1 00:00:05,240 --> 00:00:08,600 When the Lord Jesus taught about the last days and what is 2 00:00:08,600 --> 00:00:12,840 commonly known as the Olivet Discourse, He made an 3 00:00:12,840 --> 00:00:16,480 extraordinary promise concerning that time to come. 4 00:00:18,040 --> 00:00:22,880 In the middle of his teaching, Christ said in Matthew 24, verse 5 00:00:22,880 --> 00:00:27,400 14, And the gospel of the Kingdom will be proclaimed 6 00:00:27,440 --> 00:00:33,520 throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and 7 00:00:33,520 --> 00:00:38,440 then the end will come. What a remarkable declaration. 8 00:00:40,040 --> 00:00:44,200 You see, what Christ is saying here when you consider the 9 00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:48,720 surrounding teaching around this promise is that the rise of 10 00:00:48,720 --> 00:00:54,560 false teachers and deception, global upheaval, rapid cultural 11 00:00:54,560 --> 00:00:59,440 decay, and the unprecedented persecutions of Christians will 12 00:00:59,440 --> 00:01:02,880 in no way hinder the spread of the Gospel. 13 00:01:04,319 --> 00:01:09,560 Somehow, someway, the saving message of Jesus Christ will 14 00:01:09,560 --> 00:01:11,880 permeate the four corners of the earth. 15 00:01:13,280 --> 00:01:18,320 Furthermore, what this verse reveals is that although there 16 00:01:18,320 --> 00:01:22,200 will be mounting judgement in that brief period of time, 17 00:01:23,760 --> 00:01:28,640 Christ assures us that He will give the nation's a final 18 00:01:28,640 --> 00:01:35,640 opportunity, a final invitation to receive salvation before that 19 00:01:35,640 --> 00:01:41,160 door is closed forever. Which means that while the 20 00:01:41,160 --> 00:01:45,720 tribulation period will bring an escalation of judgments, it also 21 00:01:45,720 --> 00:01:50,240 guarantees an amplification of the preaching of the gospel at 22 00:01:50,240 --> 00:01:54,040 the same time. And this is undeniably a 23 00:01:54,040 --> 00:01:59,160 demonstration of the incredible mercy of God as He carries out 24 00:01:59,160 --> 00:02:01,840 his most visible and fierce sequence of judgments. 25 00:02:01,840 --> 00:02:05,080 He will also make a way for people to hear the truth that 26 00:02:05,080 --> 00:02:08,199 can save their souls for eternity. 27 00:02:09,400 --> 00:02:14,120 Now, last week we discussed if you were here, Revelation 7 in 28 00:02:14,120 --> 00:02:20,560 the first portion as we witness God's initial fulfilment that He 29 00:02:20,560 --> 00:02:24,600 would save the nation of Israel. The budding of that promise was 30 00:02:24,600 --> 00:02:26,400 made known in the first few verses. 31 00:02:26,880 --> 00:02:29,440 And I want to tell you today that the confirmation of God's 32 00:02:29,440 --> 00:02:32,120 trustworthiness will only continue in the rest of this 33 00:02:32,120 --> 00:02:34,160 chapter. Because now we are going to 34 00:02:34,160 --> 00:02:38,120 discover, as we get a future glimpse of how the Lord will 35 00:02:38,120 --> 00:02:43,560 keep His word from Matthew 2414, that the gospel will indeed go 36 00:02:43,560 --> 00:02:47,560 to all nations before the very end of all things unfolds. 37 00:02:48,320 --> 00:02:51,360 So let's reach it and read it together in Revelation 7, 38 00:02:51,360 --> 00:02:56,360 beginning in verse 9. Revelation 7, beginning in verse 39 00:02:56,360 --> 00:02:59,920 9, we will read together attentively down to verse 17. 40 00:03:03,360 --> 00:03:08,800 John says after this I looked and behold a great multitude 41 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:12,720 that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes 42 00:03:12,720 --> 00:03:15,120 and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and 43 00:03:15,120 --> 00:03:18,560 before the Lamb, clothed in white robes with palm branches 44 00:03:18,560 --> 00:03:22,080 in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, Salvation 45 00:03:22,080 --> 00:03:25,360 belongs to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb. 46 00:03:26,280 --> 00:03:28,720 And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the 47 00:03:28,720 --> 00:03:31,400 elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on 48 00:03:31,400 --> 00:03:34,120 their faces before the throne and worshipped God, saying, 49 00:03:34,240 --> 00:03:37,800 Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and Thanksgiving and 50 00:03:37,800 --> 00:03:41,920 honor and power, and might be to our God forever and ever, Amen. 51 00:03:42,840 --> 00:03:45,400 Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, Who are these 52 00:03:45,400 --> 00:03:47,840 clothed and white robes, and from where have they come? 53 00:03:48,720 --> 00:03:51,880 I said to him, Sir, you know, And he said to me, These are the 54 00:03:51,880 --> 00:03:54,560 ones coming out of the great tribulation. 55 00:03:54,960 --> 00:03:57,520 They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of 56 00:03:57,520 --> 00:03:59,800 the Lamb. Therefore they are before the 57 00:03:59,800 --> 00:04:02,720 throne of God and serve him day and night in His temple. 58 00:04:02,960 --> 00:04:05,640 And he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his 59 00:04:05,640 --> 00:04:07,880 presence. They shall hunger no more, 60 00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:10,920 neither thirst anymore. The sun shall not strike them, 61 00:04:10,920 --> 00:04:14,440 nor any scorching heat, for the Lamb in the midst of the throne 62 00:04:14,440 --> 00:04:17,680 will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of 63 00:04:17,680 --> 00:04:23,280 living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. 64 00:04:24,200 --> 00:04:30,280 Father, we ask, as always, with a complete awareness of our need 65 00:04:30,280 --> 00:04:34,880 for your help, that you would lead us so faithfully, so 66 00:04:34,880 --> 00:04:38,360 clearly, so powerfully through these truths. 67 00:04:38,840 --> 00:04:43,280 We need you Lord, open our minds, burn in our hearts, and 68 00:04:43,280 --> 00:04:46,720 may this transform us in Jesus name, Amen. 69 00:04:48,720 --> 00:04:51,840 As I was meditating on this passage, the phrase that came to 70 00:04:51,840 --> 00:04:55,200 mind was the great tribulation harvest. 71 00:04:56,360 --> 00:04:59,360 And there's so much more to learn from this passage than 72 00:04:59,360 --> 00:05:01,840 seeing it as an expansion of what Christ taught in the 73 00:05:01,840 --> 00:05:05,160 Gospels. I want us to consider at least 74 00:05:05,160 --> 00:05:07,640 three things with you from this glorious scene. 75 00:05:08,840 --> 00:05:11,960 The first thing is the people described in this division, the 76 00:05:11,960 --> 00:05:14,240 people described. There's so much about this 77 00:05:14,240 --> 00:05:17,680 people that we have to consider from the people described. 78 00:05:17,680 --> 00:05:22,040 We must look at the praise that was given, the praise that is 79 00:05:22,040 --> 00:05:25,840 offered to the throne and him who sits on it in the Lamb. 80 00:05:26,920 --> 00:05:29,800 And lastly, I want us to look at the promise that is given, this 81 00:05:29,800 --> 00:05:33,800 promise that is given to those people that are described and 82 00:05:33,800 --> 00:05:36,200 those who follow in their direction. 83 00:05:36,760 --> 00:05:38,800 So let's look again at verse 9. As we look at the people 84 00:05:38,800 --> 00:05:41,400 described. At first glance, we read it. 85 00:05:41,400 --> 00:05:44,160 This may seem like a description of all believers from all ages, 86 00:05:44,160 --> 00:05:46,520 right? But that assumption is quickly 87 00:05:46,520 --> 00:05:48,920 clarified by one of the elders who taught John. 88 00:05:48,920 --> 00:05:52,080 And John teaches us by the Spirit that these are the 89 00:05:52,080 --> 00:05:54,640 innumerable group of people who will come out of the great 90 00:05:54,640 --> 00:05:56,440 tribulation. This is speaking about a future 91 00:05:56,440 --> 00:05:59,400 group of people. And so this is not speaking 92 00:05:59,400 --> 00:06:01,160 about all believers from all time. 93 00:06:03,080 --> 00:06:05,360 And what this shows us right away is that there is a coming 94 00:06:05,360 --> 00:06:11,560 move of God on the earth that will result in a reach and a 95 00:06:11,560 --> 00:06:15,240 rescuing of souls unlike any other time in human history. 