00:23:01,480 she might fly. A lot of a lot of interesting 357 00:23:01,480 --> 00:23:06,040 interpretations about that, but I think it's very simple. 358 00:23:07,520 --> 00:23:13,080 Put some of the pieces together. Eagle's wings, wilderness, 359 00:23:14,520 --> 00:23:17,600 Israel. Does any of that sound familiar? 360 00:23:19,120 --> 00:23:23,280 That's all reminiscent of the experience of the Jewish people 361 00:23:23,280 --> 00:23:25,960 in the original Exodus. Is that not right? 362 00:23:25,960 --> 00:23:30,320 Do you remember what the Lord said to the Jewish people, to 363 00:23:30,320 --> 00:23:34,120 the nation of Israel after they were delivered from Pharaoh, 364 00:23:34,320 --> 00:23:37,720 rescued from Egypt in the wilderness? 365 00:23:38,040 --> 00:23:43,080 Let me read this verse to you. In Exodus 19, verse 4, God says 366 00:23:43,080 --> 00:23:46,840 to Israel, you yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians 367 00:23:47,160 --> 00:23:52,600 and how I bore you on eagle's wings and brought you to myself. 368 00:23:54,840 --> 00:23:56,400 What do we hear almost every single week? 369 00:23:56,400 --> 00:23:58,080 And I am not ashamed to repeat it. 370 00:23:59,880 --> 00:24:02,040 The Book of Revelation is dripping with Old Testament 371 00:24:02,040 --> 00:24:05,760 allusions and motifs and themes, and it's no different here. 372 00:24:07,640 --> 00:24:13,000 The imagery that John is granted is to show that the same God who 373 00:24:13,000 --> 00:24:16,320 faithfully delivered Israel thousands of years ago will 374 00:24:16,320 --> 00:24:18,800 preserve and deliver his people in the future. 375 00:24:21,840 --> 00:24:25,000 God has not forgotten these people, and God will do what 376 00:24:25,000 --> 00:24:28,560 only he can do to spare them and save them. 377 00:24:29,480 --> 00:24:32,000 It's almost like this is a kind of new Exodus. 378 00:24:33,640 --> 00:24:37,280 They've experienced many of those exoduses, not just in 379 00:24:37,280 --> 00:24:38,600 their flight. It's not that he's going to 380 00:24:38,600 --> 00:24:41,840 enable them supernaturally to be able to escape against all odds. 381 00:24:41,840 --> 00:24:43,720 You got to remember the Antichrist is going to take over 382 00:24:43,720 --> 00:24:45,600 the world. He has the world at his 383 00:24:45,600 --> 00:24:47,520 disposal. He has all the resources 384 00:24:48,320 --> 00:24:54,120 available, but they will escape. It will be supernatural how they 385 00:24:54,120 --> 00:24:57,920 will be able to flee from him, but not just in their flight, 386 00:24:57,920 --> 00:25:01,120 but even in their experience in the wilderness. 387 00:25:01,760 --> 00:25:04,280 Because what do we read that he's going to nourish them. 388 00:25:04,680 --> 00:25:07,800 He's going to feed them. They're going to be cut off from 389 00:25:07,920 --> 00:25:11,760 from all items, all resources. They're going to be in some kind 390 00:25:11,760 --> 00:25:13,080 of desert. And there's the debate where 391 00:25:13,080 --> 00:25:14,960 they're actually going to be planted, but they're going to be 392 00:25:14,960 --> 00:25:16,400 in some kind of refuge and shelter. 393 00:25:16,640 --> 00:25:20,320 And the Lord himself is going to supply their daily needs. 394 00:25:20,320 --> 00:25:22,240 Like what? Like, like Israel in the 395 00:25:22,240 --> 00:25:25,160 original Exodus, he rained down mana. 396 00:25:25,480 --> 00:25:28,280 He supplied water from unlikely sources. 397 00:25:28,560 --> 00:25:31,960 We're seeing the repeated faithfulness of God in this 398 00:25:31,960 --> 00:25:37,240 future prophecy. But this successful escape is 399 00:25:37,240 --> 00:25:41,120 not going to discourage the dragon. 