1 00:00:01,720 --> 00:00:05,040 Please let's turn together in the Book of Revelation chapter 6 2 00:00:06,400 --> 00:00:10,400 as we endeavor to explore 3 verses beginning in verse 9 of 3 00:00:10,400 --> 00:00:17,720 that chapter. Revelation 6. 4 00:00:18,640 --> 00:00:29,570 Starting in verse 9, when he opened the 5th seal, I saw under 5 00:00:29,570 --> 00:00:32,729 the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the Word of 6 00:00:32,729 --> 00:00:35,880 God and for the witness they had borne. 7 00:00:37,040 --> 00:00:40,280 They cried out with a loud voice, O sovereign Lord, holy 8 00:00:40,280 --> 00:00:44,480 and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood 9 00:00:44,480 --> 00:00:49,200 on those who dwell on the earth? Then they were each given a 10 00:00:49,200 --> 00:00:53,400 white robe and told to rest a little longer until the number 11 00:00:53,400 --> 00:00:56,360 of their fellow servants and their brothers should be 12 00:00:56,360 --> 00:01:01,920 complete, who are to be killed as they themselves had been. 13 00:01:04,239 --> 00:01:10,120 Father, Your Word tells us through the apostle Peter that 14 00:01:10,120 --> 00:01:15,440 though You do not see Him, you love Him, and though you do not 15 00:01:15,440 --> 00:01:19,320 now see Him, you believe in Him and rejoice with joy that is 16 00:01:19,320 --> 00:01:21,560 inexpressible and filled with glory. 17 00:01:23,040 --> 00:01:26,520 Lord, we believe that that is our inheritance and we pray that 18 00:01:26,520 --> 00:01:31,720 You would use the means of grace today to fill our hearts with 19 00:01:31,720 --> 00:01:38,320 that joy and to know that glory in a tangible, undeniable way. 20 00:01:38,840 --> 00:01:42,280 We rest in Your promise and we believe that will be our 21 00:01:42,280 --> 00:01:45,720 portion. In Jesus name we pray, Amen. 22 00:01:47,440 --> 00:01:51,480 Well, hopefully we remember that we are still exploring this 23 00:01:51,480 --> 00:01:55,880 series within a series of the breaking of the seven seals of a 24 00:01:55,880 --> 00:02:01,040 heavenly scroll that reveals and explains the initial judgments 25 00:02:01,040 --> 00:02:05,040 that will be unleashed by Christ upon the earth at the beginning 26 00:02:05,040 --> 00:02:09,280 of the Tribulation period. And hopefully we also remember 27 00:02:09,960 --> 00:02:13,400 that the events that we've been looking at here mirror the 28 00:02:13,400 --> 00:02:18,680 sequence of events that Christ taught when he was giving his 29 00:02:18,680 --> 00:02:22,240 disciples A thorough understanding of the events of 30 00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:27,880 the last days in Matthew 24. In fact, the first four seals 31 00:02:27,880 --> 00:02:30,800 that we've already covered are mentioned by the Lord Jesus in 32 00:02:30,800 --> 00:02:35,080 Matthew 24, verse one down to verse 8. 33 00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:39,200 It should be no surprise then that the 5th seal, the seal that 34 00:02:39,200 --> 00:02:43,840 we just read about, will follow as the next episode in the 35 00:02:43,840 --> 00:02:45,720 closing moments of human history. 36 00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:52,040 So after the Lord warns about false Christ's wars and rumors 37 00:02:52,040 --> 00:02:55,600 of wars, famines and earthquakes, allow me to remind 38 00:02:55,600 --> 00:02:59,120 you what He said in Matthew 24, nine to 10. 39 00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:04,280 Jesus says then they will deliver you up to tribulation 40 00:03:04,640 --> 00:03:09,320 and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for 41 00:03:09,320 --> 00:03:14,280 my name's sake, and then many will fall away and betray one 42 00:03:14,280 --> 00:03:19,360 another and hate one another. What is Christ referring to 43 00:03:19,360 --> 00:03:23,800 here? Global persecution against 44 00:03:23,880 --> 00:03:27,920 followers of Jesus Christ, one that will escalate during the 45 00:03:27,920 --> 00:03:34,040 Tribulation like never before. And the hostility against 46 00:03:34,040 --> 00:03:40,160 believers at that time will be so intense that in verse 10 we 47 00:03:40,160 --> 00:03:45,840 learned that many will fall away in response to it. 48 00:03:47,240 --> 00:03:54,360 Many nominal Christians, many empty professors, many who 49 00:03:54,360 --> 00:03:59,440 enjoyed the benefits of cultural Christianity, many who on the 50 00:03:59,440 --> 00:04:03,160 surface look like they actually loved Christ. 51 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:08,800 When the tribulation comes, Jesus predicted that many of 52 00:04:08,800 --> 00:04:13,760 those will indeed fall away. In fact, it will be some of 53 00:04:13,760 --> 00:04:17,800 those who will turn Christians in to the persecutors. 54 00:04:18,600 --> 00:04:21,640 They will hate one another and betray one another. 55 00:04:22,760 --> 00:04:24,600 This is something startling to consider. 56 00:04:25,600 --> 00:04:29,760 However, there is a difference between what Jesus taught in 57 00:04:29,760 --> 00:04:33,160 Matthew 24 and what John saw in Revelation chapter 6. 58 00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:37,960 You see, what Jesus explained in Matthew 24 was from an earthly 59 00:04:37,960 --> 00:04:42,680 vantage point, whereas John saw this from heaven. 60 00:04:44,160 --> 00:04:47,800 And the heavenly perspective is so crucial to understand because 61 00:04:47,800 --> 00:04:51,480 it reveals the true meaning of this seal judgement. 62 00:04:51,480 --> 00:04:54,760 What is its purpose? You see, there are many who have 63 00:04:54,760 --> 00:04:58,360 made the mistake of believing that when this 5th seal on the 64 00:04:58,360 --> 00:05:03,800 scroll is broken, it will set into motion this international 65 00:05:03,800 --> 00:05:09,640 wave of persecution. But that interpretation doesn't 66 00:05:09,640 --> 00:05:13,440 hold up for one main reason. These seals that will be broken 67 00:05:13,880 --> 00:05:17,480 speak of Christ's judgement being released. 68 00:05:18,160 --> 00:05:20,680 And so if you think that that fifth seal means that Christ is 69 00:05:20,680 --> 00:05:23,840 going to be judging his own people, you have to search a 70 00:05:23,840 --> 00:05:25,960 little bit deeper and understand that's not how he works. 71 00:05:27,320 --> 00:05:30,920 Instead, what John sees and explains is that the breaking of 72 00:05:30,920 --> 00:05:35,280 the 5th seal is directly connected to the prayers of 73 00:05:35,280 --> 00:05:39,760 these martyrs, and it will be the prayers who plead with God 74 00:05:39,760 --> 00:05:42,920 here to carry out his vengeance and justly deal with those 75 00:05:43,120 --> 00:05:45,880 responsible for their cruel deaths. 76 00:05:47,480 --> 00:05:50,960 That's in view. In other words, it's the prayers 77 00:05:50,960 --> 00:05:54,480 of the Saints who've been slaughtered that will play a 78 00:05:54,480 --> 00:05:58,080 major part in the beginning of the tribulation and the events 79 00:05:58,080 --> 00:06:02,560 that will follow. And so if anybody were to ask us 80 00:06:03,080 --> 00:06:07,120 what is the 5th seal in Revelation 6 all about, our 81 00:06:07,120 --> 00:06:12,040 answer should be that it reveals how the Lord Jesus is ready to 82 00:06:12,040 --> 00:06:15,680 act on behalf of his followers who have been killed for his 83 00:06:15,680 --> 00:06:19,520 namesake. Here's another way to think 84 00:06:19,520 --> 00:06:23,040 about it. In Matthew, the Lord Jesus tells 85 00:06:23,040 --> 00:06:26,960 us what will happen to Christians in the Tribulation. 86 00:06:26,960 --> 00:06:31,760 And in Revelation 6, we learn what Christ will do for 87 00:06:31,760 --> 00:06:36,760 Christians in the Tribulation. That's essentially the summary. 