96 00:06:16,160 --> 00:06:18,000 This should excite us. This should thrill us. 97 00:06:18,000 --> 00:06:21,360 And as exciting as it sounds, you may be like me and wondering 98 00:06:22,120 --> 00:06:26,000 how is that going to happen? Especially up to this point when 99 00:06:26,000 --> 00:06:28,440 we have considered all the things that the world will 100 00:06:28,440 --> 00:06:32,480 endure, the tragedies and the tumultuous events and the 101 00:06:32,480 --> 00:06:37,880 problems and the wars and all these things will come crashing 102 00:06:37,880 --> 00:06:40,840 upon the earth. And yet we read that there's 103 00:06:40,840 --> 00:06:43,640 going to be an uncountable amount of people who will be 104 00:06:43,640 --> 00:06:47,440 saved. And I believe in this very same 105 00:06:47,440 --> 00:06:50,920 chapter, we get our clue. I want to present to you today 106 00:06:50,920 --> 00:06:54,000 the possibility that the reason why we will see this and why 107 00:06:54,000 --> 00:06:57,360 we're seeing it now is because of the direct ministry of the 108 00:06:57,360 --> 00:07:03,120 144,000. Look again at verse 3 of Chapter 109 00:07:03,120 --> 00:07:07,080 7, the 144,000, which we've established to be the Jewish 110 00:07:07,080 --> 00:07:09,880 people who will be saved, a remnant, A revival. 111 00:07:09,880 --> 00:07:14,200 Among this people are called servants of our God. 112 00:07:14,200 --> 00:07:18,560 Near the end of that verse, showing us that the ceiling, the 113 00:07:18,560 --> 00:07:22,000 spiritual application, is not just a way of marking these 114 00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:25,520 people for salvation, but for extraordinary service. 115 00:07:26,320 --> 00:07:29,480 They're being set apart to perform something to serve the 116 00:07:29,480 --> 00:07:33,400 Lord in an incredible fashion during the Tribulation period. 117 00:07:34,880 --> 00:07:37,760 Besides that, we also see something else that this unique 118 00:07:37,800 --> 00:07:41,640 mark that will be placed upon each of these Jews. 119 00:07:42,320 --> 00:07:45,640 We'll also provide a unique level of protection against the 120 00:07:45,640 --> 00:07:48,960 things that will transpire following this the the growing 121 00:07:48,960 --> 00:07:51,720 escalation of problems and of judgments. 122 00:07:51,720 --> 00:07:53,200 This will shield them. How do we know that? 123 00:07:53,200 --> 00:07:56,120 Because the Lord told the four angels of the earth to hold back 124 00:07:56,160 --> 00:08:00,280 any further punishment until they were protected. 125 00:08:02,080 --> 00:08:03,520 And why are they being protected? 126 00:08:04,360 --> 00:08:06,360 I think the answer that makes the most sense is so that they 127 00:08:06,360 --> 00:08:10,880 can carry out their gospel mission more effectively, that 128 00:08:10,880 --> 00:08:13,360 they would be able to do what God has set him apart to do, and 129 00:08:13,360 --> 00:08:16,160 that is present the gospel of Jesus Christ to the rest of the 130 00:08:16,160 --> 00:08:18,560 world. As things are coming to an end, 131 00:08:20,120 --> 00:08:21,920 I think these suggestions are possible. 132 00:08:22,160 --> 00:08:25,760 I think this is more likely than one might think because it is 133 00:08:25,920 --> 00:08:28,800 totally in concert with the rest of the Scriptures. 134 00:08:30,040 --> 00:08:32,240 Here's what I mean. Were you here last week when we 135 00:08:32,240 --> 00:08:36,480 talked about Romans 11 briefly and how Paul taught that ethnic 136 00:08:36,480 --> 00:08:40,000 Israel will know a national revival in salvation, that at 137 00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:43,200 one point they will acknowledge that Jesus Christ of Nazareth is 138 00:08:43,200 --> 00:08:47,120 indeed their prophesied Messiah? Well, I want us to revisit 139 00:08:47,120 --> 00:08:51,240 Romans 11 and I want us to see the fruit of the salvation of 140 00:08:51,240 --> 00:08:54,120 the Jewish people, the growing fruit as the number of 141 00:08:54,120 --> 00:08:57,320 salvations increase among this particular people group. 142 00:08:57,600 --> 00:09:00,560 Let's go to Romans 11 and let's look at verse 13. 143 00:09:07,920 --> 00:09:10,200 Romans 11 verse 13. There's that sound again. 144 00:09:10,200 --> 00:09:11,920 I pray that that sound will never go away. 145 00:09:15,960 --> 00:09:18,720 Hear what the Spirit of God says through Paul. 146 00:09:19,480 --> 00:09:24,440 Now I am speaking to you Gentiles in as much then I am an 147 00:09:24,440 --> 00:09:28,120 apostle to the Gentiles. I magnify my ministry. 148 00:09:28,440 --> 00:09:31,160 So he wants to, he wants to comfort the Gentile believers. 149 00:09:31,160 --> 00:09:33,040 Look, I am an apostle to the Gentiles. 150 00:09:33,040 --> 00:09:36,480 I don't think less of my ministry, but let me tell you 151 00:09:36,480 --> 00:09:38,280 why. One of the reasons why I magnify 152 00:09:38,280 --> 00:09:43,080 my ministry, verse 14, in order somehow to make my fellow Jews 153 00:09:43,240 --> 00:09:46,920 jealous and thus save some of them. 154 00:09:48,200 --> 00:09:50,600 In other words, I'm going to preach the Hebrew Scriptures. 155 00:09:50,960 --> 00:09:53,960 I'm going to show how God is relatable, how he's personal. 156 00:09:54,200 --> 00:09:57,120 I'm going to show him how we are enjoying the fruit of the 157 00:09:57,120 --> 00:10:01,000 message of their prophets. And my prayer is that as a 158 00:10:01,000 --> 00:10:04,320 Christian, as a leader in the church, that the Jewish people 159 00:10:04,320 --> 00:10:07,680 watching from a distance would be stirred not with an unhealthy 160 00:10:07,680 --> 00:10:13,000 evil envy, but a pure holy jealousy to say, I want what you 161 00:10:13,000 --> 00:10:15,440 have. I want the assurance, I want the 162 00:10:15,440 --> 00:10:18,840 comfort, I want the joy, I want the peace that you have. 163 00:10:19,080 --> 00:10:21,320 Are you saying that your faith is rooted and grounded in the 164 00:10:21,320 --> 00:10:22,840 Hebrew Scriptures? Yes. 165 00:10:23,440 --> 00:10:26,440 So Paul says, I want to magnify my ministry so I can serve some 166 00:10:26,440 --> 00:10:29,800 of these Jews to be saved. But notice what he goes on to 167 00:10:29,800 --> 00:10:31,680 say this brilliant point in verse 15. 168 00:10:32,160 --> 00:10:36,280 For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, 169 00:10:36,720 --> 00:10:40,280 what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead? 170 00:10:40,280 --> 00:10:44,080 Do you see what he's saying here? 171 00:10:44,880 --> 00:10:48,520 Paul's reminding this Gentile church, do you understand that 172 00:10:48,520 --> 00:10:52,320 it was the denial of the Jewish people in terms of the Messiah, 173 00:10:52,560 --> 00:10:57,080 Jesus Christ that led to the world being blessed by the 174 00:10:57,080 --> 00:10:59,960 gospel? Their rejection of the gospel 175 00:10:59,960 --> 00:11:04,720 made it more available for the Gentiles to hear and receive the 176 00:11:04,720 --> 00:11:07,080 truth. But he doesn't stop there. 177 00:11:07,080 --> 00:11:11,680 He adds to that, if their rejection, their vehement denial 178 00:11:11,680 --> 00:11:16,200 of Christ benefited us in such a way, what will happen to the 179 00:11:16,200 --> 00:11:17,800 world when they accept the truth? 180 00:11:19,320 --> 00:11:20,680 It's an amazing line of reasoning. 181 00:11:22,480 --> 00:11:26,760 And he gives us the answer, life from the dead. 182 00:11:27,800 --> 00:11:29,040 Now there's debate about that passage. 