1 00:00:01,320 --> 00:00:02,880 It's a pleasure to be with you here today. 2 00:00:04,280 --> 00:00:07,120 You know, as I was preparing this message, I was reminded 3 00:00:07,120 --> 00:00:11,440 that we often forget that when the Lord Jesus lived on the 4 00:00:11,440 --> 00:00:15,000 earth and ministered through his incomparable preaching and 5 00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:18,120 teaching, He did more than just explain what he would accomplish 6 00:00:18,120 --> 00:00:19,360 through his death and resurrection. 7 00:00:20,880 --> 00:00:25,600 He did more than just teach us how to worship the Father and 8 00:00:25,600 --> 00:00:27,440 treat one another, including our enemies. 9 00:00:29,080 --> 00:00:33,200 He did more than give us insight into the spiritual realm and the 10 00:00:33,200 --> 00:00:38,200 eternal world. He also predicted the future, 11 00:00:40,240 --> 00:00:46,240 and specifically, He told us in wonderful detail what the world 12 00:00:46,240 --> 00:00:50,360 will undergo in the period just before His return. 13 00:00:52,120 --> 00:00:56,160 Moreover, people often overlook that what Christ preached and 14 00:00:56,160 --> 00:01:02,800 prophesied about the end of the world is expanded and given to 15 00:01:02,800 --> 00:01:07,720 us in further detail in the very last book of the Bible, the Book 16 00:01:07,720 --> 00:01:11,960 of Revelation. Which means that the recorded 17 00:01:11,960 --> 00:01:17,320 words of Jesus in the Gospels regarding that era known as the 18 00:01:17,320 --> 00:01:21,560 Tribulation period is, is just a summary of what would later be 19 00:01:21,560 --> 00:01:27,000 fleshed out through the Apostle John in the final account of 20 00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:33,360 Holy Writ. And before we look at this study 21 00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:37,960 and these incredibly precise prophecies in the Book of 22 00:01:37,960 --> 00:01:40,960 Revelation, I want us to be reminded about a certain comment 23 00:01:40,960 --> 00:01:45,240 that Jesus Christ himself made about that era that is quite 24 00:01:45,240 --> 00:01:47,360 sobering. So usually at this point I would 25 00:01:47,360 --> 00:01:49,480 invite you to the Book of Revelation, but let's take a 26 00:01:49,480 --> 00:01:54,600 peek in the book of Matthew in chapter 24 looking at verse 21, 27 00:01:58,240 --> 00:02:01,000 Matthew 24, beginning in verse 21, 28 00:02:11,450 --> 00:02:15,410 Jesus Christ says here, for then there will be great tribulation, 29 00:02:15,410 --> 00:02:18,970 such as not been from the beginning of the world until 30 00:02:18,970 --> 00:02:20,610 now. No and never will be. 31 00:02:20,610 --> 00:02:26,490 And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would 32 00:02:26,490 --> 00:02:29,970 be saved. But for the sake of the elect, 33 00:02:30,570 --> 00:02:35,240 those days will be cut short. Now what does Christ mean when 34 00:02:35,240 --> 00:02:39,160 he says those days? If those days had not been cut 35 00:02:39,160 --> 00:02:41,520 short, no human being would be saved. 36 00:02:41,520 --> 00:02:45,600 It's it's quite simple, though perhaps for some difficult to 37 00:02:45,600 --> 00:02:52,440 accept. If the Lord did not in his 38 00:02:52,440 --> 00:02:56,520 permission to unleash all these calamities and catastrophes 39 00:02:56,520 --> 00:02:59,960 which are manifestations of his wrath and holy justice, if he 40 00:02:59,960 --> 00:03:02,640 did not determine an end to them, if they went on 41 00:03:02,640 --> 00:03:06,280 indefinitely, no one would be able to survive. 42 00:03:07,280 --> 00:03:10,640 It would be absolute and complete annihilation. 43 00:03:12,720 --> 00:03:17,440 And this speaks to the severity of God's wrath toward those in 44 00:03:17,440 --> 00:03:21,880 that final generation. At the same time, it also 45 00:03:21,880 --> 00:03:26,560 reveals to us that God's judgment will not be executed 46 00:03:27,240 --> 00:03:29,640 arbitrarily. It will not be uncontrolled. 47 00:03:30,800 --> 00:03:35,480 It will be calculated, it will be orderly, and it will end at a 48 00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:39,680 determined point. And we are going to be reminded 49 00:03:39,680 --> 00:03:44,360 of this as we look at the fascinating visions that amplify 50 00:03:44,360 --> 00:03:48,560 what Christ taught in this very chapter in Matthew as we look to 51 00:03:48,600 --> 00:03:51,720 Revelation chapter 16. So now let's turn to our main 52 00:03:51,720 --> 00:03:55,320 text and read from verse one down to verse 9. 53 00:03:56,440 --> 00:03:59,920 As many of you know, what we find here is the final sequence 54 00:03:59,920 --> 00:04:04,080 of the Lord's judgment before he revamps and transformed this 55 00:04:04,080 --> 00:04:10,360 very world through the reign of the promised physical Son of God 56 00:04:10,360 --> 00:04:15,200 and his Kingdom. And this final sequence is known 57 00:04:15,200 --> 00:04:18,880 as the seven bowls of God's wrath. 58 00:04:20,600 --> 00:04:22,560 We've already examined the seven seals. 59 00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:24,320 We already studied the seven trumpets. 60 00:04:24,320 --> 00:04:28,760 But after this last series, there is no further judgement of 61 00:04:28,760 --> 00:04:32,680 this magnitude to come. What you and I are about to 62 00:04:32,680 --> 00:04:37,320 enter is the last of the last of God's wrath in the Tribulation 63 00:04:37,320 --> 00:04:39,840 period. This is it. 64 00:04:40,720 --> 00:04:44,040 This is a significant turning point in our study of the end 65 00:04:44,040 --> 00:04:47,720 times, and we will not rush through this chapter because 66 00:04:47,720 --> 00:04:50,400 there is much that it has to offer. 67 00:04:51,280 --> 00:04:54,600 And one way of organizing these seven bowls of God's wrath in 68 00:04:54,600 --> 00:04:57,560 our understanding is by realizing that they are 69 00:04:57,560 --> 00:05:03,440 organized in three main parts. The first four bowls are 70 00:05:03,440 --> 00:05:06,840 designated to affect the natural world. 