88 00:06:37,760 --> 00:06:39,840 But we're not going to settle for an overview today, are we? 89 00:06:40,760 --> 00:06:44,280 No, no, no, no. I want us to consider at least 90 00:06:44,280 --> 00:06:49,280 three elements of the 5th seal. Though it is predictive, though 91 00:06:49,280 --> 00:06:53,480 it is a prophecy of what will to come, it also has benefit for us 92 00:06:53,480 --> 00:06:56,760 today. And these three observations are 93 00:06:56,760 --> 00:07:00,800 neatly divided in these 3 verses. 1 Observation perverse. 94 00:07:01,960 --> 00:07:06,400 Did you notice how in verse 9 John saw an assembly, an 95 00:07:06,400 --> 00:07:10,960 assembly, a particular group of people found in a different 96 00:07:10,960 --> 00:07:14,640 realm? Given a very unique description? 97 00:07:14,640 --> 00:07:16,920 There is an assembly that we have to consider. 98 00:07:18,360 --> 00:07:22,240 But from this assembly we learn in verse 10 that there is an 99 00:07:22,240 --> 00:07:28,880 appeal made, an urgent request made unto God that is worth 100 00:07:29,040 --> 00:07:34,280 meditating on. And finally we come to the final 101 00:07:34,280 --> 00:07:38,880 verse there of our reading and we'll learn about encouraging 102 00:07:39,000 --> 00:07:44,800 assurance, assurance that God gives to this assembly who make 103 00:07:44,960 --> 00:07:48,120 this appeal. Let's look in our Bibles now in 104 00:07:48,120 --> 00:07:52,920 verse 9 again, what do we read? When he opened the 5th seal, I 105 00:07:52,920 --> 00:07:55,600 saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the 106 00:07:55,600 --> 00:07:58,360 word of God and for the witness they had borne. 107 00:07:58,960 --> 00:08:00,800 That's the first thing that caught John's attention. 108 00:08:01,600 --> 00:08:05,080 He noticed this group of souls who are under an altar in 109 00:08:05,080 --> 00:08:07,160 heaven. And there are two questions that 110 00:08:07,160 --> 00:08:10,200 we have to answer here. Number one, who are these souls? 111 00:08:10,200 --> 00:08:13,880 We don't have to guess. The very same verse tells us 112 00:08:14,240 --> 00:08:18,080 they are the souls of those who were slain because they stood 113 00:08:18,080 --> 00:08:21,640 for the truth, because they were not ashamed of their allegiance 114 00:08:21,640 --> 00:08:25,000 to the Lord Jesus Christ and his gospel, They were murdered. 115 00:08:27,760 --> 00:08:32,840 But does John see here the innumerable Saints of all ages? 116 00:08:33,640 --> 00:08:37,200 Is he looking at those who have been persecuted unto death from 117 00:08:37,200 --> 00:08:40,480 the beginning of time? Some would say yes. 118 00:08:40,840 --> 00:08:42,919 I'm convinced that it's not the case. 119 00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:46,560 I'm convinced that what John is looking at here are the group of 120 00:08:46,560 --> 00:08:49,840 Christians who will be killed during the Tribulation. 121 00:08:51,200 --> 00:08:53,760 Here's a hint. Look at verse 10 and carefully 122 00:08:53,760 --> 00:08:57,680 observe what they cry out to God for as they ask Him to avenge 123 00:08:57,680 --> 00:08:59,680 their blood. They request that the Lord would 124 00:08:59,680 --> 00:09:02,840 bring justice to those who dwell on the earth. 125 00:09:03,840 --> 00:09:06,480 Implying what? That their persecutors and 126 00:09:06,480 --> 00:09:08,360 murders were still alive at the time of the breaking of the 127 00:09:08,360 --> 00:09:11,120 seal? And if we're looking at the 128 00:09:11,120 --> 00:09:13,480 initial judgments of the Tribulation period, then the 129 00:09:13,480 --> 00:09:17,560 conclusion is obvious. And it becomes even more clear 130 00:09:17,560 --> 00:09:21,720 in Revelation 13, where we discover that the Antichrist is 131 00:09:21,720 --> 00:09:26,680 the mastermind behind this global campaign to target and 132 00:09:26,680 --> 00:09:31,040 hunt down Christians, those who refuse to take his mark, those 133 00:09:31,040 --> 00:09:33,560 who refuse to worship him or anybody else. 134 00:09:36,120 --> 00:09:39,840 What's especially curious, though, is that these souls are 135 00:09:39,840 --> 00:09:46,760 seen under an altar. Under the altar in heaven. 136 00:09:48,320 --> 00:09:51,760 What are they doing there? That's a very unusual place for 137 00:09:51,760 --> 00:09:57,000 disembodied spirits to be. Well, John, by the spirit is 138 00:09:57,000 --> 00:10:01,600 assuming that you and I know our Old Testament well, and there 139 00:10:01,600 --> 00:10:05,320 should already be a connection between the concept of something 140 00:10:05,320 --> 00:10:10,960 being slain and an altar, right? There should be, but not just an 141 00:10:10,960 --> 00:10:16,520 altar, the base of the altar. They are under this altar and 142 00:10:16,520 --> 00:10:20,080 there's something that comes to mind from Leviticus 4, verse 7. 143 00:10:20,080 --> 00:10:23,520 Listen to these instructions for some of the sacrifices in the 144 00:10:23,520 --> 00:10:26,440 Levitical system. Levitical, Leviticus 4/7 is your 145 00:10:26,440 --> 00:10:27,720 reference that you want to remember. 146 00:10:28,680 --> 00:10:32,200 It says here, and the priest shall put some of the blood on 147 00:10:32,200 --> 00:10:36,200 the horns of the altar, a fragrant incense before the Lord 148 00:10:36,480 --> 00:10:39,720 that is in the tent of meeting, and all the rest of the blood of 149 00:10:39,720 --> 00:10:43,840 the bull he shall pour out at the base of the altar of burnt 150 00:10:43,840 --> 00:10:46,960 offering, that is at the entrance of the tent of meeting. 151 00:10:49,400 --> 00:10:52,760 So this was a common practice with many of the animal 152 00:10:52,760 --> 00:10:56,560 sacrifices, that some of the blood would be placed on the 153 00:10:56,560 --> 00:10:59,480 horns of the altar, that brazen altar that the first thing you 154 00:10:59,480 --> 00:11:03,040 would see when you entered into the temple courts, But with the 155 00:11:03,040 --> 00:11:07,800 rest of the blood, it would be poured out at the base of that 156 00:11:07,800 --> 00:11:12,160 instrument of worship. And Jesus Christ borrows that 157 00:11:12,160 --> 00:11:16,920 imagery and he applies it to these believers who willingly 158 00:11:16,920 --> 00:11:22,680 laid down their lives because in his sight that was an act of 159 00:11:22,680 --> 00:11:25,840 worship that he will choose to remember for all eternity. 160 00:11:29,000 --> 00:11:30,760 This shouldn't be so foreign to us. 161 00:11:31,720 --> 00:11:34,600 Even the Apostle Paul does something similar when he speaks 162 00:11:34,600 --> 00:11:38,160 about his impending death. Do you remember when he wrote to 163 00:11:38,160 --> 00:11:41,160 his spiritual son Timothy and his final letter? 164 00:11:41,480 --> 00:11:45,800 He says the following in Second Timothy 4/6 For I am already 165 00:11:45,800 --> 00:11:49,920 being poured out as a drink offering and the time of my 166 00:11:49,920 --> 00:11:54,560 departure has come. But Paul is more specific. 167 00:11:55,800 --> 00:11:58,960 Why, out of all the offerings that you could have offered 168 00:11:59,760 --> 00:12:04,840 under the Old covenant, does he speak about his departure and 169 00:12:04,840 --> 00:12:10,480 likens it to the drink offering? Can I tell you why he is so 170 00:12:10,480 --> 00:12:13,920 spirit LED? Brilliant. 171 00:12:15,800 --> 00:12:19,880 So again, I understand that many people's attempts to read 172 00:12:19,880 --> 00:12:21,560 through the Bible ends at Leviticus. 173 00:12:23,480 --> 00:12:27,720 I get it. But you can't enjoy Revelation. 