183 00:11:29,040 --> 00:11:31,000 What does he mean, life from the dead? 184 00:11:31,000 --> 00:11:33,880 Some think it's a spiritual revival that will take place, 185 00:11:34,520 --> 00:11:37,280 but it's more likely that Paul's actually making a connection, a 186 00:11:37,280 --> 00:11:40,800 link between the salvation of the Jewish people and that 187 00:11:40,800 --> 00:11:44,440 triggering and ushering in the glories of the world to come. 188 00:11:46,080 --> 00:11:51,400 Because as we're going to see in Revelation, Israel's salvation 189 00:11:51,400 --> 00:11:54,320 will immediately precede the return of Christ. 190 00:11:55,360 --> 00:11:56,800 There's that. You can't separate those 191 00:11:56,800 --> 00:11:59,200 realities. That's why having an 192 00:11:59,200 --> 00:12:03,680 understanding of Israel is absolutely foundational for your 193 00:12:03,680 --> 00:12:06,800 eschatology, a fancy word for your understanding and study of 194 00:12:06,800 --> 00:12:10,160 the end times. It will determine everything in 195 00:12:10,160 --> 00:12:12,600 terms of the order, events and why things happen and how 196 00:12:12,600 --> 00:12:16,200 prophecy works. And Paul understands here that 197 00:12:16,200 --> 00:12:20,840 if their rejection of the gospel has brought riches to the world, 198 00:12:20,840 --> 00:12:23,800 what it what will happen when they embrace Christ? 199 00:12:24,400 --> 00:12:26,240 That's why I magnify my ministry. 200 00:12:26,360 --> 00:12:30,400 That's why I preach to the Jews. That's why I pray for them. 201 00:12:33,680 --> 00:12:36,200 One thing is very clear about Paul's message. 202 00:12:36,200 --> 00:12:40,040 The world will experience spiritual riches in proportion 203 00:12:40,040 --> 00:12:43,440 to how the Jewish people accept the gospel. 204 00:12:44,560 --> 00:12:47,480 Look at verse 12 of Romans 11. He says it more than once. 205 00:12:48,000 --> 00:12:53,000 Now, if their trespass means riches for the world, and if 206 00:12:53,000 --> 00:12:57,560 their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will 207 00:12:57,560 --> 00:13:02,280 their full inclusion mean? It's very plain, is it not? 208 00:13:04,800 --> 00:13:07,880 If the world was blessed because they denied Christ, what will 209 00:13:07,880 --> 00:13:11,840 happen when they are fully gathered into the fold of the 210 00:13:11,840 --> 00:13:14,800 truth? There's no separation between 211 00:13:14,800 --> 00:13:16,880 the Jewish people and their relationship with God and how 212 00:13:16,880 --> 00:13:22,560 that impacts the globe. Now, why do I bring all of this 213 00:13:22,560 --> 00:13:25,160 up? Because it complements what we 214 00:13:25,160 --> 00:13:28,840 see in Revelation 7. What do we see in Revelation 7? 215 00:13:28,840 --> 00:13:31,680 Again, let me remind you, you have a revival among the Jewish 216 00:13:31,680 --> 00:13:35,640 people, 144,000 who are set apart and sealed as servants of 217 00:13:35,640 --> 00:13:37,880 God. And immediately following that, 218 00:13:37,880 --> 00:13:40,560 what is John C? An innumerable amount of 219 00:13:40,560 --> 00:13:46,680 Gentiles who are saved the visions of Revelation 7 agrees 220 00:13:46,680 --> 00:13:51,120 completely with Paul's teaching about the future of Israel and 221 00:13:51,120 --> 00:13:54,240 how that will impact the nation's. 222 00:13:56,520 --> 00:14:01,080 Now this is something for us to really rejoice in, especially 223 00:14:01,080 --> 00:14:03,480 with all the supposed controversy with the Jewish 224 00:14:03,480 --> 00:14:06,560 people. Us believers need to be very 225 00:14:06,560 --> 00:14:12,560 careful to not allow arguments and ideas to persuade you away 226 00:14:12,560 --> 00:14:17,840 from the love that God has for them, the love that the apostle 227 00:14:17,840 --> 00:14:21,720 Paul had for them, and the desire for them to be saved. 228 00:14:22,160 --> 00:14:24,720 There's so much confusion of how Christians should relate to the 229 00:14:24,720 --> 00:14:26,320 people of Israel. Let me make it very simple. 230 00:14:26,680 --> 00:14:30,520 You desire them to be saved. You pray that their eyes would 231 00:14:30,520 --> 00:14:32,880 be open to see Christ and that they would bend their knee to 232 00:14:32,880 --> 00:14:36,840 the true Messiah. We are not to be caught up in 233 00:14:36,840 --> 00:14:41,000 politics. Our mission is a heavenly 1 and 234 00:14:41,000 --> 00:14:44,400 our desire ultimately is that they would be saved. 235 00:14:44,680 --> 00:14:48,000 That's your priority and mine. And don't let anybody convince 236 00:14:48,000 --> 00:14:50,920 you otherwise. Study this verse, Study this 237 00:14:50,920 --> 00:14:55,160 passage carefully and understand God's heart for the Jewish 238 00:14:55,160 --> 00:14:58,240 people. Not what some popular pundit 239 00:14:58,240 --> 00:15:01,360 says. Not what some famous pastors may 240 00:15:01,360 --> 00:15:03,760 say. What does the Bible say about 241 00:15:03,760 --> 00:15:06,880 this people? And align your heart with gods 242 00:15:07,400 --> 00:15:09,200 so that you can be more in the will of God. 243 00:15:10,960 --> 00:15:12,640 Now, there's more to say about this. 244 00:15:12,640 --> 00:15:15,960 People described come back here in Revelation 7. 245 00:15:15,960 --> 00:15:21,520 We're still in verse 9. They're very familiar attributes 246 00:15:22,240 --> 00:15:23,600 made known to us. But there's something that 247 00:15:23,600 --> 00:15:25,600 stands out. There is something mentioned 248 00:15:25,600 --> 00:15:29,480 that never showed up before. Look here at the end of verse 9. 249 00:15:29,480 --> 00:15:34,240 They were holding palm branches in their hands. 250 00:15:35,320 --> 00:15:37,640 Is that significant? If you believe details in the 251 00:15:37,640 --> 00:15:41,360 Bible are yes. Palm branches throughout the 252 00:15:41,360 --> 00:15:46,080 Bible are always connected to celebratory events, joyous 253 00:15:46,080 --> 00:15:49,400 occasions. Maybe your mind is going to 254 00:15:49,400 --> 00:15:53,920 where it went for me when Jesus came in triumphantly into the 255 00:15:53,920 --> 00:15:55,960 Jerusalem, right? The people received them and 256 00:15:55,960 --> 00:15:58,200 they quoted the Psalms with palm branches in their hands. 257 00:15:58,520 --> 00:16:00,800 But the history of palm branches goes further back. 258 00:16:01,840 --> 00:16:06,760 Israel was given 7 feasts by God to celebrate on a yearly basis, 259 00:16:07,520 --> 00:16:11,640 and the very last feast is known as the Feast of Booths. 260 00:16:12,640 --> 00:16:17,440 But in Exodus it's also known as the Feast of In Gathering of in 261 00:16:17,440 --> 00:16:18,360 Gathering. Why? 262 00:16:18,600 --> 00:16:21,400 Because it was recognized at the very end of the harvest season 263 00:16:22,880 --> 00:16:25,120 and God had given them many instructions of how they were to 264 00:16:25,120 --> 00:16:27,120 bring offerings during that feast. 265 00:16:27,160 --> 00:16:29,680 But one of the most unique instructions was that the Jewish 266 00:16:29,680 --> 00:16:34,960 people were to make booths or tents and to live in them as 267 00:16:34,960 --> 00:16:40,000 long as that celebration endured for various reasons, mainly to 268 00:16:40,000 --> 00:16:43,080 remember their 40 year wilderness journey and how God 269 00:16:43,080 --> 00:16:46,000 had provided and protected them during that process. 270 00:16:46,280 --> 00:16:50,040 They were to almost relive that experience as they recollected 271 00:16:50,040 --> 00:16:56,320 how God's presence among them in that desert shielded them as 272 00:16:56,320 --> 00:16:58,440 they lived in these transportable shelters. 