1 00:00:07,040 --> 00:00:09,080 Let's open our Bibles. Please open our Bibles. 2 00:00:09,080 --> 00:00:10,600 The Book of Revelation, Chapter 9. 3 00:00:10,600 --> 00:00:12,640 If you've got a Bible and you brought it, hold it up. 4 00:00:12,640 --> 00:00:13,840 We haven't lifted up. Lifted up. 5 00:00:13,880 --> 00:00:15,640 Yeah, let's see those Bibles. Great. 6 00:00:15,800 --> 00:00:17,920 You rare. You are rare breed. 7 00:00:17,920 --> 00:00:21,160 Let's let's open them up. Revelation chapter 19. 8 00:00:21,440 --> 00:00:23,760 As we're doing that, let's pray over our offering. 9 00:00:24,120 --> 00:00:28,320 Heavenly Father, to be able to give your word commands us that 10 00:00:28,320 --> 00:00:31,520 Lord, you want us to test you in this way. 11 00:00:31,960 --> 00:00:36,000 And so we give. We give the first, not what's 12 00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:38,120 leftover. We give you the best. 13 00:00:39,400 --> 00:00:42,880 And Lord, we know that you will continue to bless us as we do 14 00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:47,080 this, as we learn to trust you. Use what we give. 15 00:00:47,080 --> 00:00:51,040 Lord, help us to be wise to yours and use it for your glory. 16 00:00:51,360 --> 00:00:54,720 We pray and ask your blessing upon the offering now in Jesus 17 00:00:54,720 --> 00:00:56,320 name, Amen. Amen. 18 00:00:57,320 --> 00:00:59,200 Chapter 19. I've wrestled with it. 19 00:00:59,200 --> 00:01:05,480 We're only going to do 10 verses in Revelation 19 as we come 20 00:01:05,880 --> 00:01:08,880 closer to the end of the Book of Revelation. 21 00:01:09,480 --> 00:01:14,600 The first half of this chapter takes place in heaven and 22 00:01:14,600 --> 00:01:19,480 describes the marriage of the Lamb and then the other thing 23 00:01:19,480 --> 00:01:23,840 called the wedding feast or the marriage supper of the Lamb. 2 24 00:01:23,840 --> 00:01:29,080 distinct things when the church is united in glory to Jesus 25 00:01:29,080 --> 00:01:32,920 Christ. The title of this morning's 26 00:01:32,920 --> 00:01:34,880 message is the marriage made in Heaven. 27 00:01:34,880 --> 00:01:38,440 And that's what I said to Helen when I proposed to her. 28 00:01:38,680 --> 00:01:42,200 Helen, you're going to get a marriage made in heaven. 29 00:01:42,640 --> 00:01:44,320 She said. Where am I going to get that? 30 00:01:47,160 --> 00:01:49,800 There is something about a wedding and the wedding supper 31 00:01:49,800 --> 00:01:52,400 that follows. We have one coming up shortly 32 00:01:52,600 --> 00:01:56,200 here in church. It is truly a joyful day of 33 00:01:56,440 --> 00:02:01,120 human celebrations. And now we shift and there's a 34 00:02:01,120 --> 00:02:06,120 seismic shift from we've been going from Chapter 6 all the way 35 00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:10,600 up till now with the judgments of God, the seven seals, the 36 00:02:10,600 --> 00:02:15,560 seven trumpets, the seven bowls, and the judgments of God upon a 37 00:02:15,560 --> 00:02:19,600 world that continues to reject God, that no matter what happens 38 00:02:19,600 --> 00:02:22,600 to them, they're covered in sores or there's an earthquake 39 00:02:22,840 --> 00:02:25,360 after it's all over, they, they go, we don't care about you, 40 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:27,800 God. And they just blasphemy him all 41 00:02:27,800 --> 00:02:30,520 over again. And, and, and we've, we've 42 00:02:30,520 --> 00:02:33,960 brought to this point, it's been, it's been a hard, arduous 43 00:02:34,240 --> 00:02:36,320 time, hasn't it? Each time we've come Sunday 44 00:02:36,320 --> 00:02:39,560 going well, we got another earthquake this week or what we 45 00:02:39,560 --> 00:02:42,480 got, we got sores this week. We got tidal wave this week. 46 00:02:43,240 --> 00:02:47,840 We have 35K hailstone blocks falling down from heaven this 47 00:02:47,840 --> 00:02:50,160 week, meteorite shower. What is it? 48 00:02:50,160 --> 00:02:52,800 Demonic hordes coming out of the abyss. 49 00:02:52,960 --> 00:02:54,920 What's happening? Well, today it's different 50 00:02:55,960 --> 00:03:00,280 following the obliteration and judgement of religious Babylon, 51 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:04,960 the one world church system, which is actually in its 52 00:03:05,240 --> 00:03:07,920 infancy, not probably beyond its infancy. 