174 00:12:28,600 --> 00:12:33,880 You can't even translate Paul's words without that book, without 175 00:12:33,880 --> 00:12:38,600 Numbers, without Deuteronomy. Let me show you an example why 176 00:12:39,440 --> 00:12:42,400 Paul is so precise. Because according to Numbers 177 00:12:42,400 --> 00:12:47,720 1510 drink offerings were to be 1/2 hen of wine. 178 00:12:48,800 --> 00:12:53,400 Now, half in, in today's measurements would be closely 179 00:12:53,400 --> 00:12:57,920 equivalent to 3/4 of a gallon. And when you look there, numbers 180 00:12:57,920 --> 00:13:02,520 15, you'll realize that this drink offering often accompanied 181 00:13:02,520 --> 00:13:07,680 an animal sacrifice. And it was to be poured out, in 182 00:13:07,680 --> 00:13:12,680 a sense, upon that animal sacrifice almost as a final act 183 00:13:12,920 --> 00:13:16,480 of worship once everything out has been laid out. 184 00:13:18,920 --> 00:13:20,800 And Paul even uses this in another place. 185 00:13:20,840 --> 00:13:23,160 I mean, look at this later. Talk about it at the picnic 186 00:13:24,040 --> 00:13:28,920 where he says in Philippians 217 that he is willing to even be a 187 00:13:28,920 --> 00:13:32,440 drink offering upon the sacrifice of the Philippians. 188 00:13:33,560 --> 00:13:37,320 So Paul even elaborates in that place to speak about how that 189 00:13:37,320 --> 00:13:41,720 drink offering was to be given. It was one of the last things 190 00:13:41,720 --> 00:13:44,160 that you would do once everything else has been 191 00:13:44,160 --> 00:13:46,720 prepared. You would take out a half hint 192 00:13:46,720 --> 00:13:51,200 of wine and pour it out upon that sacrifice. 193 00:13:53,080 --> 00:13:57,760 And it's as though Paul is saying to Timothy, Timothy, just 194 00:13:57,760 --> 00:14:01,120 as the drink offering was poured out last after everything else 195 00:14:01,160 --> 00:14:04,280 was done. I'm ready to follow in that 196 00:14:04,280 --> 00:14:10,000 example as my life has been a living sacrifice consecrated 197 00:14:10,000 --> 00:14:13,920 unto God day and night. My willingness to die for the 198 00:14:13,920 --> 00:14:18,560 gospel will be my final act of worship to Him. 199 00:14:21,040 --> 00:14:25,080 Here I am now, and I smell my execution. 200 00:14:26,160 --> 00:14:28,520 But I want to let you know, Timothy, that I'm consecrating 201 00:14:28,520 --> 00:14:31,560 this final moment as a drink offering. 202 00:14:32,240 --> 00:14:34,440 My death will be a drink offering. 203 00:14:36,200 --> 00:14:40,280 What an amazing man of God. And it's thrilling as this is. 204 00:14:40,280 --> 00:14:43,080 I'm not sure how these insights resonate with American 205 00:14:43,080 --> 00:14:48,400 Christians because you know this very well, that we live with an 206 00:14:48,400 --> 00:14:53,280 unusual level of peace and measure of tranquility in 207 00:14:53,280 --> 00:14:54,840 comparison to the rest of the world. 208 00:14:55,920 --> 00:14:59,640 But I will say this, should persecution arise suddenly, and 209 00:14:59,640 --> 00:15:04,000 persecution has a tendency of arriving unannounced, read the 210 00:15:04,000 --> 00:15:07,440 Bible carefully. Very rarely are people warmed up 211 00:15:07,440 --> 00:15:10,000 to it. It tends to crash on the scene. 212 00:15:11,720 --> 00:15:13,360 Should that happen in our lifetime? 213 00:15:14,160 --> 00:15:20,480 Remember these truths when you go back to Revelation 6, verse 214 00:15:20,480 --> 00:15:23,120 9. Did you notice that John says 215 00:15:23,120 --> 00:15:27,360 that he saw souls, the souls of those who had been slain? 216 00:15:28,040 --> 00:15:30,400 That comforts me for many reasons. 217 00:15:31,680 --> 00:15:36,120 One, because even though these precious Saints were killed, as 218 00:15:36,120 --> 00:15:38,440 Jesus says, don't fear those who can kill the body. 219 00:15:38,600 --> 00:15:40,800 But what cannot destroy the soul? 220 00:15:41,600 --> 00:15:45,760 What can a murderer really do? OK, Yeah. 221 00:15:45,760 --> 00:15:48,880 He kills you. To what end? 222 00:15:48,880 --> 00:15:50,800 To usher you into a greater reality. 223 00:15:52,520 --> 00:15:54,520 I saw the souls of those who have been slain. 224 00:15:54,520 --> 00:15:59,560 The souls the soul untouched, safe, set apart. 225 00:15:59,560 --> 00:16:04,160 I don't know about you. Let me just say this as a side 226 00:16:04,160 --> 00:16:06,440 note. This is just another verse that 227 00:16:06,440 --> 00:16:08,040 dispels the notion of soul sleep. 228 00:16:09,680 --> 00:16:13,160 If you don't know, the belief of soul sleep is that when a person 229 00:16:13,160 --> 00:16:16,640 dies, when a Christian dies, when a believer in Christ dies, 230 00:16:17,240 --> 00:16:20,960 apparently their soul becomes unconscious and dormant and 231 00:16:20,960 --> 00:16:25,000 remains in that state until the resurrection or final judgement. 232 00:16:26,400 --> 00:16:30,520 There are millions of people who believe this, but that certainly 233 00:16:30,520 --> 00:16:32,320 doesn't match the description we find here, does it? 234 00:16:33,480 --> 00:16:38,200 They were slain for the word of God and their souls were in 235 00:16:38,200 --> 00:16:45,520 heaven totally conscience speaking, aware in community 236 00:16:47,080 --> 00:16:52,960 that should infusing you a fresh confidence and greater level of 237 00:16:52,960 --> 00:16:58,360 bliss even in the face of death, no matter its 'cause why? 238 00:16:58,360 --> 00:17:02,880 Because the moment you and I die, we will enter into a 239 00:17:02,880 --> 00:17:08,280 reality of such glory that it will compare, won't be able to 240 00:17:08,280 --> 00:17:11,839 compare to anything that you've experienced with this earthly 241 00:17:11,839 --> 00:17:12,800 frame. Nothing. 242 00:17:15,079 --> 00:17:17,880 And I understand that this is a unique vision with a specific 243 00:17:17,880 --> 00:17:20,400 message, but I want to take the opportunity to say this to those 244 00:17:20,400 --> 00:17:24,200 who have lost believing loved ones who have left you behind in 245 00:17:24,200 --> 00:17:28,520 your pilgrimage. If they trusted in Christ, 246 00:17:29,560 --> 00:17:33,360 they're home. They're not waiting to be home. 247 00:17:34,040 --> 00:17:38,680 They are home right now as we speak, as we're here hearing 248 00:17:38,680 --> 00:17:41,760 about the Word of God, as we're here speaking about Christ. 249 00:17:41,760 --> 00:17:45,880 They're in His presence, unfiltered, face to face like 250 00:17:45,880 --> 00:17:48,680 these souls that we find here. Look at verse 11. 251 00:17:49,800 --> 00:17:52,400 The Lord addresses them and He tells them something 252 00:17:52,400 --> 00:17:53,640 interesting. We'll explore it in a few 253 00:17:53,640 --> 00:17:56,240 moments. He tells them to rest a little 254 00:17:56,240 --> 00:17:58,600 longer. Implying what? 255 00:17:59,160 --> 00:18:01,040 That they are in a place of heavenly calm. 256 00:18:02,800 --> 00:18:05,200 They are enjoying complete security. 257 00:18:05,520 --> 00:18:09,640 They are swimming an endless refreshment. 258 00:18:11,000 --> 00:18:13,920 That's where the souls of those who belong to Christ are at this 259 00:18:13,920 --> 00:18:17,120 moment. And I'm sure these brief details 260 00:18:17,120 --> 00:18:21,120 to the original readers of John's writing would have really 261 00:18:21,120 --> 00:18:23,320 appreciated what he was saying here. 262 00:18:23,840 --> 00:18:26,040 As they themselves are being persecuted in their own 263 00:18:26,040 --> 00:18:28,960 churches, their own families, some of their own leaders being 264 00:18:28,960 --> 00:18:35,520 killed, John, in this one vision says these souls, they're safe. 265 00:18:36,720 --> 00:18:41,920 They're savoring glory, and that is our future as well. 266 00:18:43,040 --> 00:18:46,320 This is the assembly that John sees, but the encouragement only 267 00:18:46,320 --> 00:18:48,560 continues. As you look at verse 10 and 268 00:18:48,560 --> 00:18:52,960 recognize the appeal that they make, you can almost say that 269 00:18:52,960 --> 00:18:54,800 this is the first recorded prayer in the Book of 270 00:18:54,800 --> 00:18:57,160 Revelation. Look at verse 10. 