273 00:17:01,080 --> 00:17:03,680 But it was also recognition of the moment that God was faithful 274 00:17:03,680 --> 00:17:07,560 to provide for them in that year and that He has come through yet 275 00:17:07,560 --> 00:17:09,800 again. It's really putting into focus 276 00:17:10,000 --> 00:17:15,599 their present and their past. But I want you to see one of the 277 00:17:15,599 --> 00:17:18,280 instructions of how they were to make these tents go to Leviticus 278 00:17:18,280 --> 00:17:31,770 23 in verse 40. Leviticus 23, verse 40. 279 00:17:37,440 --> 00:17:41,080 The Lord says to this people, and you shall take on the first 280 00:17:41,080 --> 00:17:48,440 day the fruit of splendid trees, branches of palm trees, and bows 281 00:17:48,440 --> 00:17:52,360 of leafy trees, and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice 282 00:17:52,360 --> 00:17:55,560 before the Lord your God. Seven days. 283 00:17:56,360 --> 00:18:01,080 Now if you're a note taker, when you go to Nehemiah 8, you'll see 284 00:18:01,080 --> 00:18:04,240 that these branches that were called to be collected were 285 00:18:04,240 --> 00:18:06,520 actually the material for the tents. 286 00:18:07,440 --> 00:18:10,960 And in Leviticus 23 is the very first appearance of palm 287 00:18:10,960 --> 00:18:14,600 branches in the Bible. And as we mentioned, they are so 288 00:18:14,600 --> 00:18:19,640 associated with jubilation, excitement, thrill, delight with 289 00:18:19,640 --> 00:18:21,480 the truth of God and for the truth of God. 290 00:18:22,480 --> 00:18:26,520 So Israel was to take these palm branches, make these tents, live 291 00:18:26,520 --> 00:18:30,520 in them for that week, and realize God at this final moment 292 00:18:30,520 --> 00:18:32,880 of the harvest season has come through for us. 293 00:18:33,160 --> 00:18:34,720 And it didn't just happen this past year. 294 00:18:34,720 --> 00:18:38,080 God has always been for us. God's presence has always met us 295 00:18:38,080 --> 00:18:40,360 and always provided and protected us. 296 00:18:40,960 --> 00:18:44,280 It's a wonderful thing, a wonderful climax to their 297 00:18:44,280 --> 00:18:47,640 celebrations. And now we come to Revelation 7 298 00:18:47,640 --> 00:18:50,560 and we see the redeemed from all nations, all tribes brought 299 00:18:50,560 --> 00:18:53,320 before the throne of God coming out of the great tribulation, 300 00:18:53,320 --> 00:18:55,040 and they're celebrating with palm branches in their hands. 301 00:18:55,040 --> 00:18:58,200 What are they doing with those? Could it be that they are 302 00:18:58,200 --> 00:19:02,640 celebrating for the same reason that they would have in the 303 00:19:02,640 --> 00:19:07,600 Feast of Booths? A little bit different though, 304 00:19:08,240 --> 00:19:11,480 because this group now represents the final gathering 305 00:19:12,000 --> 00:19:15,320 not of produce, not of fruit, but of souls. 306 00:19:16,320 --> 00:19:20,760 That as we are approaching the end of time, God is now bringing 307 00:19:20,760 --> 00:19:23,760 in more people to add to the number of the redeemed. 308 00:19:24,200 --> 00:19:27,440 And this harvest out of the great Tribulation is recognizing 309 00:19:27,440 --> 00:19:29,240 that. That as we are coming to the end 310 00:19:29,240 --> 00:19:32,160 of all things in the same way that the Feast of Booth signaled 311 00:19:32,160 --> 00:19:36,200 the end of that year, we're part of the harvest. 312 00:19:36,920 --> 00:19:39,200 We've been gathered in, we're saved. 313 00:19:39,200 --> 00:19:43,840 God is faithful. Moreover, are they not also 314 00:19:43,840 --> 00:19:47,080 recognizing that they are now eternally provided for, 315 00:19:47,080 --> 00:19:53,160 protected by the unfiltered presence of God, That God now is 316 00:19:53,160 --> 00:19:57,080 tabernacling with us, He is dwelling with us, we are with 317 00:19:57,080 --> 00:20:00,880 Him forever and ever. I believe So even in this do we 318 00:20:00,880 --> 00:20:02,960 see a wonderful connection with the rest of Scripture? 319 00:20:03,120 --> 00:20:05,640 A small detail as the palm branches can have so much 320 00:20:06,040 --> 00:20:09,880 richness to it. These are the people described. 321 00:20:09,880 --> 00:20:11,800 I'm sure we can go over every single thing that's mentioned, 322 00:20:11,800 --> 00:20:15,040 but we have to now go on to the praise that is provided. 323 00:20:15,920 --> 00:20:18,000 Look again at verse 11 of Revelation 7. 324 00:20:20,960 --> 00:20:23,520 As the people of God from all nations and tribes and tongues 325 00:20:23,520 --> 00:20:26,760 are rejoicing, the angels and the heavenly host now 326 00:20:26,760 --> 00:20:31,120 spontaneously join them. And I want you to see how, yes, 327 00:20:31,160 --> 00:20:35,120 verse 11 describes them, but you come to verse 12 and you see the 328 00:20:35,160 --> 00:20:37,360 attributes that they ascribe to the Lord. 329 00:20:37,400 --> 00:20:41,560 There's several of them. Look again at verse 12, saying 330 00:20:41,720 --> 00:20:46,400 Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and Thanksgiving and 331 00:20:46,400 --> 00:20:50,960 honor and power, and might be to our God forever and ever. 332 00:20:50,960 --> 00:20:53,960 Amen. Now does this refrain sound 333 00:20:53,960 --> 00:20:57,120 familiar? It should, because we've seen it 334 00:20:57,120 --> 00:21:02,320 before, earlier in Revelation. And when you compare the similar 335 00:21:02,360 --> 00:21:06,280 refrain, you'll learn at least two things about praise. 336 00:21:07,320 --> 00:21:11,120 Look back at Revelation 5, when the same heavenly host offered 337 00:21:11,120 --> 00:21:14,760 their praise to the Lord before any of those seals were broken, 338 00:21:15,640 --> 00:21:18,840 when the Lamb received the scroll from the Father's hand, 339 00:21:19,480 --> 00:21:22,520 the people broke out and praised these creatures in another 340 00:21:22,520 --> 00:21:23,920 realm. And look at verse 11 of 341 00:21:23,920 --> 00:21:27,880 Revelation 5. John says in verse 11. 342 00:21:27,880 --> 00:21:30,960 Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living 343 00:21:30,960 --> 00:21:34,000 creatures and the elders, the voice of many angels, numbering 344 00:21:34,000 --> 00:21:37,680 myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud 345 00:21:37,680 --> 00:21:42,920 voice, Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and 346 00:21:42,920 --> 00:21:48,280 wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing. 347 00:21:50,160 --> 00:21:51,720 Two things to learn about praise. 348 00:21:52,640 --> 00:21:56,640 Here's the first Almost identical wording, right? 349 00:21:58,000 --> 00:22:01,280 Different order, different order. 350 00:22:01,280 --> 00:22:03,880 Compare it. And that's intentional. 351 00:22:05,200 --> 00:22:08,240 That's intentional because if these worshippers repeated the 352 00:22:08,240 --> 00:22:12,760 very same words in the exact same way, we might be left with 353 00:22:12,760 --> 00:22:15,920 the impression that heavenly praise is a monotonous routine. 354 00:22:17,720 --> 00:22:20,360 There are already people, Christians, who think that 355 00:22:20,360 --> 00:22:23,720 worship in heaven eventually is going to get stale. 356 00:22:24,720 --> 00:22:26,520 I mean, how much variety can you come up with? 357 00:22:27,960 --> 00:22:31,440 It's just going to become this tedious repetition. 358 00:22:32,080 --> 00:22:35,920 But I find something instructive about this subtle hint when you 359 00:22:35,920 --> 00:22:42,240 compare these two refrains, that praise in heaven will always be 360 00:22:42,240 --> 00:22:46,720 fresh. That praise in heaven will 361 00:22:46,720 --> 00:22:50,360 always be zealous and meaningful and responsive to the 362 00:22:50,360 --> 00:22:53,680 revelations of who God is. As those revelations will be 363 00:22:53,680 --> 00:23:01,800 unfolding throughout eternity And before you and I get to our 364 00:23:01,800 --> 00:23:05,680 heavenly home, I believe we also have to be making the effort to 365 00:23:05,680 --> 00:23:08,600 keep our praise dynamic and heartfelt. 