71 00:05:08,360 --> 00:05:12,680 The 5th and the 6th bowl will be directed towards the political 72 00:05:12,680 --> 00:05:16,560 realm of that time, namely the Kingdom of the Antichrist and 73 00:05:16,560 --> 00:05:21,680 the rulers of all nations. And finally, the 7th bowl is the 74 00:05:21,680 --> 00:05:27,240 apex of all judgments. This is going to be poured out 75 00:05:27,240 --> 00:05:30,640 symbolically as we're going to read in the next few weeks, and 76 00:05:30,640 --> 00:05:34,560 it is going to be the final cleansing agent that will wipe 77 00:05:34,560 --> 00:05:37,920 the world clean before Christ ushers in the fullness of His 78 00:05:37,920 --> 00:05:41,400 Kingdom on the earth. And for the sake of time today, 79 00:05:41,400 --> 00:05:45,120 we will consider the first four bowls this afternoon and see 80 00:05:45,120 --> 00:05:50,960 what God will do in creation as He is wrapping things up. 81 00:05:51,880 --> 00:05:55,480 The very closing moments of human history are before us in 82 00:05:55,480 --> 00:05:59,480 this prophecy, and it should sober us, and it should remind 83 00:05:59,480 --> 00:06:02,320 us of the great majesty of our God, among other things that we 84 00:06:02,320 --> 00:06:05,880 will see today. So let's look at it, the first 85 00:06:05,880 --> 00:06:07,680 four bowls beginning in verse one. 86 00:06:09,880 --> 00:06:13,200 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple telling the seven 87 00:06:13,200 --> 00:06:15,800 angels go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the 88 00:06:15,800 --> 00:06:18,760 wrath of God. So the first Angel went and 89 00:06:18,760 --> 00:06:21,680 poured out his bowl on the earth, and harmful and painful 90 00:06:21,680 --> 00:06:24,920 sores came upon the people who bore the mark of the beast and 91 00:06:24,920 --> 00:06:28,200 worshipped its image. The second Angel poured out his 92 00:06:28,200 --> 00:06:31,640 bowl into the sea and it became like the blood of a corpse and 93 00:06:31,640 --> 00:06:33,800 every living thing died that was in the sea. 94 00:06:34,720 --> 00:06:37,080 The third Angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the 95 00:06:37,080 --> 00:06:39,160 springs of water, and they became blood. 96 00:06:40,080 --> 00:06:43,560 And I heard the Angel in charge of the water say, Just are you, 97 00:06:43,560 --> 00:06:47,840 O Holy One, who is and who was? For you brought these judgments, 98 00:06:48,480 --> 00:06:50,680 for they have shed the blood of Saints and prophets, and you 99 00:06:50,680 --> 00:06:54,080 have given them blood to drink. It is what they deserve. 100 00:06:55,400 --> 00:06:58,720 And I heard the altar saying, Yes, Lord God the Almighty, true 101 00:06:58,720 --> 00:07:01,840 and just are your judgments. The 4th Angel poured out his 102 00:07:01,840 --> 00:07:04,680 bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people with 103 00:07:04,680 --> 00:07:07,320 fire. They were scorched by the fierce 104 00:07:07,320 --> 00:07:11,680 heat and they cursed the name of God who had power over these 105 00:07:11,680 --> 00:07:16,680 plagues. They did not repent and give him 106 00:07:17,160 --> 00:07:22,120 glory. Father, we choose to give you 107 00:07:22,120 --> 00:07:27,160 glory today. We choose to repent because we 108 00:07:27,160 --> 00:07:31,520 know that in repentance we find life, we find forgiveness, we 109 00:07:31,520 --> 00:07:34,640 find mercy. We pray Lord, that as we look at 110 00:07:34,640 --> 00:07:40,720 these verses, you would captivate us, make these truths 111 00:07:40,720 --> 00:07:43,440 real to us. Oh Lord, we're fully aware that 112 00:07:43,440 --> 00:07:49,560 even looking at these horrifying prophecies we can allow our 113 00:07:49,560 --> 00:07:54,200 minds to wander. Instead, we pray that every word 114 00:07:54,200 --> 00:08:00,200 that will be shared would arrest us as we realize the reality of 115 00:08:00,200 --> 00:08:04,800 who you are and rejoice in it. In Jesus name we pray. 116 00:08:05,600 --> 00:08:09,440 Amen. Let's look at these bowls one by 117 00:08:09,440 --> 00:08:12,040 one, shall we? We look at the first one in 118 00:08:12,040 --> 00:08:16,880 verses 1 to 2, and we notice that this bowl, when it is 119 00:08:16,880 --> 00:08:19,560 poured out, will be poured out on the earth. 120 00:08:19,600 --> 00:08:22,200 Remember, the first four bowls deal with creation, deal with 121 00:08:22,200 --> 00:08:26,000 the natural order. And this first Angel, without 122 00:08:26,000 --> 00:08:29,200 hesitation, responds to the voice from the temple in heaven, 123 00:08:29,200 --> 00:08:35,320 which is God speaking, and he lets out what seems to be a 124 00:08:35,320 --> 00:08:40,840 plague that harms the body. It says here in verse 2 that the 125 00:08:40,840 --> 00:08:42,840 Angel, the first Angel, went out and poured out his bowl in the 126 00:08:42,840 --> 00:08:44,720 earth. And harmful and painful sores 127 00:08:45,000 --> 00:08:47,400 came upon the people. The people. 128 00:08:48,280 --> 00:08:51,480 Now, what are these sores? There's a lot of speculation, 129 00:08:51,480 --> 00:08:54,520 but most likely we're talking about cancerous tumors. 130 00:08:55,880 --> 00:08:58,720 We're talking about severe agitation to the flesh. 131 00:08:59,800 --> 00:09:04,920 We're talking about something that will be of great magnitude 132 00:09:04,920 --> 00:09:10,960 in terms of the pain and the distress and the discomfort, but 133 00:09:10,960 --> 00:09:14,400 we have to be very careful. God is not, again, arbitrarily 134 00:09:14,400 --> 00:09:20,720 just letting loose this act. It is aimed at a particular 135 00:09:20,720 --> 00:09:24,840 group, and that group here in verse 2 are those who bore the 136 00:09:24,840 --> 00:09:27,600 mark of the beast and worship its image. 137 00:09:29,480 --> 00:09:35,680 This is quite interesting. We find here that the mark of 138 00:09:35,680 --> 00:09:38,960 the beast is something that people will wear, will brand 139 00:09:38,960 --> 00:09:43,320 themselves with in this period of human history as a way of 140 00:09:43,320 --> 00:09:45,760 pledging their allegiance to somebody who will one day rule 141 00:09:45,760 --> 00:09:47,880 the world and claim himself to be God. 142 00:09:49,360 --> 00:09:53,160 And in doing so, they are actually trying to preserve 143 00:09:53,160 --> 00:09:56,400 their own survival. Remember, the Antichrist is 144 00:09:56,400 --> 00:10:01,000 going to coerce the masses to give their devotion to him. 145 00:10:01,600 --> 00:10:04,920 And so in order to spare themselves from economic 146 00:10:04,920 --> 00:10:09,080 distress and to ultimately escape the death penalty, many 147 00:10:09,080 --> 00:10:12,360 people will bow their knee to the Antichrist. 148 00:10:13,400 --> 00:10:17,600 And what's so startling is that whatever provision or promise 149 00:10:17,600 --> 00:10:21,480 the Antichrist makes for these people who think that this is 150 00:10:21,480 --> 00:10:26,000 the best choice that I have in this time of uncertainty and 151 00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:27,960 calamity, this is the best option. 152 00:10:28,800 --> 00:10:32,120 Well, ultimately he will fail to protect them and provide for 153 00:10:32,120 --> 00:10:35,600 them in the greatest time of need when God's wrath shows up. 154 00:10:38,360 --> 00:10:40,400 And there are a couple of very important truths that we can 155 00:10:40,400 --> 00:10:43,600 draw from this. The first is that most people, 156 00:10:43,600 --> 00:10:48,120 even today, not just then but now, make decisions without 157 00:10:48,120 --> 00:10:53,280 accounting for judgment day. They don't factor in that final 158 00:10:53,280 --> 00:10:57,680 day of accountability. So they plan and they purchase 159 00:10:58,240 --> 00:11:02,800 and they pursue and they invest thinking that whatever I do in 160 00:11:02,800 --> 00:11:04,920 this life is all to my existence. 