271 00:18:57,160 --> 00:18:59,560 Once more they cried out with a loud voice. 272 00:18:59,560 --> 00:19:03,240 O sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge 273 00:19:03,240 --> 00:19:07,160 and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth? 274 00:19:08,960 --> 00:19:11,320 It's fascinating that one of the first prayers that we find in 275 00:19:11,320 --> 00:19:17,240 this book is not one of people, the Saints, praying for their 276 00:19:17,240 --> 00:19:18,720 enemies, but praying against them. 277 00:19:21,560 --> 00:19:23,160 They're not asking here for pardon. 278 00:19:23,360 --> 00:19:24,720 They're asking here for judgement. 279 00:19:27,520 --> 00:19:30,320 And I understand how that can be challenging to us at face value 280 00:19:30,320 --> 00:19:32,920 because we remember the the teachings of Jesus who told us 281 00:19:32,920 --> 00:19:37,360 to do what and pray for your enemies over and over. 282 00:19:37,360 --> 00:19:39,240 He said that in so many different contexts. 283 00:19:40,960 --> 00:19:43,840 And what about the first Christian martyr, Stephen, who 284 00:19:43,840 --> 00:19:48,160 while he was being stoned said, Lord, do not hold this sin 285 00:19:48,160 --> 00:19:52,440 against them. So what we find here in this in 286 00:19:52,440 --> 00:19:57,120 this verse of chapter 6, are we looking at a group of believers 287 00:19:57,360 --> 00:20:00,080 who in the heat of frustration disobeyed Christ? 288 00:20:01,800 --> 00:20:04,800 Are we looking at Christians who are less sanctified? 289 00:20:05,360 --> 00:20:07,600 Than Stephen and other martyrs throughout the ages. 290 00:20:08,680 --> 00:20:11,760 Absolutely not. If we want to figure out this 291 00:20:11,760 --> 00:20:16,920 apparent dilemma, context, context, context. 292 00:20:18,080 --> 00:20:22,400 And the one thing that we need to establish is when was this 293 00:20:22,440 --> 00:20:27,160 prayer made? I'm not sure if you remember, 294 00:20:27,160 --> 00:20:30,080 but a few weeks ago I made the following comment when we were 295 00:20:30,080 --> 00:20:32,320 discussing the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. 296 00:20:33,880 --> 00:20:38,240 Common grace will become less common when the tribulation 297 00:20:38,240 --> 00:20:42,640 begins and progresses. Common grace will become less 298 00:20:42,640 --> 00:20:46,520 common as a tribulation starts and as it advances. 299 00:20:49,320 --> 00:20:53,200 This is time for judgement. That's what's happening here, 300 00:20:54,040 --> 00:20:56,840 and I believe that will be reflected in part in how prayers 301 00:20:56,840 --> 00:20:59,200 are made and answered during this period. 302 00:21:00,520 --> 00:21:04,800 In other words, we all know that one day God will bring an end to 303 00:21:04,800 --> 00:21:09,760 this period of grace the world has known for two millennia, and 304 00:21:09,760 --> 00:21:12,200 there is an appointed time where He will pour out his act of 305 00:21:12,200 --> 00:21:16,600 wrath instead, and prayers for His judgement will be entirely 306 00:21:16,600 --> 00:21:23,160 acceptable then. So this is not an example of 307 00:21:23,160 --> 00:21:25,800 everyday prayer. This supplication can't be 308 00:21:25,800 --> 00:21:28,560 categorized as such for the simple reason that it's not 309 00:21:28,560 --> 00:21:31,080 being offered within a typical period of time. 310 00:21:33,160 --> 00:21:36,920 Christ is unleashing His judgement. 311 00:21:37,800 --> 00:21:42,280 So it makes sense then that His people, in tune with His Spirit, 312 00:21:42,280 --> 00:21:45,880 in tune with His mind, are asking for the same. 313 00:21:47,600 --> 00:21:51,040 Lord, bring judgement. If you think that's challenging, 314 00:21:51,040 --> 00:21:53,280 wait till we get to the end of Revelation where the people in 315 00:21:53,280 --> 00:21:55,640 heaven are actually singing and rejoicing in God's judgement. 316 00:21:56,360 --> 00:22:00,640 Not a lot of worship songs about that, but it says something 317 00:22:00,640 --> 00:22:04,960 about how our minds will be transformed in that place. 318 00:22:07,400 --> 00:22:12,040 That's for another time. So if this is not the best 319 00:22:12,040 --> 00:22:15,960 example for typical prayer, day by day, though, you can make a 320 00:22:15,960 --> 00:22:18,360 sense about the, you can make a case about the imprecatory 321 00:22:18,360 --> 00:22:20,280 Psalms in the Book of Psalms. Let's just stick with this 322 00:22:20,280 --> 00:22:22,160 context. What can we learn from it then? 323 00:22:24,160 --> 00:22:26,520 Well, I think there's something very important to learn from it, 324 00:22:26,520 --> 00:22:29,120 and it is this. You and I must be willing to 325 00:22:29,120 --> 00:22:33,040 accept that the God that we worship is not one of only great 326 00:22:33,040 --> 00:22:37,680 grace, but of judgement. God is a God of justice. 327 00:22:38,200 --> 00:22:42,600 God is a God of wrath. God is holy, and he will not 328 00:22:42,600 --> 00:22:46,600 tolerate iniquity. He will deal with it with 329 00:22:46,600 --> 00:22:52,000 ferocious righteousness. And beware of those who 330 00:22:52,000 --> 00:22:58,360 propagate and believe in a Jesus that is empty of wrath. 331 00:23:00,000 --> 00:23:03,480 He doesn't exist. He's another Jesus. 332 00:23:05,000 --> 00:23:06,960 And I thought to myself the other night, how can we 333 00:23:06,960 --> 00:23:10,920 demonstrate this? And I want to take you to a 334 00:23:10,920 --> 00:23:12,720 book, the book right before the Book of Revelation. 335 00:23:12,720 --> 00:23:14,320 It's a little epistle called Jude. 336 00:23:15,600 --> 00:23:17,400 And I want you to see a couple of verses with me. 337 00:23:18,080 --> 00:23:20,720 Now, this will be especially helpful if you hold the ESV 338 00:23:20,760 --> 00:23:24,440 translation in your hands. But if you don't, I'll explain 339 00:23:24,720 --> 00:23:27,800 how this can still benefit you. Look at verse 5. 340 00:23:27,800 --> 00:23:33,680 There are no chapters Jude 5 and notice what is said here, Jude 341 00:23:33,680 --> 00:23:35,560 says. Now I want to remind you, 342 00:23:35,560 --> 00:23:40,360 although you once fully knew it, that Jesus who saved a people 343 00:23:40,360 --> 00:23:45,400 out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who 344 00:23:45,400 --> 00:23:52,160 did not believe. So the same Jesus who delivered 345 00:23:52,160 --> 00:23:57,480 the people out of Egypt is the same one who destroyed many of 346 00:23:57,480 --> 00:24:00,920 them in the wilderness. Now if you have any other word 347 00:24:00,920 --> 00:24:03,800 for word translation, like the new King James, the King James, 348 00:24:03,800 --> 00:24:07,280 the NESB, or any other really popular English translation, 349 00:24:08,240 --> 00:24:11,680 you'll notice that where Jesus is named here is rendered as 350 00:24:11,680 --> 00:24:15,880 what Lord Lord, so it would read. 351 00:24:16,040 --> 00:24:18,400 Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, 352 00:24:18,640 --> 00:24:21,400 that the Lord who saved the people out of the land of Egypt 353 00:24:21,400 --> 00:24:23,360 afterward destroyed those who did not believe. 354 00:24:24,920 --> 00:24:29,640 So is the ESV including something that's not in the 355 00:24:29,640 --> 00:24:32,000 original text? Are they forcing Christ to try 356 00:24:32,000 --> 00:24:36,680 to promote a pre-existing Christ, an eternal Christ? 