366 00:23:08,600 --> 00:23:14,200 Now, even now, the Lord is not interesting and interested in 367 00:23:14,200 --> 00:23:17,120 the sacrifice of praise that just repeats words off the 368 00:23:17,120 --> 00:23:20,240 screen that don't spring from the depths of your soul. 369 00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:24,200 And if you're a person in here who struggles to sing, singing 370 00:23:24,200 --> 00:23:26,240 is very important to the Christian faith because it's 371 00:23:26,240 --> 00:23:28,320 important to God. But if you struggle and many 372 00:23:28,320 --> 00:23:30,360 people do, I want to encourage you. 373 00:23:31,000 --> 00:23:34,160 The Holy Spirit is here to help you because one of the outcomes 374 00:23:34,160 --> 00:23:36,720 of being filled with the Holy Spirit according to Ephesians 5, 375 00:23:37,040 --> 00:23:40,480 is that one will make melody to the Lord. 376 00:23:40,480 --> 00:23:45,400 From where? From their heart, Not just here, 377 00:23:45,840 --> 00:23:49,320 not just here, from here, the depths of who you are. 378 00:23:50,080 --> 00:23:53,000 One of the ways you know that you're filled with the Spirit is 379 00:23:53,000 --> 00:23:55,440 that you can sing from your heart. 380 00:23:55,440 --> 00:23:58,520 You mean it, You delighted it, It excites you. 381 00:23:58,520 --> 00:24:04,280 And as one preacher said, the Holy Spirit is able to help us 382 00:24:05,840 --> 00:24:10,120 hear an old song as though it was new, or to open our eyes and 383 00:24:10,120 --> 00:24:13,480 our hearts to a completely new song to add to our list of 384 00:24:13,480 --> 00:24:18,880 praise. It will always be a special 385 00:24:18,880 --> 00:24:23,680 thing to sing to God in heaven. But there's a second thing to 386 00:24:23,680 --> 00:24:26,680 consider, and that is the placement of the praise. 387 00:24:27,680 --> 00:24:30,680 So in Revelation 5, as I mentioned, the people are 388 00:24:30,680 --> 00:24:34,640 singing to the Lord, worshiping Lord, falling on their face the 389 00:24:34,640 --> 00:24:38,320 moment that the Lamb took the scroll into his own possession. 390 00:24:39,200 --> 00:24:43,720 But when you go to Revelation 7, they're singing similarly when 391 00:24:43,720 --> 00:24:46,600 the seals on the scroll are near its completion in their opening. 392 00:24:48,240 --> 00:24:51,760 What's the lesson? That in every season God is 393 00:24:51,760 --> 00:24:53,960 worthy of praise. That's the truth. 394 00:24:54,400 --> 00:24:57,760 That no matter what He is doing at this moment, He deserves 395 00:24:57,760 --> 00:25:02,640 glory with praise always. So in Revelation 5, they are 396 00:25:02,640 --> 00:25:05,920 rejoicing together and what Christ is about to do. 397 00:25:07,120 --> 00:25:10,080 Revelation 7, they're singing about what Christ has already 398 00:25:10,080 --> 00:25:12,840 accomplished. You and I must do the same. 399 00:25:14,320 --> 00:25:16,280 When we come here together, we're looking forward to what 400 00:25:16,280 --> 00:25:19,040 the Lord will do, and we sing about it, but we also come to 401 00:25:19,040 --> 00:25:20,600 celebrate what He's already done. 402 00:25:21,440 --> 00:25:24,520 It's a wonderful instruction about how praise works in God's 403 00:25:24,520 --> 00:25:27,160 economy. But now we come to the longest 404 00:25:27,160 --> 00:25:30,520 part and the most important in terms of this message being 405 00:25:30,520 --> 00:25:33,040 conveyed to the hearts of God's people for this time. 406 00:25:33,320 --> 00:25:37,080 And that's the promise. There's a promise that is made. 407 00:25:37,760 --> 00:25:42,320 Look at verse 13 of Revelation 7, as is heavenly choirs 408 00:25:42,320 --> 00:25:43,720 crowning the Lord with their worship. 409 00:25:43,720 --> 00:25:46,840 One of the 24 elders turns and asks John a question. 410 00:25:47,120 --> 00:25:50,920 Verse 13 that one of the elders addressed me, saying, Who are 411 00:25:50,920 --> 00:25:55,440 these clothed in white robes and from where have they come? 412 00:25:56,880 --> 00:26:00,520 I said to him, Sir, you know and he said to me, these are the 413 00:26:00,520 --> 00:26:02,120 ones coming out of the great tribulation. 414 00:26:02,120 --> 00:26:05,200 They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of 415 00:26:05,200 --> 00:26:09,320 the Lamb. So the elder one of them looks 416 00:26:09,320 --> 00:26:11,520 at John and he says, do you know who this group is? 417 00:26:13,200 --> 00:26:15,080 He says, Sir, you know, that's just another way of saying, I 418 00:26:15,080 --> 00:26:20,520 don't, you know, I don't know. Now, you would think that the 419 00:26:20,520 --> 00:26:23,200 answer was obvious, right? I mean, any Christian can look 420 00:26:23,200 --> 00:26:25,760 at this scene and say these are believers who've been saved. 421 00:26:26,520 --> 00:26:31,960 Why does John not know? Let me give you an idea, because 422 00:26:31,960 --> 00:26:34,160 you look back and you realize that he saw what a great 423 00:26:34,160 --> 00:26:36,840 multitude that no one can number from every nation, from all 424 00:26:36,840 --> 00:26:39,200 tribes and peoples and languages standing before the throne. 425 00:26:39,560 --> 00:26:43,920 I think the enormous size and the diversity shocked John to 426 00:26:43,920 --> 00:26:45,680 the point where he didn't really know how to identify them. 427 00:26:45,880 --> 00:26:48,040 Remember, we're we're talking about the same John who early in 428 00:26:48,040 --> 00:26:52,680 Revelation was used by Christ to minister to a handful of local 429 00:26:52,680 --> 00:26:55,480 churches who most of them were experienced great persecution. 430 00:26:56,440 --> 00:26:59,200 He was living at a time when Christianity was under severe 431 00:26:59,200 --> 00:27:03,240 attack. And so now he's transported into 432 00:27:03,240 --> 00:27:06,320 this vision from ministering to these believers who are 433 00:27:06,320 --> 00:27:08,920 suffering in their own way, suffering externally, even 434 00:27:08,920 --> 00:27:11,040 internally in terms of faithfulness to truth. 435 00:27:12,160 --> 00:27:14,640 And then now he sees the sea of people that he can't even 436 00:27:14,640 --> 00:27:18,760 number. Are these really Christians? 437 00:27:18,800 --> 00:27:22,840 Are they really among those who are called to the narrow path? 438 00:27:24,200 --> 00:27:28,120 He couldn't register it. And so the Lord uses one of the 439 00:27:28,120 --> 00:27:31,800 elders to confirm it. These are those who've been 440 00:27:31,800 --> 00:27:39,960 saved by the blood of the Lamb. Now, he describes in two ways. 441 00:27:39,960 --> 00:27:42,320 The first is that they are coming out of the great 442 00:27:42,320 --> 00:27:43,920 tribulation. We saw that earlier. 443 00:27:44,240 --> 00:27:46,440 These are the ones coming out of this period of time. 444 00:27:47,000 --> 00:27:49,720 And we understand this to mean that the followers of Christ 445 00:27:51,040 --> 00:27:54,400 here are those who precede the second coming. 446 00:27:55,240 --> 00:27:57,520 But we also see something here about the believer today. 447 00:27:58,120 --> 00:28:01,080 Even though this is describing something to come, it says 448 00:28:01,080 --> 00:28:05,000 something about every believer, every age, that a true Christian 449 00:28:05,000 --> 00:28:09,720 is someone who will go through many tribulations and make it 450 00:28:12,120 --> 00:28:18,440 they will endure until the end. That's true for any person who 451 00:28:18,440 --> 00:28:20,560 claims to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. 452 00:28:20,800 --> 00:28:24,000 Not the absence of troubles, but the endurance in them and 453 00:28:24,000 --> 00:28:27,480 through them. They are coming out, not that 454 00:28:27,480 --> 00:28:32,040 they've escaped, but that they have succeeded in responding to 455 00:28:32,040 --> 00:28:33,680 these problems that came their way. 456 00:28:34,160 --> 00:28:35,960 And that is the mark of a true Christian. 457 00:28:36,880 --> 00:28:40,640 But we see something else here. This quality of devotion, right? 