53 00:03:07,920 --> 00:03:11,920 It's in its median stages now, which will be headed by the 54 00:03:11,920 --> 00:03:15,800 false prophet who will work with the Antichrist during the seven 55 00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:23,240 year tribulation period. God judged it and then in 56 00:03:23,240 --> 00:03:27,440 chapter 18 he judged the political and commercial 57 00:03:27,440 --> 00:03:31,560 Babylon, that is the political system, the powerhouse 58 00:03:31,760 --> 00:03:39,600 government, the the, the, the abuse of dictatorship that the 59 00:03:39,880 --> 00:03:44,520 Antichrist has over the world during this period, particularly 60 00:03:44,520 --> 00:03:48,840 in the last 3 1/2 years of the seven year tribulation. 61 00:03:49,440 --> 00:03:55,680 And now we come to a period of massive celebrations, praise and 62 00:03:55,680 --> 00:04:02,280 worship as we move into heaven now and it breaks out in waves 63 00:04:02,280 --> 00:04:07,040 of praise verse one after these things, after what? 64 00:04:07,040 --> 00:04:13,080 After chapter 17 and chapter 18, I heard a loud voice again, no 65 00:04:13,080 --> 00:04:16,640 hearing hearing aids, no, no trumpets, you know, plugged to 66 00:04:16,680 --> 00:04:19,519 our ears going in heaven. No one will be saying what, 67 00:04:19,600 --> 00:04:21,920 what? Because everything's in heaven 68 00:04:21,959 --> 00:04:26,160 is going to be loud. Prepare yourself. 69 00:04:27,080 --> 00:04:30,400 It's loud in heaven if you go to Israel. 70 00:04:30,400 --> 00:04:35,760 I pray that we can one day. Lord willing spoke to Yaniv the 71 00:04:35,760 --> 00:04:38,320 other day. He said tourists are starting to 72 00:04:38,320 --> 00:04:41,200 come back September. It's looking good for him. 73 00:04:41,200 --> 00:04:44,920 And he just asked the blessing to be upon us here back home. 74 00:04:46,200 --> 00:04:49,760 But in Israel, everything that they do is loud. 75 00:04:51,040 --> 00:04:55,000 It's kind of like the Italians. The Italians can just talk about 76 00:04:55,000 --> 00:05:00,400 fruit, fruit and fruit and fruit, food, food and fruit and, 77 00:05:00,400 --> 00:05:04,320 and they go sit down, sit down, have something, a cup of coffee 78 00:05:04,320 --> 00:05:06,080 here, sit, sit. It's loud. 79 00:05:06,400 --> 00:05:08,880 They're arguing, but they don't actually. 80 00:05:08,880 --> 00:05:11,040 And they're not arguing. They say, isn't the weather 81 00:05:11,040 --> 00:05:13,640 great? No, it's not. 82 00:05:13,760 --> 00:05:17,080 It's wonderful. That's how they are in Roma and 83 00:05:17,080 --> 00:05:19,400 and in Israel they're even louder. 84 00:05:19,400 --> 00:05:21,960 Again. We saw a bar mitzvah heading up 85 00:05:21,960 --> 00:05:26,160 to the Western Wall and you could hear it coming from miles 86 00:05:26,160 --> 00:05:30,880 down now banging drums and now people as this young boy was 87 00:05:30,880 --> 00:05:33,320 becoming a man in the Jewish tradition. 88 00:05:33,600 --> 00:05:37,360 So prepare yourselves. No wax in the ears when we get 89 00:05:37,360 --> 00:05:40,800 to heaven. I heard a loud voice of a great 90 00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:44,240 multitude in heaven saying and I want you to count these 91 00:05:44,560 --> 00:05:46,120 Hallelujah, that's the first one. 92 00:05:46,400 --> 00:05:51,240 Salvation and glory and honour and power belong to the Lord our 93 00:05:51,240 --> 00:05:55,440 God. Salvation, glory, honour and 94 00:05:55,480 --> 00:06:00,760 power, they all belong to God, for true and righteous are His 95 00:06:00,760 --> 00:06:03,480 judgments. Because he has judged the great 96 00:06:03,480 --> 00:06:07,600 harlot who corrupted the earth. That's the religious one with 97 00:06:07,600 --> 00:06:10,400 her. Fornications has avenged on her 98 00:06:10,400 --> 00:06:13,040 the blood of his servants shed by her. 99 00:06:13,320 --> 00:06:16,200 Again they said, Hallelujah, that's true. 100 00:06:16,760 --> 00:06:20,160 Her smoke rises up forever and ever. 101 00:06:20,280 --> 00:06:23,480 So they're praising the Lord over the destruction of the 102 00:06:23,480 --> 00:06:27,880 religious Babylon. And the 24 elders and the four 103 00:06:27,880 --> 00:06:32,160 living creatures fell down and worshipped God, who sat on the 104 00:06:32,160 --> 00:06:35,880 throne saying Amen, Hallelujah, that's three. 105 00:06:36,240 --> 00:06:40,640 Then a voice came from the throne saying, Praise our God, 106 00:06:40,640 --> 00:06:46,080 all you his servants, and those who fear him, both small and 107 00:06:46,080 --> 00:06:49,320 great. And I heard as it were, the 108 00:06:49,320 --> 00:06:53,520 voice of a great multitude. When you see that term great 109 00:06:53,520 --> 00:06:56,880 multitude, it means there's so many they can't number them as 110 00:06:56,880 --> 00:07:01,160 the sound of many waters. That's the raging sound, 111 00:07:01,160 --> 00:07:05,640 thunderous ocean or the Victoria Falls or Niagara Falls. 