357 00:24:37,800 --> 00:24:39,280 No, that's not what's happening at all. 358 00:24:39,680 --> 00:24:44,040 The main reason why the ESV went with this translation is because 359 00:24:44,040 --> 00:24:48,240 of manuscript evidence and some of the earliest and most 360 00:24:48,240 --> 00:24:52,760 reputable Greek manuscripts of Jude 5 actually say Jesus 361 00:24:53,320 --> 00:24:56,360 instead of Lord. And I can name those different 362 00:24:56,720 --> 00:24:59,240 manuscripts. This is widely available if you 363 00:24:59,240 --> 00:25:01,320 want to look into it. It's fascinating. 364 00:25:02,320 --> 00:25:05,280 And so the the minds behind this translation saw what was 365 00:25:05,280 --> 00:25:07,280 available, especially as we advance in archaeology and 366 00:25:07,280 --> 00:25:10,360 discovered these greater things that some of the earliest 367 00:25:10,360 --> 00:25:14,280 manuscripts, some of the most reputable ones have the name 368 00:25:14,320 --> 00:25:17,840 Jesus there. And so they decided to use this 369 00:25:17,840 --> 00:25:20,080 manuscript variant for their English translation. 370 00:25:21,880 --> 00:25:24,720 Now, for those who might even just struggle with the idea that 371 00:25:24,720 --> 00:25:28,920 Christ was somehow present during the Exodus, it's not such 372 00:25:28,920 --> 00:25:33,240 a foreign concept in the Bible. We're going to come back to 373 00:25:33,240 --> 00:25:35,280 Jude, but let's just go on a little bit of a rabbit trail 374 00:25:35,280 --> 00:25:37,760 here. Do you remember what Paul said 375 00:25:37,760 --> 00:25:42,160 to the Corinthians in 1st Corinthians 10 for when he spoke 376 00:25:42,160 --> 00:25:47,080 about the rock that followed the Israelites in the wilderness, 377 00:25:47,680 --> 00:25:49,680 and he said that it was a spiritual rock. 378 00:25:49,680 --> 00:25:51,800 And he says this, that rock was who? 379 00:25:52,920 --> 00:25:57,560 Christ, Christ. And that's something for us to 380 00:25:57,560 --> 00:26:01,320 consider because the apostles and the teachers who laid down 381 00:26:01,320 --> 00:26:03,880 the foundation of the doctrine of the church understood that 382 00:26:03,920 --> 00:26:09,200 Jesus Christ was present with Israel from the moment they were 383 00:26:09,200 --> 00:26:11,200 delivered throughout their journey. 384 00:26:12,520 --> 00:26:17,640 And so it's not so confusing that I hope that when Jude says 385 00:26:17,640 --> 00:26:20,800 here that Jesus was done who saved them out of the land that 386 00:26:20,800 --> 00:26:24,320 land Egypt and destroyed some of them that it's in alignment with 387 00:26:24,320 --> 00:26:27,640 the rest of the New Testament. But let's just say that you 388 00:26:27,640 --> 00:26:31,520 don't have the ESV and you you really enjoy your King James, 389 00:26:31,520 --> 00:26:33,040 your new King James or any other translation. 390 00:26:33,240 --> 00:26:36,360 Does this still apply to Christ? Can it? 391 00:26:37,040 --> 00:26:39,840 And I want to make the case that even if you have Lord there in 392 00:26:39,840 --> 00:26:43,960 Jude 5, that this strongly suggests that the Spirit of God 393 00:26:43,960 --> 00:26:47,560 had Jesus in view here within the Godhead. 394 00:26:49,160 --> 00:26:51,400 Here's just one example. And I'm just going to give you 1 395 00:26:51,400 --> 00:26:54,560 because if if we if we go beyond this, we'll be in Jude for the 396 00:26:54,560 --> 00:26:57,640 rest of the service. Look at the verse immediately 397 00:26:57,640 --> 00:26:59,960 before Jude five. Look at verse 4. 398 00:27:00,680 --> 00:27:04,840 For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were 399 00:27:04,840 --> 00:27:07,080 designated for this condemnation. 400 00:27:07,320 --> 00:27:12,040 Ungodly people who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality 401 00:27:12,280 --> 00:27:17,400 and deny our only Master and Lord Jesus Christ. 402 00:27:19,640 --> 00:27:21,720 Again, it might be rendered a little differently if you have 403 00:27:21,720 --> 00:27:26,320 those other translations, but what a staggering claim that 404 00:27:26,320 --> 00:27:30,280 Jude makes about Christ. And I believe that this is more 405 00:27:30,280 --> 00:27:38,400 accurate to the Greek, our only, our only, our only master and 406 00:27:38,400 --> 00:27:42,080 Lord Jesus Christ. Now again, those other 407 00:27:42,080 --> 00:27:44,400 translations, it will say what? Lord Jesus Christ, right? 408 00:27:44,400 --> 00:27:49,720 It'll say Lord Christ. This is something to expound on 409 00:27:49,720 --> 00:27:53,080 at another time, our only master and Lord Jesus Christ. 410 00:27:53,920 --> 00:27:58,920 But notice here the context, the last reference to Lord is Jesus 411 00:27:58,920 --> 00:28:03,760 Christ, and immediately following that he talks about 412 00:28:03,760 --> 00:28:07,120 the Lord saving a people out of Egypt and destroying them. 413 00:28:07,440 --> 00:28:11,240 So contextually, if you honor the flow of thought, even though 414 00:28:11,240 --> 00:28:13,600 you don't have the ESV, even though it's not Jesus in your 415 00:28:13,600 --> 00:28:17,680 translation, who is supposed to come to mind when Jude speaks 416 00:28:17,680 --> 00:28:24,760 about Lord in verse 5, the Lord of verse 4, Jesus Christ, and 417 00:28:24,760 --> 00:28:28,600 more can be said about that. But here's the point that I want 418 00:28:28,600 --> 00:28:33,320 to make. When Kora Dathan Abiram and 419 00:28:33,320 --> 00:28:37,360 their followers were swallowed up by the earth, that was 420 00:28:37,360 --> 00:28:41,720 Christ. When the Israelites complained 421 00:28:41,720 --> 00:28:47,320 to Moses and Aaron following that incident and fiery serpents 422 00:28:47,320 --> 00:28:52,440 were released to strike the heels of those stubborn 423 00:28:52,440 --> 00:28:59,040 Israelites, that was Christ. When the Moabite woman came into 424 00:28:59,040 --> 00:29:03,480 the camp and seduced the men and so many of them engage with them 425 00:29:03,480 --> 00:29:07,920 sexually and worship their gods, so plague was unleashed and 426 00:29:07,920 --> 00:29:12,120 24,000 of them died, that was Christ. 427 00:29:13,680 --> 00:29:18,120 I think you get the point. When we understand Jesus role in 428 00:29:18,120 --> 00:29:19,880 the Exodus, we limit him to what? 429 00:29:20,080 --> 00:29:23,600 He's the greater Passover lamb. He's the one who faithfully 430 00:29:23,600 --> 00:29:26,320 brought them out. It's his blood that we apply in 431 00:29:26,320 --> 00:29:28,360 our lives as we hide from the destroyer. 432 00:29:29,440 --> 00:29:33,360 Don't limit Christ there. Jesus Christ is also the one who 433 00:29:33,360 --> 00:29:36,680 destroyed those who approached the promised Land and did not 434 00:29:36,680 --> 00:29:38,480 believe that God can bring them through. 435 00:29:38,760 --> 00:29:41,680 Is that your Jesus? That's the Bible Jesus. 436 00:29:42,960 --> 00:29:46,880 That's the complete Jesus. Not just the Jesus who saves, 437 00:29:46,880 --> 00:29:51,840 who delivers us from bondage, but destroys those who refuse to 438 00:29:51,840 --> 00:29:54,040 be free and trust him to bring him into the promised land. 439 00:29:58,040 --> 00:30:02,880 Jesus is the one who's saved and the one who destroys. 440 00:30:03,640 --> 00:30:07,920 That's the balanced view. And Revelation is helping us be 441 00:30:07,920 --> 00:30:10,520 balanced. Don't forget that as we're going 442 00:30:10,520 --> 00:30:12,720 through these seals that the one who's breaking them is the Lamb 443 00:30:12,720 --> 00:30:15,880 of God. The Lamb of God who was slain 444 00:30:16,000 --> 00:30:19,960 standing in victory is the same one who's pouring out judgement 445 00:30:19,960 --> 00:30:24,600 on the earth. I'm afraid many professing 446 00:30:24,600 --> 00:30:26,800 Christians will not even be able to recognize Christ when he 447 00:30:26,800 --> 00:30:31,000 returns. But stick your face in the Bible 448 00:30:31,240 --> 00:30:35,400 and let the Bible inform your vision and your understanding of 449 00:30:35,400 --> 00:30:37,320 who He is. Not culture, not popular 450 00:30:37,320 --> 00:30:38,480 preachers. The Word. 451 00:30:42,080 --> 00:30:44,080 So this is the appeal that they make. 452 00:30:44,560 --> 00:30:48,840 O sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge 453 00:30:48,840 --> 00:30:52,560 and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth? 454 00:30:52,560 --> 00:30:55,600 And we come to the final point now of this message, the 455 00:30:56,040 --> 00:30:57,840 assurance that is given in verse 11. 