458 00:28:40,640 --> 00:28:44,920 This faithfulness until the end is the result of a saving act of 459 00:28:44,920 --> 00:28:46,920 faith. What does he say about them? 460 00:28:46,920 --> 00:28:48,880 Yes, they've come out of the great tribulation, but they have 461 00:28:48,880 --> 00:28:53,600 also washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the 462 00:28:53,600 --> 00:28:57,520 Lamb. That was the cause of the 463 00:28:57,520 --> 00:29:00,440 faithfulness. It's not their faithfulness that 464 00:29:00,440 --> 00:29:02,960 made them worthy. It's not their faithfulness that 465 00:29:02,960 --> 00:29:04,960 made them clean. It's not their faithfulness that 466 00:29:04,960 --> 00:29:07,360 erased their sin. They were faithful because 467 00:29:07,360 --> 00:29:11,880 they've been washed. Don't you think it's a strange 468 00:29:11,960 --> 00:29:16,760 image to say that these robes have been made white by blood? 469 00:29:18,920 --> 00:29:24,520 Blood stains? So this is clearly symbolic and 470 00:29:24,520 --> 00:29:28,600 this is a very powerful message, strange to the new reader 471 00:29:28,600 --> 00:29:31,720 perhaps, but not strange to the Christian or understands what 472 00:29:31,720 --> 00:29:36,280 the blood of Christ can do. What this shows is that the 473 00:29:36,280 --> 00:29:39,280 worthiness of this people standing before God without 474 00:29:39,280 --> 00:29:43,360 fear, with complete joy, is because of something outside of 475 00:29:43,360 --> 00:29:46,960 themselves that is cleanse them. They have not been made white 476 00:29:46,960 --> 00:29:48,840 because of what they've produced in themselves. 477 00:29:48,840 --> 00:29:52,080 It's something outside of them that has enabled them and 478 00:29:52,480 --> 00:29:56,240 extracted these things. And that is something to 479 00:29:56,240 --> 00:30:01,440 consider because the gospel message that will save them then 480 00:30:01,440 --> 00:30:03,600 is the same gospel message that saves people. 481 00:30:03,600 --> 00:30:06,120 Now, there's not going to be a different gospel in the 482 00:30:06,120 --> 00:30:09,160 tribulation period. It's going to be the same truth 483 00:30:09,880 --> 00:30:13,600 that will reel in souls that are open to being under the lordship 484 00:30:13,600 --> 00:30:18,160 of Christ. Now here's what's amazing in the 485 00:30:18,160 --> 00:30:21,840 average mind, being religious is about doing your part over a 486 00:30:21,840 --> 00:30:26,040 lifetime to scrub away the sins that have stained your life, the 487 00:30:26,040 --> 00:30:28,560 sins of your own actions and your own attitudes. 488 00:30:30,200 --> 00:30:33,000 And so they work hard and they try to remove those stains and 489 00:30:33,000 --> 00:30:35,400 they try to remove all their past, and they try to remove all 490 00:30:35,400 --> 00:30:37,720 their habits and their reputation so that they can be 491 00:30:37,720 --> 00:30:40,040 more acceptable, They can be more attractive to God. 492 00:30:41,360 --> 00:30:46,720 But a true Christian is someone who hears Christ say, I alone 493 00:30:46,720 --> 00:30:52,080 can make you clean, and you take your heart that is stained with 494 00:30:52,080 --> 00:30:57,680 sin, and you joyfully give it to him, and allow his blood to make 495 00:30:57,680 --> 00:31:00,720 it all white. That's a true Christian. 496 00:31:01,920 --> 00:31:07,560 Does it perform in their garments, but removes them and 497 00:31:07,560 --> 00:31:12,320 let's Christ take them and wash them, and do with them what no 498 00:31:12,320 --> 00:31:16,840 man can do for you. But notice how the elder says 499 00:31:16,840 --> 00:31:20,240 what they have washed their robes. 500 00:31:21,160 --> 00:31:22,200 Who did it? God. 501 00:31:22,680 --> 00:31:24,600 That God forced them to wash their robes? 502 00:31:25,360 --> 00:31:28,000 No, Christ has done his part by shedding his blood. 503 00:31:29,400 --> 00:31:31,840 They made the conscience choice of taking their robes, 504 00:31:31,840 --> 00:31:35,360 acknowledging the cleansing force of that sacrifice, and 505 00:31:35,360 --> 00:31:38,840 allowing that agent to do the work. 506 00:31:41,360 --> 00:31:47,160 So it's really up to you, it's up to every person to recognize 507 00:31:47,160 --> 00:31:49,200 what the Lord has done and then to respond to it. 508 00:31:49,480 --> 00:31:51,400 No one can blame God for their unbelief. 509 00:31:52,520 --> 00:31:57,040 No one can blame God for them not having the chance of being 510 00:31:57,040 --> 00:31:59,800 saved. They have washed their robes, 511 00:32:00,240 --> 00:32:05,360 Have you? That's the question today, have 512 00:32:05,360 --> 00:32:07,680 you? A lot of churches are filling up 513 00:32:07,680 --> 00:32:09,800 these days because of recent events, and I'm glad that's 514 00:32:09,800 --> 00:32:11,800 happening. And I think it's one of the 515 00:32:11,800 --> 00:32:14,080 greatest evangelistic opportunities of our time. 516 00:32:15,240 --> 00:32:17,480 So as much as we're teaching through Revelation, I can't help 517 00:32:17,480 --> 00:32:21,880 myself but preach the gospel and use this to perhaps point out 518 00:32:21,880 --> 00:32:25,600 anybody who is an unbelief, who has not said with confidence, 519 00:32:25,600 --> 00:32:29,000 yes, I made the conscious choice to be washed by His blood. 520 00:32:29,600 --> 00:32:32,360 You can do it today and it's up to you. 521 00:32:33,720 --> 00:32:37,320 So I, my, my desire really is that you can walk out of here 522 00:32:37,400 --> 00:32:40,880 with absolute assurance that even if heaven testifies against 523 00:32:40,880 --> 00:32:44,600 you, they can say he or she has washed their robe in the blood 524 00:32:44,600 --> 00:32:49,840 of the Lamb. And you can have that confidence 525 00:32:49,840 --> 00:32:54,840 by the Spirit if you truly repent and believe they have 526 00:32:54,840 --> 00:32:57,520 done it. Now here's what's amazing. 527 00:32:58,480 --> 00:33:03,760 He now goes on to give the promise that awaits the person 528 00:33:03,760 --> 00:33:05,720 who has done this. It's not just for this group in 529 00:33:05,720 --> 00:33:08,120 the great Tribulation. It's for any person who has 530 00:33:08,120 --> 00:33:11,200 followed their example in washing themselves in Christ's 531 00:33:11,200 --> 00:33:15,040 love. Forgiveness and cleansing is 532 00:33:15,040 --> 00:33:18,200 just, it's just the beginning. There are three main future 533 00:33:18,200 --> 00:33:21,680 pledges that are described here that I want us to consider 534 00:33:21,680 --> 00:33:23,600 before we close. Three things that are 535 00:33:23,600 --> 00:33:26,680 guaranteed. You believer if you can say I'm 536 00:33:26,680 --> 00:33:29,880 clean because of his blood. Three things. 537 00:33:31,160 --> 00:33:34,720 The first one might be the most surprising #1 this is your 538 00:33:34,720 --> 00:33:42,160 promise we will serve him. What do I mean by that? 539 00:33:42,640 --> 00:33:47,200 Look again here at verse 15. Therefore what is therefore? 540 00:33:47,200 --> 00:33:51,200 Therefore, as a result of them being cleansed by the blood of 541 00:33:51,200 --> 00:33:54,800 the Lamb, therefore they are before the throne of God and 542 00:33:54,800 --> 00:34:00,440 serve Him day and night in His temple, and he who sits on the 543 00:34:00,440 --> 00:34:04,200 throne will shelter them with His presence. 544 00:34:05,680 --> 00:34:08,440 This is more than just a description of the activity that 545 00:34:08,440 --> 00:34:10,199 will happen in the world to come. 546 00:34:10,760 --> 00:34:13,920 It's phrased in a way to stir up anticipation. 547 00:34:16,360 --> 00:34:21,239 You have to remember, only Levites were permitted to serve 548 00:34:21,239 --> 00:34:23,360 God in the temple in the Old Testament, right? 