400 00:25:41,840 --> 00:25:44,600 He will not be able to initially grab a hold of them, but that's 401 00:25:44,600 --> 00:25:48,200 not going to stop him, which is bringing us now to our second 402 00:25:48,200 --> 00:25:51,120 assault. Assault number 2 is found in 403 00:25:51,120 --> 00:25:53,440 verse 15 down to verse 16 and Revelation 12. 404 00:25:54,760 --> 00:25:58,440 We are not told where the Jews will find refuge. 405 00:25:58,920 --> 00:26:01,840 I mean, there's some speculation from the book of Daniel and 406 00:26:01,840 --> 00:26:05,960 other places, but what we do know is that Satan will be aware 407 00:26:05,960 --> 00:26:07,280 of it. He will know exactly where their 408 00:26:07,280 --> 00:26:09,880 location is. And once Israel does find 409 00:26:09,880 --> 00:26:13,760 shelter, we're told in verse 15 that the serpent is going to 410 00:26:13,760 --> 00:26:17,040 pour out water from where? Out of his mouth, and it will 411 00:26:17,040 --> 00:26:21,160 come like a tsunami, and it will seek to sweep away this people 412 00:26:21,160 --> 00:26:24,720 and destroy them. Now, we know that this can't be 413 00:26:24,840 --> 00:26:27,120 literal water. Some people, some people think 414 00:26:27,120 --> 00:26:30,280 it is. But this particular passage of 415 00:26:30,280 --> 00:26:34,560 scripture is rich in symbolism, and so this has to mean 416 00:26:34,560 --> 00:26:38,680 something else. If you focus on the fact that 417 00:26:38,680 --> 00:26:42,120 it's coming from Satan's mouth, you might be on to something. 418 00:26:44,240 --> 00:26:46,480 Because we know that things that come out of the mouth can be 419 00:26:46,480 --> 00:26:52,280 destructive, like dangerous lies and slander and propaganda. 420 00:26:53,280 --> 00:26:55,920 And it could be that that's what Satan will orchestrate at this 421 00:26:55,920 --> 00:26:59,160 time, that he is going to do many things, deceiving things to 422 00:26:59,160 --> 00:27:03,120 try to trick Israel or even persuade the rest of the world 423 00:27:03,120 --> 00:27:06,480 to turn against them and join him in his hatred. 424 00:27:08,680 --> 00:27:11,000 And the fact that it comes like a flood speaks about the volume 425 00:27:11,000 --> 00:27:14,200 of these lies, the force of them, how intense and 426 00:27:14,200 --> 00:27:16,360 destructive these narratives will be. 427 00:27:17,280 --> 00:27:19,040 And listen, this is not so far fetched. 428 00:27:19,680 --> 00:27:22,760 Many theories and slander against the Jewish people have 429 00:27:22,760 --> 00:27:25,880 proven historically to be the cause of many atrocities 430 00:27:25,880 --> 00:27:29,720 committed against them. So this is not a surprising 431 00:27:29,720 --> 00:27:35,560 interpretation. But there is another way of 432 00:27:35,560 --> 00:27:38,960 looking at this because again, if we look at the Old Testament 433 00:27:38,960 --> 00:27:45,120 themes, then would realize that a flood and many Hebrew passages 434 00:27:46,160 --> 00:27:54,120 actually speak about invading army speaks about a mighty force 435 00:27:54,680 --> 00:27:58,320 coming and destroying everything in its path towards a vulnerable 436 00:27:58,320 --> 00:28:01,800 foe. And there's so many references 437 00:28:01,800 --> 00:28:04,920 to this, but I want to just read to, I'm just going to ask you to 438 00:28:04,920 --> 00:28:09,160 listen to these passages to solidify this interpretation. 439 00:28:09,880 --> 00:28:15,040 And Isaiah 8 verse 7 to 8, it says, therefore, behold, the 440 00:28:15,040 --> 00:28:18,640 Lord is bringing up against them the waters of the river. 441 00:28:18,640 --> 00:28:19,800 Is he talking about literal waters? 