112 00:07:05,760 --> 00:07:08,960 That's how loud it is. As the sound of mighty 113 00:07:08,960 --> 00:07:11,720 thundering saying Hallelujah, how many is that? 114 00:07:11,840 --> 00:07:15,920 That's for for the Lord God omnipotent. 115 00:07:16,520 --> 00:07:20,480 That's his title. That means the Lord God who is 116 00:07:20,480 --> 00:07:23,320 all powerful over everything else. 117 00:07:23,520 --> 00:07:27,400 He reigns and rules and has dominion over everything else 118 00:07:27,640 --> 00:07:32,560 reigns. Let us be glad and rejoice and 119 00:07:32,560 --> 00:07:34,800 give him glory. Why? 120 00:07:35,440 --> 00:07:38,280 For the marriage of the Lamb. Who's the Lamb? 121 00:07:38,320 --> 00:07:42,360 Jesus has come, and his wife. Who was that? 122 00:07:42,480 --> 00:07:45,480 Who's his bride has made herself ready? 123 00:07:45,720 --> 00:07:51,840 Who his Who is his bride? The bride is the Church of Jesus 124 00:07:51,840 --> 00:07:56,480 Christ, you and I. It's talking about what we're 125 00:07:56,480 --> 00:08:02,160 going to go through and experience after the rapture. 126 00:08:03,320 --> 00:08:08,360 In verses 1, 3-4 and six we have 4 hallelujahs. 127 00:08:08,360 --> 00:08:14,360 We proclaimed Hallelujah with. The A is the Greek translation 128 00:08:14,360 --> 00:08:19,240 of the Hebrew word Hallelujah made up of 2 words, halal 129 00:08:19,240 --> 00:08:25,960 meaning praise and Yah. Yah is short for Jehovah God. 130 00:08:26,840 --> 00:08:29,480 Praise the Lord, in other words, is Hallelujah. 131 00:08:30,200 --> 00:08:35,760 Hallelujah is used 22 times in the book of Psalms 400 and 132 00:08:36,000 --> 00:08:41,799 465,000 in many churches on a Sunday morning, some a bit over 133 00:08:41,799 --> 00:08:45,240 the top. Hallelujah is used 22 times in 134 00:08:45,240 --> 00:08:50,160 the book of Psalms, but in the New Testament only in chapter 19 135 00:08:50,160 --> 00:08:53,720 is it found is this word mentioned so verse one. 136 00:08:53,720 --> 00:08:56,720 After these things, I heard a loud voice of a great multitude 137 00:08:56,720 --> 00:09:01,360 in heaven saying Hallelujah. Salvation and glory and honour 138 00:09:01,360 --> 00:09:04,200 and power belong to the Lord our God. 139 00:09:04,840 --> 00:09:08,560 This is the Hallelujah. It's hard saying Hallelujah. 140 00:09:08,560 --> 00:09:11,600 I'm going to say Hallelujah. It's fine, Connor, Hallelujah. 141 00:09:11,600 --> 00:09:14,040 It's a bit difficult, so I'm going to say Hallelujah. 142 00:09:15,360 --> 00:09:17,080 It's the Hallelujah of salvation. 143 00:09:18,000 --> 00:09:21,600 We have been saved. If you're here today and you've 144 00:09:21,600 --> 00:09:25,800 received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, you partook in 145 00:09:25,840 --> 00:09:31,160 communion today. Salvation took place when at our 146 00:09:31,160 --> 00:09:36,080 conversion there was a moment in time Jesus said you must be born 147 00:09:36,080 --> 00:09:39,920 again. Billy Graham was asked why do 148 00:09:39,920 --> 00:09:41,920 you always preach that you must be born again? 149 00:09:41,920 --> 00:09:44,760 He said because the Bible says you must be born again. 150 00:09:46,000 --> 00:09:49,600 You must be born again. Jesus said John chapter 3 to 151 00:09:51,880 --> 00:09:53,280 Nicholas. What was his name? 152 00:09:54,160 --> 00:09:55,360 Nicodemus. That's it. 153 00:09:55,800 --> 00:09:58,280 His brother Nicodemus. Nicholas was his brother, owned 154 00:09:58,280 --> 00:10:00,120 the fruit veggie shop down the corner. 155 00:10:00,680 --> 00:10:04,440 Nicodemus, he came. Jesus said you're a religious 156 00:10:04,440 --> 00:10:06,000 man, but you don't know anything. 157 00:10:06,760 --> 00:10:09,360 You don't know anything. You must be born again. 158 00:10:11,240 --> 00:10:16,440 And that happened the moment you repented of your sins because 159 00:10:16,440 --> 00:10:19,920 you can't do that. You can't get saved until you 160 00:10:19,920 --> 00:10:22,040 repent. That's what Jesus told his 161 00:10:22,040 --> 00:10:24,120 disciples to do, repent and believe. 162 00:10:24,320 --> 00:10:26,280 You've got to repent before you believe. 163 00:10:26,440 --> 00:10:28,440 You can't just come up and say, yeah, I believe in Jesus. 164 00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:31,760 No, no, you've got to realise you're a Sinner. 165 00:10:33,040 --> 00:10:36,200 Realise that all of sin have fallen short of the glory of 166 00:10:36,200 --> 00:10:38,080 God, that there's none righteous, no, not one. 167 00:10:38,440 --> 00:10:41,720 That we need salvation. Pastor Marlon put it so 168 00:10:41,720 --> 00:10:45,680 beautifully here. We couldn't save ourselves. 