549 00:34:24,040 --> 00:34:27,920 Not every Jew, even among the Jews, only one specific line 550 00:34:28,840 --> 00:34:31,600 from one particular tribe. We're permitted to serve God in 551 00:34:31,600 --> 00:34:35,639 that capacity. And what is now God saying here 552 00:34:35,639 --> 00:34:39,360 about those who've washed the robes in above the Lamb there 553 00:34:39,360 --> 00:34:42,080 before the throne, and serve him day, night in his temple? 554 00:34:42,920 --> 00:34:46,440 Now it's access to everybody. Now it's made available to all 555 00:34:46,440 --> 00:34:47,840 tribes and all tongues and all nations. 556 00:34:47,840 --> 00:34:50,199 Now we all have been given that privilege to serve God. 557 00:34:50,840 --> 00:34:53,480 That's true today, and that's true for the world to come in. 558 00:34:53,480 --> 00:34:55,159 In what way? What's the full nature of 559 00:34:55,159 --> 00:34:59,240 serving God in heaven? I'm not sure, but I'm sure it 560 00:34:59,240 --> 00:35:02,680 includes some realization of what we do here on earth, though 561 00:35:02,680 --> 00:35:08,040 imperfectly and in weakness. I find it amazing that one of 562 00:35:08,040 --> 00:35:11,560 the promises for us is that we will serve God. 563 00:35:13,000 --> 00:35:17,400 Serve God. I'm not sure how many Christians 564 00:35:17,400 --> 00:35:21,240 see that as a heavenly thing, but it but it is. 565 00:35:22,200 --> 00:35:25,320 And if heaven is associated with heavenly bliss and eternal 566 00:35:25,320 --> 00:35:30,400 delight, then obviously the equation is that there's 567 00:35:30,400 --> 00:35:33,960 something about serving God that unlocks that kind of joy and the 568 00:35:33,960 --> 00:35:38,760 light. And I want to challenge any 569 00:35:38,760 --> 00:35:45,200 believer here who may not be actively serving God, who may 570 00:35:45,200 --> 00:35:48,160 not be serving him intentionally, Consciously. 571 00:35:48,160 --> 00:35:52,600 You're just kind of consuming Christian content and messages, 572 00:35:53,240 --> 00:35:55,200 but you're not exercising your faith. 573 00:35:56,360 --> 00:35:59,680 Notice something here, if you want to make your life more 574 00:35:59,680 --> 00:36:02,600 heavenly, then you have to imitate heavenly activity. 575 00:36:05,400 --> 00:36:08,560 And part of that is that with all your limitations and all 576 00:36:08,560 --> 00:36:11,480 your responsibilities that you seek God and you say, Lord, what 577 00:36:11,480 --> 00:36:13,480 is it that you want me to do to serve you now? 578 00:36:15,080 --> 00:36:17,400 What is it that you want me to do now to actually honor you in 579 00:36:17,400 --> 00:36:19,480 this way? And I assure you, based on the 580 00:36:19,480 --> 00:36:23,680 inside of this verse, if you tap into that, then you will know a 581 00:36:23,720 --> 00:36:28,760 deep otherworldly contentment because you were created for it. 582 00:36:29,640 --> 00:36:31,720 You were made to serve God. Imagine this. 583 00:36:32,240 --> 00:36:35,880 We will serve God in the world to come. 584 00:36:38,360 --> 00:36:41,880 And so you and I can know something about the fragrance 585 00:36:41,920 --> 00:36:44,160 and the the light of that world to come. 586 00:36:44,160 --> 00:36:47,480 If you seek to imitate the activity that is presented to us 587 00:36:47,480 --> 00:36:48,720 here. We will serve him. 588 00:36:48,720 --> 00:36:51,400 That's a promise. And for those who serve God now 589 00:36:51,640 --> 00:36:54,120 that should be exciting because you know the joy of honoring God 590 00:36:54,120 --> 00:36:57,320 in that way. But secondly, we will be safe 591 00:36:57,320 --> 00:36:59,880 with him. We will be safe with him. 592 00:36:59,880 --> 00:37:02,720 Look at here at verse 16. They shall hunger no more, 593 00:37:02,720 --> 00:37:05,640 neither thirst anymore. The sun shall not strike them 594 00:37:05,640 --> 00:37:10,960 nor any scorching heat. So you have the the fears and 595 00:37:10,960 --> 00:37:13,600 the heartaches and the discomforts of this life. 596 00:37:14,000 --> 00:37:17,760 The things that we are all vulnerable to will suddenly come 597 00:37:17,760 --> 00:37:20,840 to an end. They will no longer threaten 598 00:37:20,840 --> 00:37:23,040 you. And I listen. 599 00:37:23,040 --> 00:37:27,400 Even the very environment of heaven will be pleasurable, will 600 00:37:27,400 --> 00:37:32,600 be cooperative. There won't even be a hint of 601 00:37:32,920 --> 00:37:36,200 anything making us uncomfortable in that kind of an atmosphere. 602 00:37:36,200 --> 00:37:43,440 The sun itself will always be to our contentment and our joy, not 603 00:37:43,440 --> 00:37:45,680 like the unpredictable elements of this life. 604 00:37:47,440 --> 00:37:51,160 And there's something here about the contrast between what is 605 00:37:51,160 --> 00:37:55,720 provided in terms of shelter and what is promised to the wicked, 606 00:37:55,720 --> 00:37:58,080 even in the tribulation period. Notice what's mentioned here. 607 00:37:58,240 --> 00:38:03,680 Water the sun. Go to Revelation 16. 608 00:38:06,480 --> 00:38:09,600 This is describing the bold judgments, the last sequence of 609 00:38:09,600 --> 00:38:11,400 judgments that will be poured out on the earth. 610 00:38:11,840 --> 00:38:15,400 And notice what happens early in those series of executions. 611 00:38:16,160 --> 00:38:19,960 Revelation 16 Four. The third Angel poured out his 612 00:38:19,960 --> 00:38:23,120 bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they 613 00:38:23,120 --> 00:38:26,080 became blood. In other words, they weren't 614 00:38:26,080 --> 00:38:28,000 able to drink it anymore. It was poisoned. 615 00:38:30,160 --> 00:38:33,400 Look at verse 8. The 4th Angel poured out his 616 00:38:33,400 --> 00:38:37,200 bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people with 617 00:38:37,200 --> 00:38:40,440 fire. Do you see the comparison? 618 00:38:42,680 --> 00:38:45,320 Our future is much different than the future of the wicked, 619 00:38:46,120 --> 00:38:47,680 and you've heard this many times before. 620 00:38:47,680 --> 00:38:51,920 For us, this world is the closest thing to experiencing 621 00:38:51,920 --> 00:38:55,600 hell. But for the wicked, this is the 622 00:38:55,600 --> 00:38:58,360 closest thing that they will ever know of Paradise. 623 00:39:01,840 --> 00:39:03,880 We won't thirst, we won't hunger. 624 00:39:04,280 --> 00:39:07,520 The sun won't burn us. When it comes to Revelation 16, 625 00:39:07,520 --> 00:39:09,240 the wicked, their future is much different. 626 00:39:09,240 --> 00:39:14,840 They can't drink, they will scour for food, and the very sun 627 00:39:14,840 --> 00:39:20,320 will torture them for all of eternity. 628 00:39:20,320 --> 00:39:24,200 We'll be unharmed. We will be the safest that we've 629 00:39:24,200 --> 00:39:29,120 ever been. And lastly, my favorite, not 630 00:39:29,120 --> 00:39:31,960 only will we serve Him, not only will we be sheltered and safe 631 00:39:31,960 --> 00:39:34,120 with them, but we will also be satisfied in Him. 632 00:39:34,880 --> 00:39:38,600 Look at verse 17 of Revelation 7. 633 00:39:38,600 --> 00:39:44,200 For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, 634 00:39:44,480 --> 00:39:48,440 and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God 635 00:39:48,440 --> 00:39:50,440 will wipe away every tear from their eyes. 636 00:39:51,160 --> 00:39:54,240 What an amazing reminder of the manifold beauty of Christ. 637 00:39:55,200 --> 00:39:56,640 Read your Bible slowly, would you? 638 00:39:56,680 --> 00:40:01,160 We're being told about the Lamb who's also a shepherd. 639 00:40:01,280 --> 00:40:04,560 How does that work? Lamb and a shepherd. 640 00:40:07,160 --> 00:40:08,960 You know why that's being described to us in this way? 641 00:40:08,960 --> 00:40:10,760 To show us that Christ is All in all. 642 00:40:12,080 --> 00:40:15,320 No matter what you need, you can find it in Him. 643 00:40:16,160 --> 00:40:19,120 He is the ultimate sacrifice that can save us. 644 00:40:19,120 --> 00:40:22,600 He's the Lamb, and at the same time He's the strong Shepherd 645 00:40:22,600 --> 00:40:26,280 who can guide us and shield us and protect us all the days of 646 00:40:26,280 --> 00:40:30,080 our lives up into eternity. He's everything. 