442 00:28:19,800 --> 00:28:25,280 Well, let's find out mighty and many, the king of Assyria, and 443 00:28:25,280 --> 00:28:28,400 all his glory. And it will rise over all its 444 00:28:28,400 --> 00:28:32,560 channels and go over all its banks, and it will sweep on into 445 00:28:32,560 --> 00:28:35,960 Judah. It will overflow and pass on, 446 00:28:36,480 --> 00:28:39,920 reaching even to the neck. And it's outspread wings will 447 00:28:39,920 --> 00:28:42,400 fill the breath of your land. O Emmanuel. 448 00:28:43,760 --> 00:28:51,280 Listen to Jeremiah 46, verse 8. Egypt rises like the Nile, like 449 00:28:51,280 --> 00:28:56,480 rivers whose waters surge. He said, I will rise, I will 450 00:28:56,480 --> 00:29:00,440 cover the earth, I will destroy cities and their inhabitants. 451 00:29:02,920 --> 00:29:08,120 And we can go on and on and on to see how rising waters floods. 452 00:29:08,440 --> 00:29:12,480 The language of sweeping away is very common to the Hebrew mind 453 00:29:13,600 --> 00:29:18,080 in interpreting an actual army coming in a terrifying manner. 454 00:29:20,080 --> 00:29:23,640 Both of these interpretations work, right? 455 00:29:24,000 --> 00:29:28,160 And whether it's deception or whether it's actual forces 456 00:29:28,160 --> 00:29:31,480 rising against this people, it could be a combination of both. 457 00:29:31,480 --> 00:29:33,960 But because of what we read back in verse 16 to Revelation 12, 458 00:29:34,240 --> 00:29:37,640 it's more likely that this is actually speaking about a 459 00:29:37,640 --> 00:29:42,320 coordinated military effort to advance and eradicate the Jewish 460 00:29:42,320 --> 00:29:46,120 people. What do we read in verse 16? 461 00:29:46,720 --> 00:29:50,200 Well, when this flood comes, it's going to yet again prove to 462 00:29:50,200 --> 00:29:51,360 be unsuccessful. Why? 463 00:29:51,560 --> 00:29:58,280 Because the earth is going to open up and swallow the water 464 00:29:58,960 --> 00:30:06,000 and render them fruitless, and there will be no ability for 465 00:30:06,000 --> 00:30:09,440 them to go on. It will be a terrifying blow to 466 00:30:09,440 --> 00:30:11,400 whatever this dragon is spewing out. 467 00:30:11,800 --> 00:30:13,720 What do we make of that? What do we make of the earth 468 00:30:13,720 --> 00:30:16,160 opening up and swallowing this water? 469 00:30:17,920 --> 00:30:20,760 Well, let's put some pieces back together again, right? 470 00:30:20,760 --> 00:30:24,360 We have additional characters in this portrait, so to speak. 471 00:30:26,640 --> 00:30:35,360 Israel Wilderness wings, eagle's wings more specifically, and now 472 00:30:35,360 --> 00:30:39,160 what? Potentially A marching army of 473 00:30:39,160 --> 00:30:43,200 massive proportions to destroy this people. 474 00:30:44,560 --> 00:30:46,520 I think we're back at the Exodus again. 475 00:30:48,880 --> 00:30:51,080 I think we're back at that very same scene. 476 00:30:51,080 --> 00:30:55,080 The same theme is being presented here now. 477 00:30:55,080 --> 00:30:57,720 Do you remember some of the words that the Jewish people 478 00:30:57,760 --> 00:31:01,600 used to celebrate the fact that they had been successfully 479 00:31:01,600 --> 00:31:04,920 brought through the Red Sea in that same water destroyed 480 00:31:04,960 --> 00:31:08,560 Pharaoh and his Chariots? Let me give you one of the 481 00:31:08,560 --> 00:31:13,200 lyrics in Exodus 15. Listen to this in Exodus 15 482 00:31:13,200 --> 00:31:19,360 verse 11 to verse 12, they said, who is like you, O Lord among 483 00:31:19,360 --> 00:31:22,800 the gods, who is like you, majestic and holiness, awesome 484 00:31:22,800 --> 00:31:24,840 and glorious deeds, doing wonders. 485 00:31:25,080 --> 00:31:27,600 You stretched out your right hand. 486 00:31:28,360 --> 00:31:33,480 The earth swallowed them. The earth swallowed them. 487 00:31:34,640 --> 00:31:38,320 And it seems as though John, as he is writing out what he's 488 00:31:38,320 --> 00:31:43,440 seeing, is borrowing from this kind of description as he is 489 00:31:43,440 --> 00:31:48,800 putting together a very similar motif to Israel's past as he's 490 00:31:48,800 --> 00:31:51,960 describing this prophecy. So how do we make sense of verse 491 00:31:51,960 --> 00:31:53,920 seeing this earth swallowing up this water? 