169 00:10:45,680 --> 00:10:49,280 There was nothing we could do to get out of our sin. 170 00:10:49,600 --> 00:10:52,960 Jesus did it all. That's why we remember him and 171 00:10:52,960 --> 00:10:57,760 it he saved us from the penalty of our sins and he gave us 172 00:10:57,760 --> 00:11:02,560 instead eternal light John chapter 5 verse 24, Jesus said 173 00:11:02,560 --> 00:11:05,760 most assuredly I say to you hear this. 174 00:11:05,760 --> 00:11:07,200 This is how you become a Christian. 175 00:11:07,560 --> 00:11:13,000 He who hears my word now a lot of people here, but here's the 176 00:11:13,000 --> 00:11:18,280 second part and believes in him. That means believes that Jesus 177 00:11:18,280 --> 00:11:21,640 Christ died on the cross for them, for their sins. 178 00:11:22,360 --> 00:11:25,760 Him who sent me has everlasting life. 179 00:11:25,880 --> 00:11:29,640 John 316 For God so loved the world that he gave His only 180 00:11:29,640 --> 00:11:34,000 begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not 181 00:11:34,000 --> 00:11:38,560 perish, that is, be separated from God by death, but have 182 00:11:38,720 --> 00:11:42,360 everlasting life, eternal life, and shall not. 183 00:11:42,720 --> 00:11:49,440 Jesus says in John 5 shall not come into judgement, but has 184 00:11:49,480 --> 00:11:54,280 passed at that moment from death to light. 185 00:11:54,400 --> 00:11:59,600 So the moment this body fails, the moment it shuts down and 186 00:11:59,600 --> 00:12:04,040 says it's all done, shops closed from that moment. 187 00:12:04,080 --> 00:12:08,560 In that instance, in the speed, Paul says in the twinkling of an 188 00:12:08,560 --> 00:12:15,440 eye to be absent from the body is what he adds is to be present 189 00:12:15,440 --> 00:12:17,880 with the Lord. That's a wonderful piece. 190 00:12:18,640 --> 00:12:20,840 That's a wonderful place. If you're going into the 191 00:12:20,840 --> 00:12:23,720 intensive care and the doctor say, well, we just hope things 192 00:12:23,720 --> 00:12:28,080 go well. Whichever way I'm good, I'm 193 00:12:28,080 --> 00:12:32,480 good, whichever way I'm good. Because to be absent from the 194 00:12:32,480 --> 00:12:34,160 body is to be present with the Lord. 195 00:12:35,600 --> 00:12:41,000 Secondly, we are being saved. So we have been saved the day of 196 00:12:41,000 --> 00:12:44,200 your conversion. Secondly, we are being saved. 197 00:12:44,440 --> 00:12:48,360 What does that mean? Philippians 116 being confident 198 00:12:48,360 --> 00:12:52,800 of this very thing, that he who has begun a good work in you 199 00:12:53,120 --> 00:12:56,400 will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. 200 00:12:56,680 --> 00:12:58,480 Tell me, have you got it all down? 201 00:12:58,760 --> 00:13:01,680 You know, are you the perfect believer right now, man? 202 00:13:03,120 --> 00:13:08,400 No, that's why 1 John 19 and 10 says we can come before the Lord 203 00:13:08,400 --> 00:13:11,640 as Christians each day and go, God forgive me today. 204 00:13:11,720 --> 00:13:14,120 You know, I was a lousy dad even on Father's Day. 205 00:13:14,120 --> 00:13:17,760 I didn't say the right thing. I wasn't appreciative of what 206 00:13:17,760 --> 00:13:20,400 the kids did. We sin. 207 00:13:20,720 --> 00:13:27,120 We sin by things we do and by we sin by things we don't do. 208 00:13:29,000 --> 00:13:33,320 Omission and Commission. And so we're in the process. 209 00:13:33,640 --> 00:13:38,720 I'm not finished yet, I'm living in a sinful body and I still 210 00:13:38,720 --> 00:13:46,960 fail God and so I'm being saved. Thirdly, we will be saved when 211 00:13:46,960 --> 00:13:50,400 we are united with Christ in heaven and in His Kingdom. 212 00:13:50,640 --> 00:13:55,480 Ephesians one verse 13 says in him that's Jesus you also 213 00:13:55,480 --> 00:14:00,640 trusted after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your 214 00:14:00,640 --> 00:14:05,320 salvation in whom also having believed so there it is you hear 215 00:14:05,320 --> 00:14:10,280 it you believe you were sealed the moment you heard God's word 216 00:14:10,440 --> 00:14:13,160 and you believe that God says now I'm sealing you with the 217 00:14:13,160 --> 00:14:16,720 Holy Spirit. Now I identify you as mine. 218 00:14:16,960 --> 00:14:21,240 The ceiling was used in the days where we get a term signet ring. 219 00:14:21,240 --> 00:14:23,840 Some of you guys used to get them in the old days they get 220 00:14:23,840 --> 00:14:26,760 