161 00:11:07,000 --> 00:11:08,240 And that's what people will do then. 162 00:11:10,240 --> 00:11:12,600 But if you know the Bible, then you are aware that over over 163 00:11:12,600 --> 00:11:16,560 again in the Scriptures we are reminded that yes, a majority of 164 00:11:16,560 --> 00:11:21,880 people will in fact live to profit in this age alone while 165 00:11:21,880 --> 00:11:25,080 forfeiting everything else in the life to come. 166 00:11:25,720 --> 00:11:27,360 And we have to avoid that temptation. 167 00:11:28,840 --> 00:11:35,520 In Proverbs 11 verse 4, the Holy Spirit says riches do not profit 168 00:11:35,520 --> 00:11:39,000 in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from 169 00:11:39,000 --> 00:11:42,960 death. Riches can offer a lot in this 170 00:11:42,960 --> 00:11:46,880 world, but God shows us in the single verse, and we find it 171 00:11:46,880 --> 00:11:51,960 throughout the pages of the Word of God, that riches can offer 172 00:11:51,960 --> 00:11:55,560 you nothing when it comes to the most important thing about you, 173 00:11:56,200 --> 00:12:02,920 what will happen to your soul? And that's what we find here, a 174 00:12:02,920 --> 00:12:06,280 clear example of those who accepted the mark and who may 175 00:12:06,280 --> 00:12:08,320 have counted themselves among the winners. 176 00:12:08,320 --> 00:12:11,480 One of those Christians rejecting the mark of the beast 177 00:12:11,480 --> 00:12:12,880 because of their allegiance to Jesus. 178 00:12:12,880 --> 00:12:14,520 Is Jesus helping you now to survive? 179 00:12:14,680 --> 00:12:18,040 Does Jesus put food on your dinner table for your family? 180 00:12:18,240 --> 00:12:23,440 Antichrist does. Where are the answers in your 181 00:12:23,440 --> 00:12:25,440 Christian faith? With all the disasters around 182 00:12:25,440 --> 00:12:27,720 us, Antichrist seems to provide some help. 183 00:12:30,280 --> 00:12:33,600 But whatever winning they think that they are enjoying is but 184 00:12:33,600 --> 00:12:36,160 for a brief time. In fact, those who rejected the 185 00:12:36,160 --> 00:12:41,120 mark, namely Christians, and suffered because of it end up 186 00:12:41,120 --> 00:12:43,280 escaping something far more costly. 187 00:12:46,120 --> 00:12:50,560 Many people make decisions without taking into account 188 00:12:51,080 --> 00:12:56,760 Judgement Day. Secondly, we also find here that 189 00:12:56,760 --> 00:12:59,840 this first bowl illustrates the painful outcome of false 190 00:12:59,840 --> 00:13:05,600 worship, the results of placing your adoration, your devotion 191 00:13:05,600 --> 00:13:08,360 towards something or someone else apart from God. 192 00:13:09,920 --> 00:13:13,360 There is irony in this plague. Think about it. 193 00:13:13,720 --> 00:13:17,160 You had this group, the masses, the nations, marking themselves 194 00:13:17,160 --> 00:13:21,280 on their right hand or their forehead in order to pledge 195 00:13:21,280 --> 00:13:24,760 their loyalty to this man. And when God pours out this 196 00:13:24,760 --> 00:13:29,480 first of the last of judgments, He inflicts their bodies. 197 00:13:32,440 --> 00:13:34,360 And when you look at this more carefully, you have to 198 00:13:34,360 --> 00:13:38,200 understand that this disease that breaks out did not just 199 00:13:38,200 --> 00:13:41,120 come for the afternoon. We get the impression from the 200 00:13:41,120 --> 00:13:45,120 context that it was lasting, didn't just disappear after a 201 00:13:45,120 --> 00:13:48,840 few minutes. Look at Revelation 16 verse 10 202 00:13:49,160 --> 00:13:52,760 to get confirmation of that. It says here the 5th Angel 203 00:13:52,760 --> 00:13:55,360 poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast and its 204 00:13:55,360 --> 00:13:57,120 Kingdom was plunged Into Darkness. 205 00:13:57,480 --> 00:14:01,520 People nod their tongues in anguish and curse the God of 206 00:14:01,520 --> 00:14:05,440 heaven for their pain and sores. So by the 5th bowl the sores are 207 00:14:05,440 --> 00:14:09,600 still there. They did not repent of their 208 00:14:09,600 --> 00:14:13,880 deeds. Brothers and sisters, please 209 00:14:14,600 --> 00:14:17,200 lean in and hear this. This is just one of the many 210 00:14:17,200 --> 00:14:20,800 examples in the Bible that there is a kind of worship we offer 211 00:14:21,080 --> 00:14:26,360 that brings us lasting peace, and there is a kind of worship 212 00:14:26,360 --> 00:14:28,880 that we can engage in that invites lasting pain. 213 00:14:30,520 --> 00:14:33,080 You know what's the difference? You know what makes a 214 00:14:33,080 --> 00:14:34,960 difference? The object of your worship. 215 00:14:38,960 --> 00:14:45,760 If you and I give our affection and our submission and our love 216 00:14:46,800 --> 00:14:53,000 toward anything above God, it may provide immediate relief, 217 00:14:54,000 --> 00:14:58,960 may give you a sense of pleasure, it may offer you the 218 00:14:58,960 --> 00:15:01,800 identity in the wholeness that you've been looking for your 219 00:15:01,800 --> 00:15:07,800 whole life. But whatever it may offer, I 220 00:15:07,800 --> 00:15:11,440 tell you based on the authority of God's Word, it will always be 221 00:15:11,440 --> 00:15:18,840 followed by sorrow, because the blessings of worship can only be 222 00:15:18,840 --> 00:15:22,880 realized when they are directed towards the one who alone 223 00:15:22,960 --> 00:15:26,400 deserves the worship. That's God. 224 00:15:27,320 --> 00:15:29,520 You know many people are familiar with Psalm 16, verse 225 00:15:29,520 --> 00:15:31,760 11. You have made note to me, the 226 00:15:31,760 --> 00:15:36,760 paths of life at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. 227 00:15:36,760 --> 00:15:38,760 In your presence there is fullness of joy. 228 00:15:38,760 --> 00:15:44,160 We love that it. It shows the endless pleasure 229 00:15:44,160 --> 00:15:48,400 that God gives us in His presence, the uninterrupted joy 230 00:15:48,400 --> 00:15:51,600 that is found in Him. And yet many people fail to 231 00:15:51,600 --> 00:15:55,000 understand that David also said something about place. 232 00:15:55,000 --> 00:15:57,360 Placing your sorrow and something apart from God or 233 00:15:57,360 --> 00:16:00,320 placing your substance and your satisfaction is something apart 234 00:16:00,320 --> 00:16:03,400 from God. In verse 4 of that same Psalm, 235 00:16:03,400 --> 00:16:07,680 he says the sorrows of those who run after another God shall 236 00:16:07,680 --> 00:16:10,920 multiply. That's often not quoted. 237 00:16:13,760 --> 00:16:15,920 You chase anything else more than God. 238 00:16:18,080 --> 00:16:19,920 You adore anything else more than God. 239 00:16:19,920 --> 00:16:21,920 You serve anything else more than God. 240 00:16:23,000 --> 00:16:26,000 What's guaranteed is the multiplication of sorrow. 241 00:16:27,200 --> 00:16:29,160 That is just a part of God's order of things. 242 00:16:29,160 --> 00:16:32,760 It is established in His law because you and I were created 243 00:16:32,760 --> 00:16:37,200 to love Him supremely. So we all have the choice, 244 00:16:37,640 --> 00:16:42,120 finding the fullness of joy and the the joy of of his presence 245 00:16:42,120 --> 00:16:45,560 and his bliss and his fellowship that will never be taken from 246 00:16:45,560 --> 00:16:50,480 us, that will never run dry, or the chase after anything else 247 00:16:50,480 --> 00:16:53,840 that tries to persuade you. And sorrow will be met. 248 00:16:53,840 --> 00:16:59,160 Certainly that's what we'll see at the end of times. 