492 00:31:55,240 --> 00:31:57,800 It seems to suggest that there's going to be a supernatural 493 00:31:57,800 --> 00:32:01,680 intervention that is going to put a stop and neutralize the 494 00:32:01,680 --> 00:32:07,920 Satanic onslaught, as the Antichrist himself will try to 495 00:32:07,920 --> 00:32:11,080 launch against them in order to destroy them. 496 00:32:14,000 --> 00:32:16,760 And he fails. So Satan so far is 0 for two, 497 00:32:20,200 --> 00:32:21,760 and this is going to infuriate him even more. 498 00:32:23,560 --> 00:32:26,720 He's not going to let up, but he is going to change his strategy. 499 00:32:26,960 --> 00:32:30,960 His time now is only getting shorter and whatever he does, 500 00:32:30,960 --> 00:32:35,880 he's unable to actually do anything about this people group 501 00:32:35,880 --> 00:32:38,920 who are critical, a critical part to the storyline of the 502 00:32:38,920 --> 00:32:42,280 last days. So what is he going to do now? 503 00:32:44,560 --> 00:32:47,320 One thing is certain, he will not give up, but he's going to 504 00:32:47,320 --> 00:32:50,480 have to change his target. He's going to look elsewhere, 505 00:32:50,480 --> 00:32:53,680 and this is what we're going to consider with his 3rd and final 506 00:32:53,680 --> 00:32:58,320 assault, at least at this point. It's summarized in verse 17 of 507 00:32:58,320 --> 00:33:01,680 Revelation 12. Let's read it one more time. 508 00:33:02,920 --> 00:33:05,480 And the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to 509 00:33:05,480 --> 00:33:08,640 make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the 510 00:33:08,640 --> 00:33:11,240 commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. 511 00:33:12,360 --> 00:33:13,760 And he stood on the sand of the sea. 512 00:33:16,080 --> 00:33:18,240 So he realized that they're impenetrable. 513 00:33:18,680 --> 00:33:21,880 There's a protective grace upon this nation. 514 00:33:23,720 --> 00:33:27,720 I can't keep wasting my resources and the time on them. 515 00:33:29,360 --> 00:33:32,240 So he's bubbling up with even more rage now. 516 00:33:32,880 --> 00:33:34,960 He can't access the immediate presence of God. 517 00:33:34,960 --> 00:33:37,000 He can't touch this people group. 518 00:33:37,320 --> 00:33:40,840 So what does he do? He goes after those who bear the 519 00:33:40,840 --> 00:33:46,760 testimony of Jesus Christ. He goes after believers in the 520 00:33:46,760 --> 00:33:49,480 tribulation. He goes after the Saints. 521 00:33:49,480 --> 00:33:53,480 Now again, this is a double title and because it says that 522 00:33:54,640 --> 00:33:56,920 they are the rest of our offspring, that has caused some 523 00:33:56,920 --> 00:33:59,560 people to say different things. Maybe there are more specific 524 00:33:59,560 --> 00:34:01,520 group. Is it just Messianic Jews like 525 00:34:01,520 --> 00:34:04,000 the 144,000 who are witnessing Fort cries? 526 00:34:04,840 --> 00:34:07,200 Is it just the Gentiles? I think is a combination of 527 00:34:07,200 --> 00:34:09,280 both. It's all of those who believe 528 00:34:09,280 --> 00:34:12,000 the truth of the gospel during this time. 529 00:34:15,159 --> 00:34:17,400 And what is he going to do against him? 530 00:34:17,400 --> 00:34:19,080 Exactly? What is he going to perform? 531 00:34:19,080 --> 00:34:22,239 It's very simple. He is going to complete the 532 00:34:22,239 --> 00:34:25,600 number of the Saints who will die for their faith. 533 00:34:25,600 --> 00:34:28,880 That's what we read earlier, right? 