signet rings. Well, signet rings was a ring 221 00:14:26,760 --> 00:14:30,120 used by the owner of the business and he putting goods 222 00:14:30,120 --> 00:14:34,600 and products overseas and they would put a wax, BLOB of wax on 223 00:14:34,600 --> 00:14:36,320 it. Then he'd get his signet ring, 224 00:14:36,600 --> 00:14:39,520 he'd place his mark and that signet ring, that means that 225 00:14:39,920 --> 00:14:43,600 goods, that product that's been sent somewhere, that's his. 226 00:14:44,600 --> 00:14:48,040 Well, you and I don't have a mark on us as such. 227 00:14:48,200 --> 00:14:51,360 That's why the Antichrist does this, you know, this, this whole 228 00:14:51,360 --> 00:14:54,320 thing of putting another mark on, he just copies it with a 229 00:14:54,320 --> 00:14:56,920 pathetic setup. A pathetic setup. 230 00:14:57,160 --> 00:15:01,320 We're sealed not by a tattoo, not by a chip, not by a mark. 231 00:15:01,560 --> 00:15:07,640 We're sealed by the Holy Spirit. God has a mark upon us, sealed 232 00:15:07,960 --> 00:15:11,520 with the Holy Spirit of promise. We made Christ forever. 233 00:15:11,760 --> 00:15:15,920 In verse 14 of Ephesians one who is the guarantee. 234 00:15:16,320 --> 00:15:19,880 That's their that's our guarantee of the inheritance 235 00:15:19,880 --> 00:15:23,040 until the redemption of the purchase, possession to the 236 00:15:23,040 --> 00:15:27,200 praise of his glory until we get to be with the Lord, you and I 237 00:15:27,200 --> 00:15:28,760 sealed. How often do you wonder? 238 00:15:28,760 --> 00:15:32,120 You know, Lord, I've blown it. Sometimes my mind wanders with 239 00:15:32,120 --> 00:15:35,120 the things of the word of God. Lord, sometimes I doubt you, 240 00:15:35,120 --> 00:15:38,760 sometimes I struggle. God says that's fine, I've got 241 00:15:38,760 --> 00:15:41,040 you sealed. I've got you sealed. 242 00:15:41,480 --> 00:15:45,160 That's what grace is because otherwise you would wake up 243 00:15:45,160 --> 00:15:48,840 every day and go, oh, I'm still safe today at the Raptors not 244 00:15:48,840 --> 00:15:51,760 coming when I was lousy when I was driving on the road and 245 00:15:51,760 --> 00:15:53,960 doing road rage or doing something stupid. 246 00:15:55,280 --> 00:16:01,960 Grace saved. It's this third aspect of 247 00:16:01,960 --> 00:16:06,320 salvation and our union with Jesus Christ in heaven that is 248 00:16:06,320 --> 00:16:08,880 being spoken of here in chapter 19. 249 00:16:10,960 --> 00:16:13,640 Hallelujah. Salvation, glory and honour and 250 00:16:13,640 --> 00:16:16,240 power belong to the Lord our God. 251 00:16:16,800 --> 00:16:25,640 All that we have, all that we have longed for is to be with 252 00:16:25,640 --> 00:16:29,400 Christ as his bride. It's happening here, it will 253 00:16:29,400 --> 00:16:31,600 happen. Some of you are getting married. 254 00:16:31,600 --> 00:16:33,280 We have a couple getting married next month. 255 00:16:33,600 --> 00:16:35,520 They can't wait the days. How many days it is. 256 00:16:35,520 --> 00:16:39,760 You know it's getting closer. You and I are the same. 257 00:16:41,000 --> 00:16:43,360 I'm longing to meet the Lord now. 258 00:16:43,360 --> 00:16:47,480 I know we have tasks to do, work to do, and that I won't leave 259 00:16:47,480 --> 00:16:50,280 this body or leave this world until God says you're done, 260 00:16:50,280 --> 00:16:54,520 you're finished. But I long for the early church 261 00:16:54,520 --> 00:16:58,000 all longed for they all expected, they yearned for the 262 00:16:58,000 --> 00:17:01,160 coming of Christ. Peter wrote about it in depth 263 00:17:02,920 --> 00:17:09,400 here in heaven it says verse 2. Now we have the Hallelujah of 264 00:17:09,400 --> 00:17:13,920 judgement, for true and righteous are his judgements. 265 00:17:14,800 --> 00:17:19,800 This is all that God has done, because He has from chapter 6 to 266 00:17:19,800 --> 00:17:24,240 chapter 19, Judge the great harlot who corrupted the earth 267 00:17:24,480 --> 00:17:28,119 with her fornication. That is all false religion God's 268 00:17:28,119 --> 00:17:31,480 put down. He has avenged on her the blood 269 00:17:31,680 --> 00:17:35,880 of His servants shed by her. I want to recommend to you to 270 00:17:35,880 --> 00:17:39,200 buy as a family Fox's Book of Martyrs. 