647 00:40:30,960 --> 00:40:34,840 No matter what your soul needs, you can tap into it and taste it 648 00:40:34,840 --> 00:40:40,240 in Jesus. And notice how this, the springs 649 00:40:40,240 --> 00:40:43,080 of living water that he will lead us to, is not in the 650 00:40:43,080 --> 00:40:46,520 singular, but in the plural. It's not a spring, it's springs. 651 00:40:47,280 --> 00:40:49,520 And you might have a different translation that reads fountain, 652 00:40:49,520 --> 00:40:52,080 but even if you have that, it doesn't say fountain, but 653 00:40:52,080 --> 00:40:59,440 fountains referring to the abundant, unending, overflowing 654 00:40:59,440 --> 00:41:02,560 provision that fulfills the deepest longings of the human 655 00:41:02,560 --> 00:41:09,040 heart. And you can't miss how we can 656 00:41:09,040 --> 00:41:11,560 have access to this eternal reality. 657 00:41:11,880 --> 00:41:15,800 It can't be an it can't be known apart from what He will guide 658 00:41:15,800 --> 00:41:17,880 them. That's the middle of verse 17. 659 00:41:19,040 --> 00:41:23,320 He will guide them. Only when you put your hand in 660 00:41:23,320 --> 00:41:29,840 the hand of him can you be led to this kind of experience that 661 00:41:29,840 --> 00:41:35,520 will never be interrupted. And here's the thing, Christ is 662 00:41:35,520 --> 00:41:39,440 the only road map to that promise. 663 00:41:40,000 --> 00:41:43,880 And it's true even today. This is not just speaking about 664 00:41:43,880 --> 00:41:45,800 what's going to be known in the world to come. 665 00:41:46,480 --> 00:41:50,640 You and I can sample on that living water day by day. 666 00:41:50,640 --> 00:41:56,480 Now there are some miserable Christians, and some of you 667 00:41:56,480 --> 00:42:04,240 might even be here, miserable, joyless, frustrated. 668 00:42:07,120 --> 00:42:09,640 You know sin is wrong, but for whatever reason in your mind you 669 00:42:09,640 --> 00:42:11,760 think that it actually tastes better than what Christ has to 670 00:42:11,760 --> 00:42:16,920 offer. That is not what Christianity is 671 00:42:16,920 --> 00:42:20,640 about. Yes, this, this flesh does tempt 672 00:42:20,640 --> 00:42:21,520 us. It does lie to us. 673 00:42:21,520 --> 00:42:24,600 It does remind us of some of the things that we know, knew before 674 00:42:24,600 --> 00:42:27,920 we came to Christ. But all that is being described 675 00:42:27,920 --> 00:42:33,560 here is experiential. It's real, it can be owned, and 676 00:42:33,560 --> 00:42:38,840 it can be known. And I want to tell you this, the 677 00:42:38,840 --> 00:42:41,320 way to claim it is no different here. 678 00:42:41,320 --> 00:42:45,280 We're told that in eternity He will guide them to these living 679 00:42:45,280 --> 00:42:49,520 waters and he's willing to guide you now. 680 00:42:51,920 --> 00:42:55,800 But you have to stop leading yourself and you, you have to 681 00:42:55,800 --> 00:42:58,440 stop chasing all these different options, all these different 682 00:42:58,440 --> 00:43:02,160 avenues, all these different things and just give yourself to 683 00:43:02,160 --> 00:43:04,440 his leadership completely. How do I do that? 684 00:43:04,440 --> 00:43:06,960 You come to what his word says. You do and you do it. 685 00:43:08,960 --> 00:43:12,760 You just do it by faith with desperation. 686 00:43:12,760 --> 00:43:15,760 You don't give up. You say, Lord, if this is 687 00:43:15,760 --> 00:43:18,480 possible, I want to know it. I'm I wasn't planning to end 688 00:43:18,480 --> 00:43:19,840 here. Let's end here. 689 00:43:20,160 --> 00:43:32,040 Go to first Peter 1 and look at verse 8 because I want, I don't 690 00:43:32,040 --> 00:43:34,040 want to give the impression that everything that we just read 691 00:43:34,040 --> 00:43:36,920 there about how we will serve Him and how we will be safe with 692 00:43:36,920 --> 00:43:39,560 Him and how we will be satisfied in Him, it's just something that 693 00:43:39,560 --> 00:43:42,680 we have to wait for. Yes, it will be on a level that 694 00:43:43,000 --> 00:43:45,600 requires glorified bodies to endure. 695 00:43:46,880 --> 00:43:49,160 But look at this verse eight of first Peter 1. 696 00:43:49,160 --> 00:43:51,640 Though you have not seen him, you love him. 697 00:43:51,640 --> 00:43:54,120 That's a miracle in itself. How do you love somebody you've 698 00:43:54,120 --> 00:43:57,200 never seen before? It's because you're more than 699 00:43:57,200 --> 00:44:00,160 just flesh and bones. You're a spirit being, and when 700 00:44:00,160 --> 00:44:02,920 you get saved, your spiritual eyes open to who Christ is, and 701 00:44:02,920 --> 00:44:06,320 you fall in love with Him. Though you have not seen Him, 702 00:44:06,320 --> 00:44:10,360 you love Him, Though you do not now see Him, you believe in Him. 703 00:44:11,200 --> 00:44:15,360 He doesn't stop there and rejoice with joy that is 704 00:44:15,440 --> 00:44:20,080 inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of 705 00:44:20,080 --> 00:44:21,720 your faith, the salvation of your souls. 706 00:44:25,440 --> 00:44:31,840 You can ask different people today what makes them happy, but 707 00:44:31,840 --> 00:44:34,560 there is a level of happiness that you can't even explain, and 708 00:44:34,560 --> 00:44:38,320 it's only in Christ, inexpressible. 709 00:44:38,320 --> 00:44:42,440 I have no expressions to tell you the joy I feel for someone 710 00:44:42,440 --> 00:44:46,880 that I've never seen before, for someone that I just believe and 711 00:44:46,880 --> 00:44:48,760 trust in because He's given me His Word. 712 00:44:50,200 --> 00:44:52,760 Do you have that joy And I know it fluctuates and I know it gets 713 00:44:52,920 --> 00:44:55,920 difficult that sometimes I know sometimes it's it's this paradox 714 00:44:55,920 --> 00:44:57,800 of rejoicing but suffering. I get it. 715 00:44:58,000 --> 00:45:00,320 But but do you know it on any level? 716 00:45:01,520 --> 00:45:03,520 Can you hear Peter and say I know what that's like. 717 00:45:05,000 --> 00:45:07,680 And if you don't take the instruction from the end of 718 00:45:07,680 --> 00:45:10,760 Revelation 7. Let Christ guide you there, ask 719 00:45:10,760 --> 00:45:13,360 for it and watch him lead you to it. 720 00:45:15,360 --> 00:45:17,320 Brothers and sisters, although we are looking at a great 721 00:45:17,600 --> 00:45:22,640 tribulation harvest, the truths here are for us today and I hope 722 00:45:22,640 --> 00:45:25,920 you will take it to heart. Lord, we thank you for these 723 00:45:25,920 --> 00:45:32,280 truths and we ask, oh God, that we would be able to, by Your 724 00:45:32,280 --> 00:45:35,640 grace, know again this joy that is inexpressible and filled with 725 00:45:35,640 --> 00:45:42,600 glory. If anybody here is not born 726 00:45:42,600 --> 00:45:48,040 again, please, Lord, hear our prayers on their behalf that 727 00:45:48,040 --> 00:45:50,760 they would be saved, truly saved. 728 00:45:52,480 --> 00:45:55,720 And for the believer here who is struggling, barely made it to 729 00:45:55,720 --> 00:46:00,000 the service today. May their future home and their 730 00:46:00,280 --> 00:46:04,720 present promises at their disposal deliver them from 731 00:46:04,720 --> 00:46:09,040 despondency and discouragement. And may they actually know a new 732 00:46:09,040 --> 00:46:12,520 strength as they follow you. Thank you, O God, that you are a 733 00:46:12,520 --> 00:46:16,040 faithful King. What you've said you will 734 00:46:16,040 --> 00:46:20,160 perform and you've shown us here more than once how you are 735 00:46:20,160 --> 00:46:23,200 dependable. We love you and we honor you and 736 00:46:23,200 --> 00:46:27,360 we sing to you from our hearts and Jesus name we pray. 737 00:46:27,760 --> 00:46:29,880 Amen and Amen can we stand together?