534 00:34:29,320 --> 00:34:33,000 When the souls beneath the altar were asking God to act on their 535 00:34:33,000 --> 00:34:36,320 behalf. Lord, where's your vengeance? 536 00:34:36,320 --> 00:34:40,520 And one of the things that they were told was to rest a little 537 00:34:40,520 --> 00:34:45,800 longer until the number of their brethren would be slain to 538 00:34:45,800 --> 00:34:48,760 completion before things move on. 539 00:34:49,639 --> 00:34:52,920 And it could be that at this point there will be an 540 00:34:52,920 --> 00:34:57,680 amplification of persecution against Christians unlike what 541 00:34:57,680 --> 00:35:01,040 we've ever seen before. It will be global. 542 00:35:01,040 --> 00:35:02,680 It'll be fierce. It'll be swift. 543 00:35:06,400 --> 00:35:08,160 And you might be hearing this and thinking to yourself, wait a 544 00:35:08,160 --> 00:35:09,360 minute. So you're saying that in this 545 00:35:09,360 --> 00:35:14,320 window of time, God is going to shelter and put a canopy over 546 00:35:14,360 --> 00:35:20,360 Israel, ethnic, unbelieving Israel, and let Satan slaughter 547 00:35:21,480 --> 00:35:27,520 Christians. You're saying that the Lord is 548 00:35:27,520 --> 00:35:34,160 going to let this perverted, powerful serpent dragon, 549 00:35:34,320 --> 00:35:41,720 deceiver of the whole world touch his bride while concealing 550 00:35:41,720 --> 00:35:46,520 and containing this nation. This bothers people, by the way. 551 00:35:46,880 --> 00:35:51,760 It does, but I want to offer just one simple answer. 552 00:35:51,760 --> 00:35:55,640 That is not the case at all. To say that somehow God loves 553 00:35:55,640 --> 00:35:57,480 the Jewish people more than his church. 554 00:35:59,760 --> 00:36:01,680 Let me ask you this, is there any difference between an 555 00:36:01,680 --> 00:36:03,720 unbeliever facing death and a believer dying? 556 00:36:05,280 --> 00:36:07,480 I hope you know enough of your Bible to say yes. 557 00:36:08,720 --> 00:36:13,520 Death for the unbeliever, Jew or non Jew, is the seal of their 558 00:36:13,520 --> 00:36:17,760 condemnation. Death for the believer, however, 559 00:36:18,120 --> 00:36:20,280 is a doorway to their eternal rest and reward. 560 00:36:21,480 --> 00:36:26,360 So is it so hard to believe that the Lord would permit Satan to 561 00:36:26,360 --> 00:36:31,120 expedite the believers hope while protecting this nation 562 00:36:31,120 --> 00:36:34,480 whom he had made promises to ultimately save? 563 00:36:36,080 --> 00:36:39,160 At this time, it shouldn't be hard to grasp. 564 00:36:42,360 --> 00:36:45,480 Persecution has been part of the Church's experience since her 565 00:36:45,480 --> 00:36:49,120 inception, but the oppression against the Saints at this point 566 00:36:49,120 --> 00:36:54,600 will will reach a scale and a severity that will be hard to 567 00:36:54,600 --> 00:36:57,120 imagine. And that's what we're prepared 568 00:36:57,120 --> 00:36:59,920 to learn. Actually, at the last part of 569 00:36:59,920 --> 00:37:02,640 verse 17, the ESV adds this here. 570 00:37:02,720 --> 00:37:06,520 Other translations added in the beginning of chapter 13, we read 571 00:37:06,520 --> 00:37:08,240 and he stood on the sand of the sea. 572 00:37:08,240 --> 00:37:10,800 Now other translations would say, and I stood John speaking 573 00:37:11,040 --> 00:37:13,520 on the sand of the sea. We'll get into that more next 574 00:37:13,520 --> 00:37:16,680 week. But what we're here looking at 575 00:37:16,680 --> 00:37:21,200 is that is Satan is going to turn his attention against the 576 00:37:21,480 --> 00:37:23,920 worshippers of Christ. He's going to do it in a very 577 00:37:24,280 --> 00:37:27,600 sophisticated way. And that's going to be covered 578 00:37:27,600 --> 00:37:30,960 as we look more and probably the most detailed passage about the 579 00:37:30,960 --> 00:37:34,120 Antichrist and what he'll accomplish on on the earth in 580 00:37:34,120 --> 00:37:37,160 this new chapter. I'm tempted to go there. 