271 00:17:39,880 --> 00:17:43,640 Fox's Book of Martyrs tells of all the Saints who've been 272 00:17:43,640 --> 00:17:47,800 persecuted for their faith. And today in Africa, in Pakistan 273 00:17:47,800 --> 00:17:51,240 and places around the world where people are dying for their 274 00:17:51,240 --> 00:17:58,040 faith, God is avenging them. Here in chapter 19, the 275 00:17:58,040 --> 00:18:02,240 servants, the blood shed by her, by the great harlot church, 276 00:18:02,600 --> 00:18:06,960 again they said Hallelujah, her smoke rises up. 277 00:18:06,960 --> 00:18:12,040 And here's this term forever and ever all of heaven breaks out in 278 00:18:12,040 --> 00:18:16,440 praise of God's righteous judgements because he's judged 279 00:18:16,560 --> 00:18:18,880 who? The false religious system of 280 00:18:18,880 --> 00:18:21,520 Babylon. He has judged the corrupt 281 00:18:21,520 --> 00:18:26,200 worldly commercial and political system of government, of rule 282 00:18:26,200 --> 00:18:28,560 and power. It's burned to the ground. 283 00:18:28,800 --> 00:18:31,920 Read the previous chapter. It's gone in a day, gone in a 284 00:18:31,920 --> 00:18:33,760 moment. And all the world looks on and 285 00:18:33,760 --> 00:18:35,760 goes, Oh man, can't, don't get near it. 286 00:18:36,320 --> 00:18:39,080 Look at it, it's burning up. The smoke is seen all the world 287 00:18:42,280 --> 00:18:46,720 for both those the Gov, the government's corrupt, the 288 00:18:46,720 --> 00:18:52,400 religious system corrupt, oppose God, kill his servants, the many 289 00:18:52,400 --> 00:18:56,440 innocent followers of Christ who sadly died for their faith. 290 00:18:57,360 --> 00:19:01,040 And that's why in heaven there is judgement now that's been 291 00:19:01,040 --> 00:19:03,560 poured out upon these false systems. 292 00:19:04,240 --> 00:19:06,720 All of heavens is righteous and true. 293 00:19:06,800 --> 00:19:09,880 Hallelujah that you've judged them. 294 00:19:09,880 --> 00:19:15,960 God, you've avenged us. So all of heaven proclaims and 295 00:19:15,960 --> 00:19:20,040 rejoices now. No one in heaven I read this is 296 00:19:20,040 --> 00:19:26,200 accusing God or questioning him. You often read of these so 297 00:19:26,200 --> 00:19:33,400 called rock stars and media stars and all you know who just 298 00:19:33,400 --> 00:19:36,120 blab on and dribble from their mouths. 299 00:19:37,480 --> 00:19:39,680 Now when I get to heaven, I've got a few things. 300 00:19:39,680 --> 00:19:42,560 George Clooney, I've got a few things I want to say to God if 301 00:19:42,560 --> 00:19:48,960 he exists. Georgie, Georgie, no one in 302 00:19:48,960 --> 00:19:52,560 heaven questions him. No one says go God, that's a bit 303 00:19:52,560 --> 00:19:55,160 unfair. I mean 35K hailstone block could 304 00:19:55,160 --> 00:19:57,280 have been 5 kilos. Surely, you know, come on, back 305 00:19:57,280 --> 00:20:00,520 off. No one, no one says a word in 306 00:20:00,520 --> 00:20:04,040 heaven because they look down and they see with all clarity 307 00:20:04,120 --> 00:20:08,440 that what God and how God is judged is actually right on. 308 00:20:08,640 --> 00:20:13,440 It's perfect for what needs you and I, You know, we, we, we see 309 00:20:13,440 --> 00:20:18,760 our court systems, don't we? And we see situations and we go, 310 00:20:19,760 --> 00:20:23,480 how do they get away with that? Or guess what, no one gets away 311 00:20:23,480 --> 00:20:26,440 with anything. That's why God says vengeance is 312 00:20:26,440 --> 00:20:28,680 mine. Everyone will stand before God. 313 00:20:29,280 --> 00:20:34,000 God will judge every person in that regard. 314 00:20:34,800 --> 00:20:38,480 No one in heaven at this place is accusing God, questioning 315 00:20:38,480 --> 00:20:41,520 him. However, everyone is praising 316 00:20:41,520 --> 00:20:43,320 and honouring him. Now. 317 00:20:43,320 --> 00:20:47,600 Most people don't believe and don't want to have to believe in 318 00:20:47,640 --> 00:20:50,920 eternal judgement. Don't mention how I don't. 319 00:20:50,920 --> 00:20:53,680 Don't talk about how Jehovah Witnesses said well we won't 320 00:20:53,680 --> 00:20:57,720 have that, we'll tear that out. Don't need that part and so they 321 00:20:57,720 --> 00:20:59,760 have had to rewrite their own Bible. 322 00:21:01,240 --> 00:21:03,040 They don't believe that Jesus is the son of God. 323 00:21:03,040 --> 00:21:06,480 What will tear that be there be not one that and so they created 324 00:21:06,480 --> 00:21:12,520 their new world translation. But the Bible, Jesus spoke more 325 00:21:12,520 --> 00:21:18,160 on hell than he did on heaven. And there is eternal judgement 326 00:21:19,720 --> 00:21:24,480 because it says here the Bible is explicit about the eternal 327 00:21:24,480 --> 00:21:26,880 nature of God's punishment of the wicked. 328 00:21:27,400 --> 00:21:29,920 And we have this classic example, verse 3. 