249 00:16:59,480 --> 00:17:03,080 People will pursue the Antichrist thinking that he is 250 00:17:03,080 --> 00:17:08,280 their answer and in the end they are met with sores and much 251 00:17:08,280 --> 00:17:10,839 sorrow. Let's look at the second bowl in 252 00:17:10,839 --> 00:17:13,400 verse 3. The second Angel poured out his 253 00:17:13,400 --> 00:17:15,920 bowl into the sea, and it became like the blood of a corpse and 254 00:17:15,920 --> 00:17:18,440 every living thing died that was in the sea. 255 00:17:19,880 --> 00:17:22,760 So again the 1st 4 bowls deal with nature. 256 00:17:22,760 --> 00:17:26,680 Now we go from something being poured on the earth and that 257 00:17:26,680 --> 00:17:29,840 speaks namely about those who inhabit the earth, to now a 258 00:17:29,840 --> 00:17:33,040 second Angel pouring out his bowl into the sea. 259 00:17:33,040 --> 00:17:36,640 And all we have to mark from the second bowl is the fact that 260 00:17:36,640 --> 00:17:39,120 every living thing died that was in the sea. 261 00:17:40,040 --> 00:17:43,160 Now, why is that significant? I'll tell you one reason. 262 00:17:44,160 --> 00:17:47,240 Yes, it illustrates just how devastating this blow will be on 263 00:17:47,240 --> 00:17:50,440 the economy of this generation, but it also is another 264 00:17:50,440 --> 00:17:53,000 confirmation of the way the Book of Revelation should be 265 00:17:53,000 --> 00:17:56,480 interpreted. There are alternative views of 266 00:17:56,480 --> 00:18:01,040 how we should unpack this set of prophecies, and one way that you 267 00:18:01,040 --> 00:18:04,240 and I can ground ourselves in the proper way is by 268 00:18:04,240 --> 00:18:11,280 understanding that Revelation is generally chronological, and so 269 00:18:11,440 --> 00:18:15,400 this is one other proof text for that truth. 270 00:18:15,800 --> 00:18:18,520 So we see that the sea is being harmed here, but this is not the 271 00:18:18,520 --> 00:18:20,840 first time that the sea was affected by God. 272 00:18:22,000 --> 00:18:24,720 This is the bold judgments. But let's rewind to the trumpet 273 00:18:24,720 --> 00:18:26,520 judgments. Come with me to Revelation 8, 274 00:18:26,520 --> 00:18:29,520 verse 8, and I'll tell you in a second why all of this is 275 00:18:29,520 --> 00:18:38,950 important. Revelation 8, verse 8, it says 276 00:18:38,950 --> 00:18:40,790 here the second Angel blew his trumpet. 277 00:18:40,870 --> 00:18:44,070 These are judgments that happened some time before this 278 00:18:44,070 --> 00:18:46,230 bold judgment. The second Angel blew his 279 00:18:46,230 --> 00:18:48,950 trumpet and something like a great mountain burning with fire 280 00:18:48,950 --> 00:18:52,030 was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood. 281 00:18:52,480 --> 00:18:55,040 1/3 of the living creatures was in the sea that died, and a 282 00:18:55,040 --> 00:18:57,080 third of the ships were destroyed. 283 00:18:57,080 --> 00:19:00,080 It's clear, isn't it? There's an escalation taking 284 00:19:00,080 --> 00:19:04,440 place here, and there are some who propose otherwise, and it 285 00:19:04,440 --> 00:19:06,920 really confuses the simplicity of the unfolding of these 286 00:19:06,920 --> 00:19:10,840 prophecies. All I'm saying is take this 287 00:19:10,840 --> 00:19:15,480 text, tuck it away in your heart if you're ever challenged by a 288 00:19:15,480 --> 00:19:18,760 viewer perspective of this book that calls you to abandon the 289 00:19:18,760 --> 00:19:24,040 simple timeline of it, because understanding how this all flows 290 00:19:24,040 --> 00:19:27,600 has greater implications of how we view the end times than we 291 00:19:27,600 --> 00:19:32,880 might think. So things are getting worse. 292 00:19:33,160 --> 00:19:38,200 Things are getting more intense, things are leading up to the 293 00:19:38,200 --> 00:19:42,280 culmination of the age. OK, but is there any practical 294 00:19:42,280 --> 00:19:43,920 insight with the second bowl? Absolutely. 295 00:19:43,920 --> 00:19:45,880 You ready for this? It's simple. 296 00:19:46,440 --> 00:19:48,160 God's patience has virtually run out. 297 00:19:49,760 --> 00:19:54,200 Time is up. The reason why he only affected 298 00:19:54,200 --> 00:19:57,880 1/3 of the sea and 1/3 of virtually most of the natural 299 00:19:57,880 --> 00:20:01,720 world and the trumpet judgment is because he still gave them a 300 00:20:01,720 --> 00:20:03,640 chance. He didn't completely obliterate 301 00:20:03,640 --> 00:20:10,200 it, He still dispensed mercy. But they they keep rejecting it. 302 00:20:10,600 --> 00:20:12,800 And so now you come to this moment and you realize he's 303 00:20:12,800 --> 00:20:16,600 actually removing everything. Enough is enough. 304 00:20:19,360 --> 00:20:23,560 Human history is coming to a close, and the world is being 305 00:20:23,560 --> 00:20:27,480 prepared as it is being cleansed, for the Son of God to 306 00:20:27,480 --> 00:20:32,160 renew it and to cover it with His glory in a way that humanity 307 00:20:32,160 --> 00:20:36,520 has never experienced. How does that impact you and I? 308 00:20:37,120 --> 00:20:40,560 Here's how it does. This future reality reminds us 309 00:20:40,560 --> 00:20:47,000 of just how fragile our world is, just how flimsy you and I 310 00:20:47,000 --> 00:20:50,560 are. Have you ever just gone about 311 00:20:50,560 --> 00:20:52,480 your day and thought to yourself, who's holding all of 312 00:20:52,480 --> 00:20:57,000 this together? Well, in Genesis, you and I 313 00:20:57,000 --> 00:21:00,280 learned that with a word, God spoke everything into existence. 314 00:21:00,520 --> 00:21:03,120 And in Revelation, we learned that with a word, He can bring 315 00:21:03,120 --> 00:21:06,320 an end to absolutely everything with a word. 316 00:21:08,720 --> 00:21:12,760 And today, according to Hebrews, all of our systems are in order. 317 00:21:14,160 --> 00:21:19,560 We get to go fishing. We get to have food, we get to 318 00:21:19,560 --> 00:21:21,840 have clear skies, we get to have rain. 319 00:21:22,440 --> 00:21:25,400 The sun is placed exactly where it needs to be positioned not to 320 00:21:25,400 --> 00:21:31,240 destroy us because God upholds it with the power of his word. 321 00:21:33,320 --> 00:21:35,360 And there's a time coming with with that same word. 322 00:21:35,360 --> 00:21:40,440 He'll say destroy it and it will be destroyed and nobody can stop 323 00:21:40,440 --> 00:21:43,440 it. Be humbled today. 