581 00:37:37,160 --> 00:37:39,520 I won't. I'll keep that for next week. 582 00:37:39,720 --> 00:37:41,640 But I want to end this message on a different note. 583 00:37:44,320 --> 00:37:48,520 Today we got another sample, hopefully, of how prophecy 584 00:37:48,520 --> 00:37:50,920 works. Maybe you got a little bit more 585 00:37:50,920 --> 00:37:52,640 illumination in understanding the last days. 586 00:37:52,720 --> 00:37:56,840 That's my prayer, at least. I'm sure that some of us here 587 00:37:56,840 --> 00:38:00,880 have exercised the muscle of interpreting Scripture with 588 00:38:00,880 --> 00:38:02,680 Scripture. It's beautiful when we see that 589 00:38:02,680 --> 00:38:06,240 happen. But you might be sitting here 590 00:38:06,680 --> 00:38:08,560 and I hope you haven't been enduring this message. 591 00:38:08,560 --> 00:38:12,080 I hope you've been enjoying it. But maybe the the thought 592 00:38:12,080 --> 00:38:14,680 crossed your mind. This is great, but how does this 593 00:38:14,680 --> 00:38:20,360 practically help me? I got a lot of things going on 594 00:38:20,360 --> 00:38:26,160 in my life and I appreciate your honesty, so I want to leave you 595 00:38:26,160 --> 00:38:30,880 with at least one take away. There is a ringing truth in this 596 00:38:30,880 --> 00:38:34,680 passage that demands immediate notice concerning your walk with 597 00:38:34,680 --> 00:38:38,680 Christ, and it's this. The enemy of your soul and mine 598 00:38:39,160 --> 00:38:43,800 is a persistent foe. You get that impression, don't 599 00:38:43,800 --> 00:38:47,360 you? Three ways of attacks, 3 600 00:38:47,360 --> 00:38:50,840 assaults. He doesn't throw in the towels 601 00:38:50,840 --> 00:38:54,440 so quickly. He's very calculated. 602 00:38:56,440 --> 00:38:58,280 So he tries one thing that doesn't work, he'll do something 603 00:38:58,280 --> 00:38:59,760 else. And if you can't get to that, 604 00:38:59,760 --> 00:39:01,120 he'll go. He'll go elsewhere. 605 00:39:03,080 --> 00:39:06,040 And listen, you and I have to understand that the schemes of 606 00:39:06,040 --> 00:39:08,760 the Evil One are far more personal and persistent than we 607 00:39:08,760 --> 00:39:10,720 often realize. We're talking, yes, about 608 00:39:10,720 --> 00:39:12,480 nations. We're talking about a future 609 00:39:12,480 --> 00:39:18,240 time, but these are trademarks of his character that exist now. 610 00:39:21,000 --> 00:39:23,600 So he'll tempt you and he'll tempt you and he'll tempt you 611 00:39:23,600 --> 00:39:26,280 and you don't budget. So he'll tempt you in another 612 00:39:26,280 --> 00:39:29,960 way. And he brings sin to you, 613 00:39:29,960 --> 00:39:34,160 perhaps a past sin that you once enjoyed, but it's not working. 614 00:39:35,080 --> 00:39:37,600 So he'll wait for another season when you're more vulnerable and 615 00:39:37,600 --> 00:39:42,480 unsuspecting, and he constantly sits on the sidelines of your 616 00:39:42,480 --> 00:39:45,960 heart and he tries to puff you with pride. 617 00:39:49,000 --> 00:39:53,200 He tries to present mirages before the eyes of your heart to 618 00:39:53,200 --> 00:39:57,440 distract you. Like the love of money so that 619 00:39:57,440 --> 00:39:59,520 you chase it and you chase it and you chase it. 620 00:39:59,640 --> 00:40:02,360 And years go by and you pause and look back and realize I've 621 00:40:02,360 --> 00:40:05,160 wasted my energy. I've wasted my resources. 622 00:40:05,160 --> 00:40:06,880 I've wasted opportunities. For what? 623 00:40:09,880 --> 00:40:18,360 He dangles promises before you while he holds a knife behind 624 00:40:18,360 --> 00:40:23,360 him. He overwhelms you with guilt. 