329 00:21:30,240 --> 00:21:34,400 And they said, Hallelujah, her smoke rises up. 330 00:21:34,520 --> 00:21:43,160 That's Babylon forever and ever. That means the judgement on 331 00:21:43,160 --> 00:21:48,880 Babylon goes on and on and on. It's not like, oh, that'll do, 332 00:21:50,120 --> 00:21:56,320 it's on forever. But as we read this at the same 333 00:21:56,320 --> 00:21:59,040 time, if it well, that's a bit tough, isn't it? 334 00:21:59,080 --> 00:22:02,400 Hang on a minute. As we read this, let us not 335 00:22:02,400 --> 00:22:06,760 forget at the same time Peter tells us to Peter 39, the law 336 00:22:06,760 --> 00:22:11,040 does not slack concerning his promise as some count slackness 337 00:22:11,160 --> 00:22:15,640 that is his coming again, but as long suffering his patient 338 00:22:15,960 --> 00:22:18,480 toward us. Why is God patient? 339 00:22:18,680 --> 00:22:23,160 Why hasn't God returned as yet? Because it says he is not 340 00:22:23,160 --> 00:22:30,680 willing that any should perish. All the perishing that happens 341 00:22:30,680 --> 00:22:35,720 between chapter 6 and chapter 19 is self indulgent. 342 00:22:36,120 --> 00:22:42,240 It's chosen. No one is unfairly judged by 343 00:22:42,240 --> 00:22:47,000 God. Because God's word says I don't 344 00:22:47,000 --> 00:22:52,960 want anyone to perish. No one, it goes on to say, but 345 00:22:52,960 --> 00:22:57,560 that all should come. And here's how you come to God 346 00:22:58,040 --> 00:23:01,400 to repentance. Realise I'm a Sinner, I'm lost, 347 00:23:01,640 --> 00:23:09,360 I need saving, I need a Saviour. Ezekiel 3311 says this say to 348 00:23:09,360 --> 00:23:14,160 them, and this is God as I live, says the Lord God, I have no 349 00:23:14,160 --> 00:23:20,000 pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked I 350 00:23:20,000 --> 00:23:26,640 wish they would turn from his way and live in his everlasting 351 00:23:26,640 --> 00:23:30,080 life. And then he says, turn, will you 352 00:23:30,400 --> 00:23:35,240 turn, turn from your evil ways? For why should you die? 353 00:23:36,880 --> 00:23:40,160 You see God, God says, what? Why do you reject? 354 00:23:40,640 --> 00:23:43,400 Why you want to live eternally in darkness? 355 00:23:43,840 --> 00:23:47,320 Why won't you receive love and forgiveness? 356 00:23:49,840 --> 00:23:52,760 Why would you choose eternal separation from God? 357 00:23:53,600 --> 00:23:59,480 Why would you choose judgement? This is the reason Jesus came to 358 00:23:59,480 --> 00:24:02,600 save us, to rescue us. Why? 359 00:24:02,600 --> 00:24:05,640 To show God's great love we didn't deserve it, He came 360 00:24:05,640 --> 00:24:08,960 anyway, and that we can receive forgiveness. 361 00:24:09,240 --> 00:24:13,600 You know the greatest thing that happens in a person's life is 362 00:24:13,600 --> 00:24:17,800 when you're forgiven by God. I have sinned. 363 00:24:18,920 --> 00:24:23,400 I've said things, done things that I'm just so embarrassed 364 00:24:23,400 --> 00:24:27,920 about in a marriage. It's the greatest thing that you 365 00:24:27,920 --> 00:24:32,040 can do as a husband and wife is to be gracious and forgiving one 366 00:24:32,040 --> 00:24:34,600 to another. There's nothing more wonderful 367 00:24:34,600 --> 00:24:36,080 than being forgiven. You know why? 368 00:24:36,240 --> 00:24:37,720 Because you know you deserve judgement. 369 00:24:39,800 --> 00:24:46,040 You give them forgiveness. It makes you humble, doesn't it? 370 00:24:46,120 --> 00:24:51,360 Thank you, thankful. You see, God came that we may 371 00:24:51,360 --> 00:24:57,240 receive them the most gracious gift, forgiveness and not only 372 00:24:57,240 --> 00:25:01,520 just be forgiven, but cleansed. All that stuff that I've done 373 00:25:01,520 --> 00:25:05,360 and said, removed, taken away so that God doesn't remember it. 374 00:25:06,480 --> 00:25:10,440 Through faith in Christ and we can have eternal life instead of 375 00:25:10,440 --> 00:25:13,880 eternal separation from God. We can have a future. 376 00:25:14,040 --> 00:25:16,720 I know what happens to me when I die. 377 00:25:17,320 --> 00:25:19,880 I have a hope. I know I'm going to experience 378 00:25:19,880 --> 00:25:22,040 heaven. Oh, I can't wait to. 379 00:25:22,680 --> 00:25:26,880 It's going to be like opening Christmas presents every day to 380 00:25:26,880 --> 00:25:29,280 look forward to that after death. 381 00:25:30,320 --> 00:25:33,840 Another reason why there is rejoicing in heaven at this time 382 00:25:34,000 --> 00:25:36,600 is that this judgement is against the demonic world 383 00:25:36,600 --> 00:25:39,400 system. Have you seen and I I have. 384 00:25:40,320 --> 00:25:43,800 You see systems and situations on TV. 385 00:25:44,440 --> 00:25:47,280 There's one place that I had to go to once a week as a chaplain 386 00:25:47,280 --> 00:25:49,840 for the police, which was the child abuse centre. 