324 00:21:44,800 --> 00:21:48,920 I'm humbled. I'm borrowing my next breath 325 00:21:49,280 --> 00:21:52,680 from Him. My heart is beating because of 326 00:21:52,680 --> 00:21:58,520 His mercy, and so is yours. All these politicians and all 327 00:21:58,520 --> 00:22:00,920 these people in power thinking that they can actually determine 328 00:22:00,920 --> 00:22:03,480 things. You are at the mercy of Almighty 329 00:22:03,480 --> 00:22:06,520 God. You can't even tie your shoe 330 00:22:06,520 --> 00:22:14,080 without God's permission. And so God is humbling these 331 00:22:14,080 --> 00:22:16,920 sinners, but it doesn't mean that the Saints can't be 332 00:22:16,920 --> 00:22:19,200 humbled. We must be humbled and we must 333 00:22:19,200 --> 00:22:25,520 remember your God. We come to the third bowl in 334 00:22:25,520 --> 00:22:27,920 verses 4 to 7. This is something very unique in 335 00:22:27,920 --> 00:22:34,120 comparison to the other bowls. It says here in verse 4, the 336 00:22:34,120 --> 00:22:38,600 third Angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs 337 00:22:38,600 --> 00:22:41,520 of water, and they became blood, very similar to what happened 338 00:22:41,520 --> 00:22:43,240 with the sea. But then there's this 339 00:22:43,240 --> 00:22:47,120 interruption. An angel's about to speak. 340 00:22:49,080 --> 00:22:52,960 And the reason for that is because we go from the sea to 341 00:22:53,200 --> 00:22:56,920 different bodies of water being contaminated, namely rivers and 342 00:22:56,920 --> 00:22:58,080 springs of water. So what? 343 00:22:58,080 --> 00:23:00,160 What kind of practical implications does this have? 344 00:23:00,720 --> 00:23:02,520 People can't have drinking water anymore. 345 00:23:04,600 --> 00:23:06,880 That's a problem. For obvious reasons. 346 00:23:06,880 --> 00:23:11,880 The basic necessity for survival is now removed from the world. 347 00:23:14,040 --> 00:23:17,920 And the readers perhaps looking at this, maybe you're thinking 348 00:23:17,920 --> 00:23:21,800 this and you're wrestling now because you're trying to 349 00:23:21,800 --> 00:23:25,200 reconcile this God who claims to be a God of love and compassion. 350 00:23:27,280 --> 00:23:30,200 And we haven't even get past the third bowl and he's already 351 00:23:30,200 --> 00:23:33,120 removed water from people's lips. 352 00:23:35,360 --> 00:23:39,520 He's cut off the refreshment, the replenishment, their fuel. 353 00:23:41,720 --> 00:23:44,160 We know there are some parts of the world now where people don't 354 00:23:44,160 --> 00:23:48,560 have access to clean water. Imagine the entire world being 355 00:23:48,560 --> 00:23:57,000 stripped of that gift. Nowhere to go, no supply, no 356 00:23:57,000 --> 00:24:01,240 nation that is a safe haven. No matter where you look, the 357 00:24:01,240 --> 00:24:04,640 news breaks out. There is nothing for us to 358 00:24:04,640 --> 00:24:07,600 drink. Imagine the carnage. 359 00:24:08,480 --> 00:24:11,720 Imagine the added frustration of those who are already trying to 360 00:24:11,720 --> 00:24:16,280 deal with their sores and businesses that have been run to 361 00:24:16,280 --> 00:24:18,520 the ground because the sea is now poisoned. 362 00:24:18,960 --> 00:24:22,280 And now, before you can even blink, there is nothing for me 363 00:24:22,280 --> 00:24:25,960 to put to these dry, calloused lips. 364 00:24:28,520 --> 00:24:32,280 Who is this God? And we're ready to sit on the 365 00:24:32,280 --> 00:24:34,920 judgment seat and analyze him and accuse him. 366 00:24:35,240 --> 00:24:37,600 And an Angel speaks to his defense. 367 00:24:38,640 --> 00:24:41,240 The Holy Spirit knows how we're thinking and he knows 368 00:24:41,240 --> 00:24:44,200 potentially what we're dealing with in our own hearts. 369 00:24:44,200 --> 00:24:46,880 So notice what happens at this point. 370 00:24:48,560 --> 00:24:52,360 There's an answer, verse 5. And I heard the Angel in charge 371 00:24:52,360 --> 00:24:56,560 of the water say, just are you a holy One who is and who was for 372 00:24:56,560 --> 00:24:59,840 you brought these judgments, for they have shed the blood of 373 00:24:59,840 --> 00:25:02,120 Saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink. 374 00:25:02,160 --> 00:25:07,640 It is what they deserve. Simply put, God is not doing 375 00:25:07,640 --> 00:25:11,680 this out of cruelty. He's not being unpredictable. 376 00:25:11,840 --> 00:25:15,760 He doesn't have sudden mood changes, and he just felt like 377 00:25:15,760 --> 00:25:17,440 doing this because he's sadistic. 378 00:25:18,720 --> 00:25:21,400 The first thing you and I encounter at this point that 379 00:25:21,400 --> 00:25:25,760 we're trying to make sense of how these events and how these 380 00:25:25,760 --> 00:25:31,400 acts reflect His heart of mercy and grace is that He's also 381 00:25:31,400 --> 00:25:39,760 just. He's holy and to affirm God's 382 00:25:39,760 --> 00:25:42,280 righteousness in these acts, the Angel brings to our attention 383 00:25:42,400 --> 00:25:46,600 something that we probably have forgotten, that those who are 384 00:25:46,600 --> 00:25:49,840 facing such suffering deserve it. 385 00:25:52,640 --> 00:25:57,680 They have massacred Christians across the world in a way that 386 00:25:57,680 --> 00:26:02,440 the church has never seen. The greatest slaughter of 387 00:26:02,440 --> 00:26:04,760 believers will take place during the Tribulation period. 388 00:26:05,000 --> 00:26:08,680 It will be spearheaded by this Antichrist fellow, and it will 389 00:26:08,680 --> 00:26:11,680 be performed by those who are his followers. 390 00:26:12,200 --> 00:26:17,000 They will hunt down Christians. They will RIP apart families. 391 00:26:18,640 --> 00:26:23,160 They will wreak havoc on a scale again that is unprecedented. 392 00:26:25,960 --> 00:26:28,520 Verse 6. For they have shed the blood of 393 00:26:28,520 --> 00:26:32,600 Saints and prophets. So what does God determine? 394 00:26:32,680 --> 00:26:35,120 You shed innocent blood. Here's blood to drink. 395 00:26:39,480 --> 00:26:41,800 You killed innocent people, you're guilty. 396 00:26:43,560 --> 00:26:47,480 And I will let you drink blood because you poured it out. 397 00:26:52,400 --> 00:26:56,880 It is what they deserve. Listen, you and I don't want 398 00:26:56,880 --> 00:27:04,280 what we deserve, because what would be our do is absolutely 399 00:27:04,280 --> 00:27:08,120 terrifying. But thanks be to God, as I speak 400 00:27:08,120 --> 00:27:11,920 today, the same one who offers this blood to drink gives us 401 00:27:11,920 --> 00:27:14,920 something that we don't deserve. You know this very well, don't 402 00:27:14,920 --> 00:27:17,920 you? It's not blood that poisons us 403 00:27:17,920 --> 00:27:21,040 but heals us. It's not blood that causes us to 404 00:27:21,040 --> 00:27:23,720 die but makes us alive. It's not blood poured out in 405 00:27:23,720 --> 00:27:25,280 judgement. It's blood poured out for the 406 00:27:25,280 --> 00:27:31,840 forgiveness of our sins. This imagery here of blood being 407 00:27:31,840 --> 00:27:36,960 offered to drink takes us back to that night when Jesus Christ 408 00:27:36,960 --> 00:27:43,080 was betrayed and he looked at his own who would indeed forsake 409 00:27:43,080 --> 00:27:46,320 him. And he says in Matthew 2627, 410 00:27:47,240 --> 00:27:50,240 after taking the cup, giving it thanks, he gave it to them, 411 00:27:50,240 --> 00:27:53,680 saying, drink it, drink it, all of you. 412 00:27:54,400 --> 00:27:56,800 For this is my blood of the covenant which is poured out for 413 00:27:56,800 --> 00:28:02,840 the forgiveness of many. And tragically, there will be a 414 00:28:02,840 --> 00:28:06,800 generation as revealed in Revelation 16, who have rejected 415 00:28:06,800 --> 00:28:09,800 the blood of this covenant offered by the Saints and the 416 00:28:09,800 --> 00:28:13,160 prophets who will be preaching and witnessing at this time and 417 00:28:13,160 --> 00:28:15,720 will instead be forced to drink the blood of God's wrath. 