625 00:40:23,360 --> 00:40:26,920 He let he whispers in your ear so that you lose sleep, 626 00:40:27,800 --> 00:40:29,640 reminding you of your failures, of your past, of your 627 00:40:29,640 --> 00:40:31,680 inconsistency, so that you're crushed by it. 628 00:40:32,720 --> 00:40:37,160 And you have no joy, so you have no witness, and you have no more 629 00:40:37,160 --> 00:40:39,400 energy to serve the people of God because you're trying to get 630 00:40:39,400 --> 00:40:42,560 yourself together and you're questioning if God even loves 631 00:40:42,560 --> 00:40:49,600 you or if he's even saved you. And his arsenal is vast. 632 00:40:49,600 --> 00:40:52,880 It's deep. And the thing that's probably 633 00:40:52,880 --> 00:40:55,880 the most disheartening is that he is very, very, very committed 634 00:40:57,200 --> 00:41:01,920 to his 'cause he's stubborn. He doesn't care if you're old. 635 00:41:04,040 --> 00:41:05,920 He doesn't care if you've been married for 40 years. 636 00:41:05,920 --> 00:41:08,000 He'll he'll try to destroy that marriage. 637 00:41:11,200 --> 00:41:13,960 He doesn't care if you only have one child, 135. 638 00:41:14,120 --> 00:41:20,960 He wants to pollute all of them. And so he strategizes and he 639 00:41:20,960 --> 00:41:23,160 thinks and he walks to and fro on this earth. 640 00:41:24,160 --> 00:41:26,240 And at this point he's still able to go up to heaven and 641 00:41:26,240 --> 00:41:30,200 accuse the brethren. And you're probably hearing all 642 00:41:30,200 --> 00:41:33,400 this and you're like, OK, So what hope do we have? 643 00:41:36,320 --> 00:41:40,200 And here's how one exhort you at the same time. 644 00:41:40,200 --> 00:41:43,680 Yes, we see this great force who's able to recruit 645 00:41:44,040 --> 00:41:49,640 politicians and armies, but he's up against a great God. 646 00:41:52,160 --> 00:41:55,640 So this this puny people. And they're still puny people to 647 00:41:55,640 --> 00:42:00,640 this day. They're able to run on foot and 648 00:42:00,640 --> 00:42:05,040 hide in some desert and be taken care of. 649 00:42:05,040 --> 00:42:09,040 Why? Because God, He gave them those 650 00:42:09,040 --> 00:42:13,040 wings. He supplied their daily need. 651 00:42:14,200 --> 00:42:19,160 He actually made the earth itself a friend of this people, 652 00:42:21,600 --> 00:42:23,080 and He's the guy that you and I serve. 653 00:42:24,720 --> 00:42:26,760 You know what verse came to mind when I was meditating on them? 654 00:42:27,000 --> 00:42:29,720 They who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. 655 00:42:30,440 --> 00:42:34,240 They shall mount up with wings like eagles that shall run and 656 00:42:34,240 --> 00:42:35,760 I'll be weary. They shall walk and not be 657 00:42:35,760 --> 00:42:40,320 faint. So God can even give me eagles, 658 00:42:40,320 --> 00:42:44,200 wings and you. It's not just for one people 659 00:42:44,200 --> 00:42:46,200 group. It's not just for prophetic 660 00:42:46,200 --> 00:42:48,800 time. There are applications to this 661 00:42:48,800 --> 00:42:51,960 now. Now eagles wings for those who 662 00:42:51,960 --> 00:42:53,160 do what? Wait on God. 663 00:42:53,240 --> 00:42:57,200 You're dependent on God. You seek God, you realize He's 664 00:42:57,320 --> 00:43:01,600 the only one who can provide the power and the efficiency and the 665 00:43:02,160 --> 00:43:04,720 the grace to be able to endure all the things that make you 666 00:43:04,720 --> 00:43:10,080 tired and frustrated. He gives me eagle's wings, 667 00:43:10,080 --> 00:43:12,760 meaning what? He's able to give me the speed 668 00:43:12,760 --> 00:43:15,560 to escape temptation when it arrives, is the First 669 00:43:15,560 --> 00:43:18,920 Corinthians promised that, that there is always a way of escape. 