456 00:30:59,240 --> 00:31:02,800 Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a 457 00:31:02,800 --> 00:31:06,680 little longer until the number of their fellow servants and 458 00:31:06,680 --> 00:31:09,720 their brothers should be complete, who are to be killed 459 00:31:09,720 --> 00:31:14,840 as they themselves had been. The response of the Sovereign 460 00:31:14,840 --> 00:31:17,960 Lord who represents the Father in this vision is so comforting 461 00:31:17,960 --> 00:31:22,000 and wonderful if you think about it, because He does 2 initial 462 00:31:22,000 --> 00:31:24,840 things. He gives them two things. 463 00:31:25,440 --> 00:31:28,520 The first first thing that He offers them is a white robe. 464 00:31:28,520 --> 00:31:34,920 And what does that represent? We may not know how that works 465 00:31:34,920 --> 00:31:38,400 with disembodied spirits, robes, spiritual beings. 466 00:31:38,720 --> 00:31:42,360 That may not be clear, but the message is, do you remember what 467 00:31:42,400 --> 00:31:45,480 Jesus promised one of the churches in the letters if they 468 00:31:45,480 --> 00:31:48,360 would be faithful until the end? Look what He said to the church 469 00:31:48,360 --> 00:31:51,320 in Sardis back in Revelation 3, verse 5. 470 00:31:52,360 --> 00:31:56,960 The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, 471 00:31:57,840 --> 00:32:00,120 and I will never blot His name out of the book of life. 472 00:32:00,640 --> 00:32:03,680 I will confess His name before my Father and before his angels. 473 00:32:05,040 --> 00:32:08,360 So this white garment primarily speaks about reward for 474 00:32:08,360 --> 00:32:12,600 faithfulness. You finished the race, you 475 00:32:12,600 --> 00:32:15,400 crossed the line, you kept the faith. 476 00:32:15,840 --> 00:32:21,400 Here's your graduation robe. So they were clothed with 477 00:32:21,400 --> 00:32:24,480 dignity, they were clothed with glory, They were clothed with 478 00:32:24,720 --> 00:32:28,600 God's pleasure. But beyond that, we realized 479 00:32:28,600 --> 00:32:31,600 that He also provides a word, not just a robe. 480 00:32:32,160 --> 00:32:35,160 They were told to rest a little longer. 481 00:32:35,640 --> 00:32:38,400 Meaning it was not a matter of if the Lord was going to judge 482 00:32:38,400 --> 00:32:44,120 those earth dwellers, but when He would do it, but at an 483 00:32:44,120 --> 00:32:46,680 appointed time. And He could not vindicate His 484 00:32:46,680 --> 00:32:48,640 people at the very moment they asked for it. 485 00:32:48,800 --> 00:32:50,200 For what reason? Why the delay? 486 00:32:50,360 --> 00:32:53,200 Because there was still more to be killed in the tribulation. 487 00:32:55,480 --> 00:32:58,320 This is amazing. God has a number in mind of how 488 00:32:58,320 --> 00:33:02,400 many were to be slain before He says enough is enough time to 489 00:33:02,400 --> 00:33:06,880 judge. He has a number of mind and I 490 00:33:06,880 --> 00:33:10,000 don't want to get ahead of myself here, but this one verse 491 00:33:10,000 --> 00:33:13,240 alone is so rich with application. 492 00:33:14,160 --> 00:33:18,680 Just verse 11 to begin. I don't know about you. 493 00:33:18,680 --> 00:33:22,600 I was tremendously helped by being reminded of one of the 494 00:33:22,600 --> 00:33:27,560 ways God answers our prayers. Sometimes yes, other times no. 495 00:33:27,720 --> 00:33:29,360 And the one that we struggle with the most. 496 00:33:29,880 --> 00:33:37,520 Wait, wait, how long? Go, Lord, just rest a little 497 00:33:37,520 --> 00:33:41,600 longer. And again, I understand this is 498 00:33:41,600 --> 00:33:43,800 a unique vision with a precise message. 499 00:33:44,240 --> 00:33:46,680 But here's here's a wonderful way of reading your Bible. 500 00:33:46,720 --> 00:33:51,120 Draw out the principle. What's the principle? 501 00:33:52,920 --> 00:33:57,840 The more I study my Bible, the more I'm convinced of this one 502 00:33:57,840 --> 00:33:59,400 truth concerning the character of God. 503 00:33:59,800 --> 00:34:01,560 You ready? He's never in a rush. 504 00:34:03,160 --> 00:34:06,000 You and I are. He's not ever. 505 00:34:06,200 --> 00:34:09,800 When he makes and molds his men and women, he takes his time. 506 00:34:10,040 --> 00:34:12,199 Sometimes he sticks them in the wilderness for a few years. 507 00:34:13,880 --> 00:34:17,560 He's patient with the process. And here's what's so striking 508 00:34:17,600 --> 00:34:21,800 when we come to the final script of human history. 509 00:34:22,320 --> 00:34:25,639 He's not in a rush either. How long, O Lord? 510 00:34:25,760 --> 00:34:30,400 Just wait a little longer. We're the antsy ones. 511 00:34:31,320 --> 00:34:33,000 We're the ones who try to push his hand. 512 00:34:33,600 --> 00:34:36,040 We're the one who tried to convince him to go ahead because 513 00:34:36,080 --> 00:34:37,760 maybe he's busy, He doesn't understand what's really 514 00:34:37,760 --> 00:34:41,920 happening. And at the same time, not only 515 00:34:41,920 --> 00:34:44,320 do I learn something about the Lord, I learned something about 516 00:34:44,320 --> 00:34:48,440 how we can wait. Well, what does he say? 517 00:34:49,239 --> 00:34:56,159 Rest a little longer. Rest while you wait. 518 00:34:57,880 --> 00:35:01,440 Relax. And if you need any motivation, 519 00:35:02,120 --> 00:35:09,200 no matter what you're trusting God to intervene for, be fixated 520 00:35:09,240 --> 00:35:13,160 on the reality of how He is sovereign over every detail. 521 00:35:13,160 --> 00:35:16,240 It's even here, I mentioned it already before. 522 00:35:17,600 --> 00:35:20,040 The Sovereign Lord here understands that there is a 523 00:35:20,040 --> 00:35:25,480 particular number when His Saints are going to die and how 524 00:35:25,480 --> 00:35:28,880 they're going to die. He's fully aware of this. 525 00:35:29,160 --> 00:35:31,280 He's supervising that element of their existence. 526 00:35:32,240 --> 00:35:36,520 And so if God here is clearly in charge about the way you and I 527 00:35:36,520 --> 00:35:41,680 exit this world, is He not equally careful about the 528 00:35:42,360 --> 00:35:45,440 moments and the milestones of your brief existence? 529 00:35:47,440 --> 00:35:52,080 He is so Lord, how long? I've been here for a while. 530 00:35:53,040 --> 00:35:56,440 Remember verse 11? I think what he says to them 531 00:35:56,760 --> 00:35:59,240 applies to us. Rest. 532 00:36:01,480 --> 00:36:06,520 Rest in my sovereignty, rest in my knowledge, rest in my wisdom, 533 00:36:07,680 --> 00:36:13,760 Rest. But more than that, I mentioned 534 00:36:13,760 --> 00:36:18,880 brief existence. I said this earlier and I'll say 535 00:36:18,880 --> 00:36:24,000 it in closing. Notice here in verse 11 how God 536 00:36:24,000 --> 00:36:28,520 refers to the heavenly dwelling place as also a place of rest. 537 00:36:29,560 --> 00:36:31,720 And that description comes up more than once in the Book of 538 00:36:31,720 --> 00:36:35,520 Revelation. And this blissful reality not 539 00:36:35,520 --> 00:36:38,480 only gives us hope for tomorrow, but it also must transform how 540 00:36:38,480 --> 00:36:42,800 we function and operate. Until then, I want you to go to 541 00:36:42,800 --> 00:36:46,240 another place where the Lord talks about the the Saints and 542 00:36:46,240 --> 00:36:47,640 the tribulation who will be slain. 