418 00:28:20,440 --> 00:28:22,800 And verse 7 says, and I heard the altar saying, the altar is 419 00:28:22,800 --> 00:28:24,800 personified. They should bring us back to 420 00:28:24,800 --> 00:28:28,720 chapter 6 when the martyrs in heaven cry out to God for 421 00:28:28,720 --> 00:28:30,320 vengeance. And they said, Lord, when? 422 00:28:30,760 --> 00:28:36,720 When will you vindicate us? And the Lord assure them in a 423 00:28:36,720 --> 00:28:43,520 short time that time is here. Delayed prayer doesn't mean 424 00:28:43,520 --> 00:28:51,960 denied prayer. These Saints wanted God to 425 00:28:52,200 --> 00:28:56,840 defend them and deal with their enemies, and God came at the 426 00:28:56,840 --> 00:29:00,480 right time. God always comes at the right 427 00:29:00,480 --> 00:29:04,800 time. I know this is a very sobering 428 00:29:05,040 --> 00:29:08,320 prayer request. Take that for any prayer 429 00:29:08,320 --> 00:29:10,840 request. He never forgets your cry. 430 00:29:12,040 --> 00:29:14,960 He never forgets the unfairness, the persecution, the injustice 431 00:29:14,960 --> 00:29:16,280 that's been committed against you. 432 00:29:17,920 --> 00:29:21,480 He loves you. He cherishes you more than you 433 00:29:21,480 --> 00:29:25,480 can imagine. You shed blood. 434 00:29:25,560 --> 00:29:32,520 OK, here's blood to drink. But we come now to the 4th bowl. 435 00:29:35,560 --> 00:29:38,800 We saw the first Angel pouring out on the earth. 436 00:29:39,360 --> 00:29:41,680 We saw the second one pouring into the sea, the third one 437 00:29:41,680 --> 00:29:43,440 pouring into the rivers and springs of water. 438 00:29:44,120 --> 00:29:47,600 And now we come to the 4th Angel in verse 8, and we read the 439 00:29:47,600 --> 00:29:52,200 fourth Angel poured out his bowl on the sun and it was allowed. 440 00:29:52,200 --> 00:29:54,080 Notice that phrase. It was allowed. 441 00:29:54,560 --> 00:29:56,560 Again, we're going back to the authority of God here. 442 00:29:56,560 --> 00:29:59,320 It was allowed. You know, the sun needs 443 00:29:59,320 --> 00:30:05,040 permission from God to shine. The sun needs permission from 444 00:30:05,040 --> 00:30:09,040 God to radiate a certain level of heat and to remain a certain 445 00:30:09,040 --> 00:30:12,840 size. The sun needs God's permission, 446 00:30:15,480 --> 00:30:18,360 and it was allowed to scorch people with fire. 447 00:30:20,160 --> 00:30:23,840 So we come here. We realize that God seems to be 448 00:30:23,840 --> 00:30:28,720 cornering the world. This judgment is becoming 449 00:30:28,720 --> 00:30:32,480 comprehensive. The earth, the sea, the springs 450 00:30:32,480 --> 00:30:38,000 of now, the sun, and the description of the sun's deadly 451 00:30:38,000 --> 00:30:41,120 rise and temperature reminds us of Isaiah's prophecy about the 452 00:30:41,120 --> 00:30:43,480 end times. You don't have to turn that, but 453 00:30:43,480 --> 00:30:47,920 maybe mark this in your margins. And Isaiah 26 verse 24, verse 6. 454 00:30:47,920 --> 00:30:52,120 Isaiah 24 verse 6 says therefore a curse devours the earth and 455 00:30:52,120 --> 00:30:53,920 its inhabitants suffer for their guilt. 456 00:30:54,360 --> 00:30:58,400 Therefore the inhabitants of earth are scorched and few men 457 00:30:58,400 --> 00:31:03,480 are left. And combining what we've seen 458 00:31:03,480 --> 00:31:05,960 thus far in these bold judgments, we can sense just how 459 00:31:05,960 --> 00:31:09,120 tormenting this unparalleled heat wave will be. 460 00:31:09,240 --> 00:31:14,480 There's no water to drink now. There is no seat to cool off in. 461 00:31:15,640 --> 00:31:20,280 They're already being agitated by whatever is breaking out on 462 00:31:20,280 --> 00:31:25,800 their skin, and this rapid sequence of unexplainable events 463 00:31:25,800 --> 00:31:30,400 impacting the entire planet will cause even these worshippers of 464 00:31:30,400 --> 00:31:34,040 the Antichrist to acknowledge this has to be God. 465 00:31:36,520 --> 00:31:39,120 This is not. This is not happenstance. 466 00:31:40,160 --> 00:31:44,520 This is not random. This is being orchestrated by 467 00:31:44,520 --> 00:31:47,440 God. This is supernatural. 468 00:31:49,280 --> 00:31:53,800 And don't get too excited, because although they will 469 00:31:53,800 --> 00:31:57,200 recognize God as the power behind these plagues, they will 470 00:31:57,680 --> 00:32:00,960 they will fail to admit the reason for them. 471 00:32:02,120 --> 00:32:04,960 Look at verse 9. They were scorched by the fierce 472 00:32:04,960 --> 00:32:08,920 heat. The atmosphere itself will be 473 00:32:08,920 --> 00:32:14,560 like an oven. And they cursed the name of God 474 00:32:14,960 --> 00:32:17,160 who had power over these plagues. 475 00:32:17,560 --> 00:32:20,720 They did not repent and give him glory. 476 00:32:22,840 --> 00:32:30,160 So instead of reflecting and maybe thinking all of this is 477 00:32:30,160 --> 00:32:33,920 the fruit of our rebellion, our wickedness, this widespread 478 00:32:33,920 --> 00:32:37,480 destruction is because of us, they choose instead to blame God 479 00:32:39,920 --> 00:32:44,120 and point the finger to the heavens and blasphemy His name. 480 00:32:49,680 --> 00:32:53,240 Can we just like sit back and try to digest this? 481 00:32:58,330 --> 00:33:01,130 At the same time, the fact that a lack of repentance is being 482 00:33:01,130 --> 00:33:08,250 highlighted here on a positive note shows us that God was 483 00:33:08,250 --> 00:33:15,360 hoping for it. That even though He is taking 484 00:33:15,360 --> 00:33:20,840 everything absolutely away from them, he's longing for them to 485 00:33:20,840 --> 00:33:27,080 realize the foolishness of their sin, their mistrust in a man who 486 00:33:27,080 --> 00:33:30,040 claimed to be God, and to surrender to the true God. 487 00:33:30,640 --> 00:33:33,760 And they refused. So after all the preaching of 488 00:33:33,760 --> 00:33:36,200 the Saints during the Tribulation, the mighty miracles 489 00:33:36,200 --> 00:33:41,360 performed by prophets, the supernatural messages of angelic 490 00:33:41,360 --> 00:33:50,320 beings, God tries with a final attempt by enforcing pain and 491 00:33:50,400 --> 00:33:56,560 amplifying it to jolt this generation from their sinful 492 00:33:56,560 --> 00:33:59,600 craze. And instead of being humbled, 493 00:33:59,720 --> 00:34:07,720 they harden their hearts. I know this might be hard for 494 00:34:07,720 --> 00:34:10,639 our sanctified minds to imagine and comprehend, but there are 495 00:34:10,639 --> 00:34:17,239 many people now, not just that now, who love to sin. 496 00:34:19,280 --> 00:34:22,920 They love to sin like more than you think. 