670 00:43:21,480 --> 00:43:25,800 He's able to give me the ability to soar above discouragement. 671 00:43:28,760 --> 00:43:31,760 He's able to elevate me to a heavenly perspective, to see all 672 00:43:31,760 --> 00:43:34,000 my circumstances from God's point of view. 673 00:43:35,880 --> 00:43:40,280 Ego's wings. So there is a great foe who is 674 00:43:40,280 --> 00:43:46,320 persistent, but there is a God who supplies things that enable 675 00:43:46,320 --> 00:43:55,600 you and I to not just endure, but enjoy, to sing as we soar, 676 00:43:58,200 --> 00:44:02,760 to be able to rest as we're being haunted down, and trust in 677 00:44:02,760 --> 00:44:06,560 Him. And so I look at Revelation 12 678 00:44:06,560 --> 00:44:07,640 and I see what God is going to do. 679 00:44:07,640 --> 00:44:09,840 Yes, for this nation, Israel. I see what's going to happen to 680 00:44:09,840 --> 00:44:13,040 believers, but I also see the God that I serve today. 681 00:44:13,040 --> 00:44:18,800 Do you see it? Do you need Him? 682 00:44:22,320 --> 00:44:28,120 You only experience Him when you need Him and you realize you 683 00:44:28,120 --> 00:44:31,320 need him. If you're not a needy person in 684 00:44:31,320 --> 00:44:35,360 this place, God can't give you the grace that he promises to 685 00:44:35,360 --> 00:44:39,160 the humble. And so let's let's respond to 686 00:44:39,160 --> 00:44:41,200 this truth in this way. Yes, Lord, thank you for helping 687 00:44:41,200 --> 00:44:43,240 me understand a little bit more of the Book of Revelation. 688 00:44:43,760 --> 00:44:46,520 Thank you that I have some more clarity on controversial issues. 689 00:44:46,520 --> 00:44:47,720 I don't know why it's controversial. 690 00:44:49,280 --> 00:44:55,160 It's biblical. But now, Lord I, I realize how 691 00:44:55,160 --> 00:44:58,640 you're calling me personally and I and I need you to give me 692 00:44:58,640 --> 00:45:02,600 power. I need, I need your help and the 693 00:45:02,600 --> 00:45:05,200 Lord is ready to supply it. Let's seek them together. 694 00:45:06,360 --> 00:45:08,560 But we thank you, we thank you, we thank you. 695 00:45:20,160 --> 00:45:22,520 We heard your voice today because we opened your word. 696 00:45:24,600 --> 00:45:28,200 And for many, perhaps you have just confirmed what they already 697 00:45:28,200 --> 00:45:30,000 knew. For others, maybe this is brand 698 00:45:30,000 --> 00:45:34,600 new, and maybe even for some, this is a challenge to other 699 00:45:34,600 --> 00:45:40,880 theological perspectives. We pray that your truth would 700 00:45:40,880 --> 00:45:45,320 triumph over all things. And Lord, we come now as your 701 00:45:45,320 --> 00:45:50,960 people, realizing that You're the God who knows tomorrow, yes, 702 00:45:50,960 --> 00:45:53,880 but you also know who we are and what we're doing today. 703 00:45:54,240 --> 00:45:57,160 So help us for those who are weak and weary, who are faint, 704 00:45:57,160 --> 00:46:01,320 who are broken or disheartened, who are disillusioned, whatever 705 00:46:01,320 --> 00:46:02,800 it is. Oh God, we pray that you would 706 00:46:02,800 --> 00:46:06,000 infuse in us now the grace that you're able to provide an entire 707 00:46:06,000 --> 00:46:08,120 nation. Give to us. 708 00:46:08,520 --> 00:46:10,920 Give to each of us today. Lord, let us walk out of here 709 00:46:10,920 --> 00:46:16,280 stronger and lighter. And Lord, we've come now to give 710 00:46:16,280 --> 00:46:19,960 you thanks because you not only taught us, but you have imparted 711 00:46:19,960 --> 00:46:24,560 into us real power. And for this we say thanks in 712 00:46:24,640 --> 00:46:27,280 Jesus name, Amen. Let's stand, let's give him 713 00:46:27,280 --> 00:46:29,080 thanks. He spoke to our hearts today 714 00:46:29,760 --> 00:46:30,920 through His marvelous word.