543 00:36:47,680 --> 00:36:49,680 Look here at Revelation 14, verse 12. 544 00:36:52,800 --> 00:36:54,840 Again, we're looking at Revelation chronologically. 545 00:36:54,840 --> 00:36:59,120 So at this point some time has passed and yet even in chapter 546 00:36:59,120 --> 00:37:04,200 14, there's still more Christians who will die for the 547 00:37:04,200 --> 00:37:09,640 gospel as this world is governed by this Antichrist system. 548 00:37:10,040 --> 00:37:12,280 Notice what the Lord says in Revelation 14. 549 00:37:12,280 --> 00:37:16,320 Scroll down to verse 12. Here is a call for the endurance 550 00:37:16,320 --> 00:37:19,640 of the Saints, those who keep the commandments of God and 551 00:37:19,640 --> 00:37:22,680 their faith in Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven 552 00:37:22,680 --> 00:37:26,720 saying, write this, Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord 553 00:37:26,720 --> 00:37:30,200 from now on. Blessed indeed, says the Spirit. 554 00:37:30,240 --> 00:37:34,280 Oh, I guess the spirit talks. He's not an impersonal force. 555 00:37:34,960 --> 00:37:37,760 He's not just an energy, He's not just power. 556 00:37:38,040 --> 00:37:40,960 He talks. Blessed indeed, says the spirit, 557 00:37:41,240 --> 00:37:48,040 that they may rest from their laborers for their deeds follow 558 00:37:48,040 --> 00:37:52,800 them. Here is yet another description 559 00:37:53,240 --> 00:37:55,920 that the world to come will be a place of rest. 560 00:37:59,040 --> 00:38:00,280 Maybe you've met these Christians. 561 00:38:00,320 --> 00:38:03,360 I've met they're they're especially prevalent in America. 562 00:38:04,080 --> 00:38:07,760 Christians who spend all their energy and all their resources 563 00:38:07,760 --> 00:38:12,160 trying to make this world as close to heaven as possible. 564 00:38:16,520 --> 00:38:18,400 Nothing else is a priority to them. 565 00:38:19,960 --> 00:38:24,960 My comfort, my luxury. I want to do as much as I can, 566 00:38:25,800 --> 00:38:29,760 build as much as I can, spend as much as I can, invest as much as 567 00:38:29,760 --> 00:38:37,200 I can, forgetting that this is not your permanent home and the 568 00:38:37,680 --> 00:38:40,360 you can't deny this. The Lord delights in US enjoying 569 00:38:40,360 --> 00:38:42,080 things on this earth. There is no doubt they are 570 00:38:42,080 --> 00:38:46,040 expressions of His grace and goodness, your focus and mine. 571 00:38:46,120 --> 00:38:50,960 Brother and sister, our priority is not to plant ourselves in 572 00:38:50,960 --> 00:38:56,000 this world. There is a place of rest that 573 00:38:56,000 --> 00:39:01,880 awaits, and until then, Christ and His work is our goal. 574 00:39:02,880 --> 00:39:07,240 His Kingdom is what we advance. His purpose is what we push. 575 00:39:07,680 --> 00:39:12,000 His plan and His person is what we endeavor to know more and 576 00:39:12,000 --> 00:39:13,720 more. And it's the greatest joy of 577 00:39:13,720 --> 00:39:17,480 all. Look what the Spirit says. 578 00:39:17,480 --> 00:39:20,920 He says that those who die in the Lord will rest from their 579 00:39:20,920 --> 00:39:23,160 laborers. You know what the Greek word for 580 00:39:23,160 --> 00:39:30,000 laborers is taking a beating. Now you can limit this to how 581 00:39:30,000 --> 00:39:33,560 the Tribulation Saints will finally rest from all the 582 00:39:33,840 --> 00:39:37,800 harassment and the difficulties of trying to cling to their 583 00:39:37,800 --> 00:39:40,920 trust in God and the truth of the gospel while everything 584 00:39:40,920 --> 00:39:45,240 around them is against them. Sure, you can say that, but you 585 00:39:45,240 --> 00:39:48,960 can also understand it as the exhausting work and faithful 586 00:39:48,960 --> 00:39:50,960 service rendered to the Lord at that time. 587 00:39:54,000 --> 00:40:00,320 Their deeds will follow them. Now is the time to serve Him 588 00:40:01,240 --> 00:40:05,560 with everything that is in you. And one of the motivations to do 589 00:40:05,560 --> 00:40:11,280 that with such devotion and sacrifice is that our deeds, 590 00:40:11,280 --> 00:40:15,480 whatever we do here, will follow us and we'll be remembered and 591 00:40:15,480 --> 00:40:18,920 rewarded by our God. And here's what came to my mind 592 00:40:18,920 --> 00:40:20,960 this morning. Coming getting ready to come to 593 00:40:20,960 --> 00:40:24,280 church today. Whenever I get called home, I 594 00:40:24,280 --> 00:40:32,360 don't want crumbs to follow me because I got so wrapped up and 595 00:40:32,360 --> 00:40:34,880 I got bamboozled by the American dream. 596 00:40:39,080 --> 00:40:42,400 I don't want crumbs of good works to follow me. 597 00:40:42,680 --> 00:40:45,040 Now notice the good works follow. 598 00:40:46,040 --> 00:40:52,120 I'm not saved by good works. They follow us, We go marching 599 00:40:52,440 --> 00:40:55,400 into that place with our confidence in the finished work 600 00:40:55,400 --> 00:41:01,280 of Jesus Christ. At the same time, though, I am 601 00:41:01,280 --> 00:41:03,720 covered in his blood, though I am clothed in his righteousness. 602 00:41:04,680 --> 00:41:09,960 If it says here that my deeds follow me, I want to come with 603 00:41:09,960 --> 00:41:16,760 something of worth. I don't know about you, but 604 00:41:16,760 --> 00:41:20,320 that's what we learned here. Blessed are those who die in the 605 00:41:20,320 --> 00:41:23,120 Lord. And the Spirit says indeed, 606 00:41:23,840 --> 00:41:29,720 because rest is their promise. Anything that you know of pain, 607 00:41:29,800 --> 00:41:33,240 of disturbance, of difficulty in your faith for Christ is 608 00:41:33,240 --> 00:41:38,800 temporary. It's temporary, 10 seconds into 609 00:41:38,800 --> 00:41:42,440 eternity and all those things that seem to last for an 610 00:41:42,440 --> 00:41:48,280 eternity will disappear. All of those scars, all those 611 00:41:48,280 --> 00:41:51,400 challenges, all those things that made days feel like weeks 612 00:41:51,400 --> 00:41:57,200 and weeks feel like months, all of that will dissolve the moment 613 00:41:57,200 --> 00:41:59,680 you step foot into that golden shore. 614 00:42:04,480 --> 00:42:09,240 Before I get ahead of myself and say more, let me just end it 615 00:42:09,240 --> 00:42:12,640 here. Actually, I'm fully aware that 616 00:42:12,640 --> 00:42:16,080 if we, as we've been looking at this 5th seal, this assembly, 617 00:42:16,080 --> 00:42:21,080 this appeal, and this glorious assurance that some in this very 618 00:42:21,080 --> 00:42:26,600 room right now do not know the Jesus that I speak of, it's very 619 00:42:26,600 --> 00:42:29,040 possible. The Book of Revelation is a 620 00:42:29,040 --> 00:42:31,720 fascinating book. It can draw in a curious amount 621 00:42:31,720 --> 00:42:34,120 of people from different backgrounds and different 622 00:42:34,120 --> 00:42:38,080 intents. But let me end it with this 623 00:42:38,080 --> 00:42:42,160 thought. The Lord says blessed are those 624 00:42:42,720 --> 00:42:48,760 who die in the Lord. Every single one of us has an 625 00:42:48,760 --> 00:42:50,840 invisible expiration date on our lives. 626 00:42:51,600 --> 00:42:57,400 We don't know what it is, but it's certain we will all die. 627 00:42:58,680 --> 00:43:00,720 Church to tell people that all the time. 628 00:43:00,720 --> 00:43:05,200 By the way, because we have this invincibility complex, we think 629 00:43:05,200 --> 00:43:09,080 that we're immortal. No, you're going to die. 630 00:43:09,320 --> 00:43:11,760 The preacher's going to die. We're all going to die. 631 00:43:12,080 --> 00:43:13,120 But here's what I want to tell you. 632 00:43:13,160 --> 00:43:18,280 We can all die differently, not the way we die, but spiritually 633 00:43:18,280 --> 00:43:22,200 how we die. Here we learn that you can die 634 00:43:22,320 --> 00:43:26,800 in the Lord. That sounds good. 635 00:43:28,680 --> 00:43:30,200 The Spirit says it's actually a blessing. 