497 00:34:24,159 --> 00:34:26,239 They love to injure people and murder. 498 00:34:26,920 --> 00:34:34,120 They enjoy raping women. They take delight in kidnapping 499 00:34:34,120 --> 00:34:35,760 young girls and trafficking them. 500 00:34:36,520 --> 00:34:40,040 They take no issue in abusing their bodies with drugs and 501 00:34:40,040 --> 00:34:42,400 drunkenness and sexual immorality. 502 00:34:45,600 --> 00:34:49,199 They prioritize themselves above everybody, including God, and 503 00:34:49,199 --> 00:34:50,800 they think they're on the right for that. 504 00:34:52,600 --> 00:34:58,760 There are people in the masses who are enthralled and who can't 505 00:34:58,760 --> 00:35:05,640 imagine living outside of pitch darkness, and they absolutely 506 00:35:05,640 --> 00:35:10,800 loathe the idea that there would be a God who'd call them to 507 00:35:10,800 --> 00:35:16,120 repent of such things and would choose rather a brutal, 508 00:35:16,440 --> 00:35:19,640 torturous death than to submit to him. 509 00:35:21,160 --> 00:35:22,480 I know, I know, it's hard for us to imagine. 510 00:35:22,760 --> 00:35:26,520 A lot of us in here come to this church three times a week, and 511 00:35:26,720 --> 00:35:28,200 this is our world. And that's great. 512 00:35:28,200 --> 00:35:29,880 It should be. We are followers of Christ. 513 00:35:29,880 --> 00:35:34,760 This is our home, But Revelation gives us insight into just how 514 00:35:34,760 --> 00:35:39,560 depraved and warped sinners are. And you and I would be no 515 00:35:39,560 --> 00:35:41,200 better. Apart from the grace of God, 516 00:35:45,120 --> 00:35:48,640 they love it. They love it so that when a God 517 00:35:48,640 --> 00:35:52,960 of purity and holiness comes and steps into their world and shows 518 00:35:52,960 --> 00:35:58,120 them the true way, they hate him for it. 519 00:36:01,600 --> 00:36:04,000 I remember when I first got saved, I was so excited. 520 00:36:04,000 --> 00:36:06,600 I mean, I, I realized I'm forgiven. 521 00:36:06,600 --> 00:36:08,320 I realized I'm not going to be condemned. 522 00:36:08,320 --> 00:36:11,080 And I was like many of you who were first safe hungry. 523 00:36:11,080 --> 00:36:12,400 I wanted to know as much as I can. 524 00:36:12,400 --> 00:36:15,440 I tried witnessing to people and they would give me pushback and 525 00:36:15,440 --> 00:36:16,880 objections. I'm like, listen, I don't have 526 00:36:16,880 --> 00:36:18,840 the answers, but I'll get back to you have my word on it. 527 00:36:18,840 --> 00:36:22,600 So I would watch debates and teachings and I remember this 528 00:36:22,600 --> 00:36:26,000 still obviously still marked marked me. 529 00:36:26,520 --> 00:36:28,600 I remember reading a comment, I think it was a discussion 530 00:36:28,600 --> 00:36:32,480 between atheists and Christians on a panel and I was looking at 531 00:36:32,480 --> 00:36:35,440 what people were saying on the YouTube and one of the comments 532 00:36:35,440 --> 00:36:37,920 said this. It actually like took my breath 533 00:36:37,920 --> 00:36:39,640 away. But then I come to the Bible and 534 00:36:39,640 --> 00:36:43,320 I realized, no, it's true. One person said a very simple 535 00:36:43,320 --> 00:36:48,120 thing, but it was so weighty. He wrote the following I rather 536 00:36:48,120 --> 00:36:50,880 go to hell than be in heaven with your God. 537 00:36:57,980 --> 00:37:00,660 I want to tell you something. There are more people who 538 00:37:00,660 --> 00:37:02,340 believe that and want that than you think. 539 00:37:04,320 --> 00:37:06,360 I know our sanctified minds can't think about it. 540 00:37:06,360 --> 00:37:08,000 No way. Yes way. 541 00:37:10,840 --> 00:37:15,520 Most of the world in the end, will curse God as He is judging 542 00:37:15,520 --> 00:37:18,640 them. They don't even plead for mercy. 543 00:37:19,360 --> 00:37:23,880 They don't ask for just some reprieve with whatever energy 544 00:37:23,880 --> 00:37:27,480 they have left. They want to blasphemy Him. 545 00:37:32,040 --> 00:37:35,840 If you were here last week, you remember that in chapter 15 we 546 00:37:35,840 --> 00:37:38,160 made the case how John was mirroring the events of the 547 00:37:38,160 --> 00:37:41,480 Exodus in his description of the last days. 548 00:37:43,080 --> 00:37:46,200 And he did so in part to communicate how in the same way 549 00:37:46,200 --> 00:37:50,160 God delivered Israel from the tyranny of Egypt, bringing them 550 00:37:50,280 --> 00:37:54,320 into the Promised land by using plagues and judging the wicked, 551 00:37:54,320 --> 00:37:58,480 their oppressors, He will also usher in the Church from this 552 00:37:58,480 --> 00:38:03,480 world into his everlasting Kingdom by judging the wicked. 553 00:38:06,400 --> 00:38:10,240 But the, the parallels didn't end at the end of chapter 15. 554 00:38:10,240 --> 00:38:12,520 They go on. In fact, maybe you've, you've 555 00:38:12,640 --> 00:38:14,880 picked up on this, that some of the plagues that we've already 556 00:38:14,880 --> 00:38:18,120 looked at in these bold judgments are similar to the 557 00:38:18,120 --> 00:38:21,400 plagues in Egypt, right? Boils and rivers turning into 558 00:38:21,400 --> 00:38:27,240 blood. And the comparisons continue, 559 00:38:28,160 --> 00:38:29,720 and they go deeper than even that. 560 00:38:30,400 --> 00:38:34,400 I want to argue that in chapter 16, the stubbornness of the 561 00:38:34,400 --> 00:38:39,160 evildoers and those who oppressed and and came against 562 00:38:39,160 --> 00:38:42,400 the true people of God is reflective of the stubbornness 563 00:38:42,400 --> 00:38:47,600 of the Egyptians while they were trying to adapt to the plagues 564 00:38:47,600 --> 00:38:48,960 that were being poured out on them. 565 00:38:48,960 --> 00:38:53,400 And I want to give you just one example of that. 566 00:38:53,720 --> 00:38:54,880 And this is where we're going to end. 567 00:38:55,880 --> 00:38:59,600 If you would come with me to Exodus 7 and look at the first 568 00:38:59,600 --> 00:39:07,280 plague with me beginning in verse 20, not just similar 569 00:39:07,280 --> 00:39:10,880 plagues, but similar stubbornness. 570 00:39:14,240 --> 00:39:20,880 Exodus 7, verse 20. Moses and Aaron did as the Lord 571 00:39:20,880 --> 00:39:23,920 commanded in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his 572 00:39:23,920 --> 00:39:25,920 servants. He lifted up the staff and 573 00:39:25,920 --> 00:39:30,200 struck the water in the Nile, and all the water in the Nile 574 00:39:30,200 --> 00:39:33,760 turned into blood. Why did the Nile turn into 575 00:39:33,760 --> 00:39:35,080 blood? This was the first thing that 576 00:39:35,080 --> 00:39:38,800 was done to get Pharaoh's attention to let God's people 577 00:39:38,800 --> 00:39:39,640 go. Do you know why? 578 00:39:39,880 --> 00:39:42,600 Because earlier in Exodus, Pharaoh made a decree. 579 00:39:42,800 --> 00:39:46,760 Any Hebrew boy that is born to the Israelites throw them into 580 00:39:46,760 --> 00:39:51,160 the Nile. You get the picture? 581 00:39:51,640 --> 00:39:53,680 You shed blood, here's blood to drink. 582 00:39:54,800 --> 00:39:56,080 Did we just see that in Revelation? 