636 00:43:31,680 --> 00:43:34,440 What's the alternative? Let me tell you what Jesus said 637 00:43:34,440 --> 00:43:38,320 in John 824. I told you that you would die in 638 00:43:38,320 --> 00:43:43,640 your sins. For unless you believe that I am 639 00:43:43,640 --> 00:43:48,200 He, you will die in your sins. Those are your only two options, 640 00:43:48,200 --> 00:43:51,600 friend. You'll either die in the Lord or 641 00:43:51,600 --> 00:43:56,160 die in your sins. One promises glory, the other 642 00:43:56,160 --> 00:44:00,280 one promises condemnation. So here's the question. 643 00:44:00,640 --> 00:44:03,640 How do I transfer from dying in my sins to dying in the Lord? 644 00:44:03,640 --> 00:44:06,200 Well, Jesus said it. You must believe that He is who 645 00:44:06,200 --> 00:44:08,600 He says He is. That's the way. 646 00:44:10,960 --> 00:44:13,360 And I want to present to you the Jesus of the Bible. 647 00:44:13,480 --> 00:44:14,560 You heard a little bit about Him. 648 00:44:16,240 --> 00:44:24,920 He is holy and He is love. He is God who took on flesh and 649 00:44:24,920 --> 00:44:28,440 He came to this world for a purpose to make a payment for 650 00:44:28,440 --> 00:44:30,920 your sins. Everything that you have done, 651 00:44:31,520 --> 00:44:36,280 every wicked deed, every carnal thought, every rebellious 652 00:44:36,280 --> 00:44:38,440 decision that you've made was accounted for. 653 00:44:38,920 --> 00:44:46,200 Jesus in His massive mega love, instead of destroying us, and 654 00:44:46,200 --> 00:44:50,320 yet every right to do so, instead extended an olive 655 00:44:50,320 --> 00:44:53,560 branch. And he chose to pave a way for 656 00:44:53,560 --> 00:44:57,400 us to be reconciled, though we were enemies, not just 657 00:44:57,400 --> 00:45:00,160 indifferent enemies. I'm not an enemy of Christ. 658 00:45:00,160 --> 00:45:02,240 The Bible says you are if you don't have him as Lord. 659 00:45:04,680 --> 00:45:08,320 And even though we were hostile against them, even though we 660 00:45:08,320 --> 00:45:11,840 hated His righteousness, even though we chose to be our own 661 00:45:11,840 --> 00:45:17,000 gods, and his great affection for us reaches out and says, I 662 00:45:17,000 --> 00:45:19,400 will do whatever it takes for you to be redeemed and 663 00:45:19,400 --> 00:45:22,120 reconciled unto me. And that's what he did on that 664 00:45:22,120 --> 00:45:26,360 cross. And now we are living in a 665 00:45:26,360 --> 00:45:28,360 period of grace. What you just heard in this past 666 00:45:28,360 --> 00:45:33,040 50 minutes speaks about a future time where that door of the 667 00:45:33,040 --> 00:45:36,560 grace of God being extended to humanity for centuries upon 668 00:45:36,560 --> 00:45:37,880 centuries. We're still in it. 669 00:45:38,280 --> 00:45:43,400 We'll come to a close and it'll be much more difficult during 670 00:45:43,400 --> 00:45:47,960 this time to accept Christ, with the cost for doing so being so 671 00:45:47,960 --> 00:45:51,040 severe. But while we're in this period, 672 00:45:52,800 --> 00:45:56,440 you have an opportunity to bend your knee to receive His 673 00:45:56,440 --> 00:46:00,360 forgiveness, and to live for why you were created. 674 00:46:01,360 --> 00:46:06,080 He wants to forgive you of every degree of offense and wrong and 675 00:46:06,080 --> 00:46:10,040 more than that, not just empty those things out, but fill you 676 00:46:10,040 --> 00:46:13,840 with His glory, His joy, His purity, and His purpose. 677 00:46:14,320 --> 00:46:16,640 You're saying this sounds too good to be true. 678 00:46:16,800 --> 00:46:20,160 It must require something of me. Well, this is what gospel means. 679 00:46:20,320 --> 00:46:24,440 Good news, good news. I come to you with good news 680 00:46:24,440 --> 00:46:28,040 today. You can be redeemed, you can be 681 00:46:28,040 --> 00:46:31,560 transformed, and you can know the God who made you. 682 00:46:33,080 --> 00:46:36,800 What do I do? You acknowledge who He says He 683 00:46:36,800 --> 00:46:39,440 is. I am the way I am the truth. 684 00:46:39,440 --> 00:46:42,080 I am the life. No one can come to the Father 685 00:46:42,080 --> 00:46:46,080 except through me. You acknowledge that if you say 686 00:46:46,080 --> 00:46:48,280 you're the only Savior, and you say that I'm a Sinner, that I 687 00:46:48,280 --> 00:46:50,120 humble myself. I'm not here to argue with you. 688 00:46:50,840 --> 00:46:53,720 I surrender. And in that moment, if you do so 689 00:46:53,720 --> 00:46:56,160 in sincerity, something supernatural will take place. 690 00:46:56,160 --> 00:46:59,040 You're not going to get some kind of certificate. 691 00:46:59,280 --> 00:47:01,120 You're not going to just get welcomed into some kind of a 692 00:47:01,320 --> 00:47:03,840 nonprofit organization. No, no, no, the breath of God, 693 00:47:03,840 --> 00:47:08,000 the life of God will fill you and you'll walk out of here 694 00:47:08,000 --> 00:47:13,920 lighter and you'll walk out of here knowing I'm saved, I'm 695 00:47:13,920 --> 00:47:19,920 saved, I have nothing to fear. I belong to Him. 696 00:47:19,920 --> 00:47:25,440 Do you have that assurance? You can have it today. 697 00:47:26,520 --> 00:47:32,400 Today can mark the day where you have heaven as your home and you 698 00:47:32,400 --> 00:47:35,280 can know the abundant life. Until then, this is the good 699 00:47:35,280 --> 00:47:37,520 news. Lord, we thank you for the 700 00:47:37,520 --> 00:47:40,600 service. We thank you how you've spoken 701 00:47:40,600 --> 00:47:45,640 to us in these three passages, these 3 verses, and we thank you 702 00:47:45,640 --> 00:47:55,420 for the glorious gospel. Lord, help us take advantage of 703 00:47:55,420 --> 00:47:56,860 the freedoms we have in this nation. 704 00:47:57,820 --> 00:48:00,340 Lord of these Saints, we're willing to be slain for the word 705 00:48:00,340 --> 00:48:02,420 of God and the testimony of Jesus. 706 00:48:03,260 --> 00:48:09,140 Help us be willing to live for it where there is no danger or 707 00:48:09,140 --> 00:48:13,760 threat for doing so. Only You can stimulate the heart 708 00:48:13,760 --> 00:48:16,400 in that direction by Your Spirit we just ask for it. 709 00:48:17,120 --> 00:48:19,880 So Lord, for the believer in large our hearts that mean we 710 00:48:19,880 --> 00:48:22,440 may run in the way of Your commandments, quicken us that we 711 00:48:22,440 --> 00:48:25,120 may call upon you. And Lord, for the person here 712 00:48:25,120 --> 00:48:28,960 who doesn't have the assurance that they are saved, may Your 713 00:48:28,960 --> 00:48:33,400 spirit go with them and convict the deepest parts of who they 714 00:48:33,400 --> 00:48:38,520 are, and hear Your voice and Your voice alone until they 715 00:48:38,520 --> 00:48:43,440 realize the sweetness of it, the joy of it, and give themselves 716 00:48:43,440 --> 00:48:45,840 to it. But we love you and we worship 717 00:48:45,840 --> 00:48:48,160 you. Even as we explore this 5th 718 00:48:48,160 --> 00:48:53,200 seal. We do not fear, for our future 719 00:48:53,840 --> 00:48:57,040 is a hopeful 1. And even if our bodies are 720 00:48:57,040 --> 00:49:00,560 killed, we should fear You instead. 721 00:49:01,040 --> 00:49:02,360 And we choose to give you our awe. 722 00:49:02,360 --> 00:49:05,640 This afternoon, in Jesus name we pray, Amen. 723 00:49:07,640 --> 00:49:10,240 Let's stand together, Church, and let's rejoice in our 724 00:49:10,240 --> 00:49:10,760 Redeemer.