583 00:39:57,000 --> 00:39:58,640 You shed blood, here's blood to drink. 584 00:39:58,640 --> 00:40:04,040 Same God, same God. His justice isn't wavered. 585 00:40:05,760 --> 00:40:09,200 But what I want to draw your attention to is how the 586 00:40:09,200 --> 00:40:12,080 Egyptians responded to this judgment. 587 00:40:12,480 --> 00:40:14,160 This might actually make you chuckle a little bit. 588 00:40:14,320 --> 00:40:19,800 Look at verse 24 and all the Egyptians dug along the Nile for 589 00:40:19,800 --> 00:40:23,520 water to drink, for they could not drink the water of the Nile. 590 00:40:23,520 --> 00:40:26,800 What a picture. Can you envision it? 591 00:40:28,040 --> 00:40:32,680 So their main supply and source of water is contaminated? 592 00:40:33,360 --> 00:40:36,680 And what's the response of those who depended on it, who realized 593 00:40:36,680 --> 00:40:40,440 that this was a miracle? They dug along the sides to say, 594 00:40:40,440 --> 00:40:41,760 OK, if we can't, we'll go to the Nile. 595 00:40:41,760 --> 00:40:46,640 Let's go to something else. What would be the same thing to 596 00:40:46,640 --> 00:40:51,160 do? OK, there's a message behind 597 00:40:51,160 --> 00:40:54,040 this. Maybe God's trying to get our 598 00:40:54,040 --> 00:40:58,400 attention. Clearly He is demonstrating our 599 00:40:58,400 --> 00:41:00,720 guilt and what we've done against Israel and their 600 00:41:00,720 --> 00:41:04,280 children. But instead, what you find here 601 00:41:05,960 --> 00:41:10,480 is that they pivot. It's a resilience, but it's a 602 00:41:10,480 --> 00:41:14,200 scary 1. Instead of being humbled, 603 00:41:15,360 --> 00:41:18,120 they're willing to endure the consequence of their sin. 604 00:41:20,640 --> 00:41:24,120 Instead of looking up and saying, OK, God, we hear you 605 00:41:24,120 --> 00:41:27,480 loud and clear and we we understand the error of our 606 00:41:27,480 --> 00:41:31,320 ways, what do you ask of us? They look down and they try to 607 00:41:31,320 --> 00:41:35,400 find a way to have their own way. 608 00:41:39,760 --> 00:41:41,560 And then you read through Exodus, and you read through the 609 00:41:41,560 --> 00:41:43,520 Old Testament, and you read through the New Testament, and 610 00:41:43,520 --> 00:41:46,640 then you come to the last book of all, and you realize in God's 611 00:41:46,640 --> 00:41:49,720 final plagues that human nature has not changed. 612 00:41:55,080 --> 00:41:57,680 And it could be even today that as we come to a close in this 613 00:41:57,680 --> 00:42:06,400 message, that you find yourself enduring things and instead of 614 00:42:06,400 --> 00:42:11,360 going to the fountain of life, you are digging holes, trying to 615 00:42:11,360 --> 00:42:17,840 find your own water. It will not satisfy. 616 00:42:19,440 --> 00:42:21,520 It will not bring the answers that you were looking for. 617 00:42:23,440 --> 00:42:26,160 You worship something or someone else, including yourself, more 618 00:42:26,160 --> 00:42:29,480 than God. Sorrows are promised to 619 00:42:29,480 --> 00:42:34,320 multiply, but all those unnecessary sorrows can come to 620 00:42:34,320 --> 00:42:38,800 a halt once and for all if you come to Christ. 621 00:42:41,280 --> 00:42:43,240 Unfortunately, and I've said this in Revelation before, 622 00:42:43,800 --> 00:42:45,400 please give me permission to say it again. 623 00:42:46,320 --> 00:42:52,400 Some people can only understand the language of pain before they 624 00:42:52,400 --> 00:42:58,000 wake up and realize who Christ is their need for a savior. 625 00:42:58,680 --> 00:43:00,240 I don't want you to be that person. 626 00:43:01,400 --> 00:43:05,200 I don't God doesn't want to notice that he's already done so 627 00:43:05,200 --> 00:43:06,280 much. This is the last. 628 00:43:06,400 --> 00:43:09,720 This is the last resort here by touching everything. 629 00:43:10,280 --> 00:43:13,480 It was after so many other attempts to get to get them to 630 00:43:13,480 --> 00:43:22,320 see his greatness and his glory. And so my genuine desire for for 631 00:43:22,320 --> 00:43:25,560 the person here today who maybe stumbled into this place out of 632 00:43:25,560 --> 00:43:29,880 curiosity. Or maybe you feel like you've 633 00:43:29,880 --> 00:43:35,960 found success in evading things and tiptoeing around the truth 634 00:43:35,960 --> 00:43:39,080 and sustaining your kind of way of life and what you want to do 635 00:43:39,080 --> 00:43:41,840 in the sins you want to keep while still, you know, giving 636 00:43:41,840 --> 00:43:46,840 respect to God in the church. You can't maintain that for 637 00:43:46,840 --> 00:43:51,800 long. Just give up, just surrender. 638 00:43:51,800 --> 00:43:54,600 Take this cue and realize this is more than just prophecy. 639 00:43:54,600 --> 00:43:59,240 This is this is a realization afresh of who God is today. 640 00:44:01,360 --> 00:44:02,800 And I choose to hear Him loud and clear. 641 00:44:04,240 --> 00:44:06,520 We ask, Lord, that you would help us hear you loud and clear. 642 00:44:10,880 --> 00:44:15,920 And Lord, as heavy as a message as this was, you intended to be 643 00:44:15,920 --> 00:44:25,800 heavy. So, Lord, we've done our best to 644 00:44:25,800 --> 00:44:35,980 not try to lighten this message. Lord, as we continue in 645 00:44:35,980 --> 00:44:40,300 revelation, we have listened to a lot about judgement, but at 646 00:44:40,300 --> 00:44:44,380 the same time, you have provided rays of hope in it and through 647 00:44:44,380 --> 00:44:46,020 it. We've seen your kindness. 648 00:44:46,020 --> 00:44:51,400 We've seen your patients. And so look, even now, as we try 649 00:44:51,400 --> 00:44:54,080 to absorb all the things that were explained from these 650 00:44:54,080 --> 00:45:05,210 prophecies, help us land in your mercy, Lord. 651 00:45:05,210 --> 00:45:08,770 For the Sinner who doesn't know you hearing this message, may 652 00:45:08,930 --> 00:45:11,290 today be the day where they become a child of God. 653 00:45:12,210 --> 00:45:16,690 For the children of God here who are pained by these things, and 654 00:45:16,690 --> 00:45:20,450 rightfully so, may they also rejoice in knowing that they are 655 00:45:20,450 --> 00:45:24,520 not destined for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our 656 00:45:24,520 --> 00:45:27,440 Lord Jesus Christ who died for us, so that whether we are awake 657 00:45:27,440 --> 00:45:29,000 or asleep, we might live with him. 658 00:45:30,520 --> 00:45:31,760 Thank you that we get to live with you. 659 00:45:31,760 --> 00:45:35,080 We can no only everlasting joy in you. 660 00:45:36,040 --> 00:45:40,560 Glory be to your name, O God. We now stand, and we choose to 661 00:45:40,560 --> 00:45:43,040 be like this Angel. And in the midst of facing and 662 00:45:43,040 --> 00:45:46,720 trying to comprehend judgment, we can say, just are you, O Lord 663 00:45:47,320 --> 00:45:53,040 Holy are you, O Lord, you as the judge of the all of all the 664 00:45:53,040 --> 00:45:58,080 earth will in fact do right. In Jesus name we pray, Amen. 665 00:46:02,200 --> 00:46:03,120 Let's stand church.