387 00:25:50,960 --> 00:25:54,040 It's the one place as two officers were talking about a 388 00:25:54,040 --> 00:25:57,240 situation. I won't go into detail, but I 389 00:25:57,240 --> 00:25:58,760 said I can't listen to this, I'm going to move away. 390 00:26:00,600 --> 00:26:08,680 How can such evil occur? How can such horror be taken out 391 00:26:08,680 --> 00:26:10,920 upon certain people by individuals? 392 00:26:12,240 --> 00:26:15,880 Or guess what, this is the place where God says, you know what, 393 00:26:16,120 --> 00:26:20,960 all that demonic work that's been done, I'm judging it right 394 00:26:20,960 --> 00:26:25,760 now. I'm judging it right now, and 395 00:26:25,760 --> 00:26:31,640 I'm judging it completely. And also that the praise goes 396 00:26:31,640 --> 00:26:32,040 up. Why? 397 00:26:32,480 --> 00:26:37,480 Because he's removing the demonic influence that came in 398 00:26:38,240 --> 00:26:41,120 in the Garden of Eden through the serpent as you deceive 399 00:26:41,120 --> 00:26:46,240 Jesus, sorry, as he deceived Adam and Eve, that whole 400 00:26:46,240 --> 00:26:50,320 poisoning, this whole evil corrupt system that exists now 401 00:26:50,320 --> 00:26:54,720 in the world, Jesus says I'm going to remove it completely, 402 00:26:55,840 --> 00:27:01,280 taking it out. When our Saviour Jesus Christ 403 00:27:01,280 --> 00:27:04,800 hung in agony on the cross at Calvary, he cried out. 404 00:27:05,520 --> 00:27:08,680 It is finished. What was finished? 405 00:27:09,680 --> 00:27:12,240 His sacrifice for our sins was finished. 406 00:27:12,560 --> 00:27:15,960 Our salvation was wrought. Now at this time, during the 407 00:27:15,960 --> 00:27:20,280 great tribulation, as it draws to a close, we see the end of 408 00:27:20,280 --> 00:27:22,760 Satan's demonic influence in the world. 409 00:27:23,120 --> 00:27:26,000 This is why heaven is rejoicing. Praise the Lord. 410 00:27:26,680 --> 00:27:30,600 Now a third Hallelujah, and this is the Hallelujah of agreement, 411 00:27:30,880 --> 00:27:34,640 verse four and the 24 elders and the four living creatures, 412 00:27:34,640 --> 00:27:37,160 they're the cherubim, remember, surrounded by the throne 413 00:27:37,480 --> 00:27:40,800 creatures, the eyes, they have faces on each face and wings. 414 00:27:40,800 --> 00:27:43,760 And in the book of Isaiah, we have this full description on 415 00:27:43,880 --> 00:27:47,600 these powerful angels that are seated around, stand around the 416 00:27:47,600 --> 00:27:50,280 throne of God that go holy, holy, holy is the Lord God 417 00:27:50,280 --> 00:27:52,280 Almighty. And they do that over and over 418 00:27:52,280 --> 00:27:56,040 and over and over. It says on the 24 elders and the 419 00:27:56,040 --> 00:27:58,160 four living creatures, the cherubim fell down and 420 00:27:58,160 --> 00:28:01,160 worshipped God who sat on the throne saying Amen. 421 00:28:01,640 --> 00:28:04,000 What do they say? Amen before Hallelujah. 422 00:28:05,240 --> 00:28:08,400 Then a voice came from the throne saying, praise our God, 423 00:28:08,400 --> 00:28:11,600 all you his servants, and those who fear him, both small and 424 00:28:11,600 --> 00:28:14,160 great. Back in chapter 4, we learned 425 00:28:14,160 --> 00:28:18,280 that the 24 elders, remember, represented all of God's people, 426 00:28:18,800 --> 00:28:22,920 12 tribes, 12 apostles. There's a representation here. 427 00:28:23,560 --> 00:28:26,160 So 1 Firstly, heaven rejoices. Why? 428 00:28:27,560 --> 00:28:31,080 The four living creatures, the cherubim and the angels gathered 429 00:28:31,080 --> 00:28:34,280 around the throne of God. All the angels of heaven praise 430 00:28:34,280 --> 00:28:37,560 the Lord too. And then all the Saints, the 431 00:28:37,600 --> 00:28:44,000 elders in agreement, rejoice in God's judgement collectively, 432 00:28:44,000 --> 00:28:48,360 this great heavenly chorus of agreement with God, what he has 433 00:28:48,360 --> 00:28:50,640 done. And so they shout, Amen, 434 00:28:50,640 --> 00:28:52,840 Hallelujah. They say, hey, Amen. 435 00:28:52,840 --> 00:28:57,640 Because they go, it is right on what you've done, it is so be 436 00:28:57,640 --> 00:28:59,920 it. What you've done, it's right. 437 00:28:59,920 --> 00:29:02,880 What you've done, Hallelujah, Amen. 438 00:29:03,040 --> 00:29:06,680 Meaning, so be it. So they are proclaiming, so be 439 00:29:06,680 --> 00:29:08,000 it. Praise the Lord what you've 440 00:29:08,000 --> 00:29:09,840 done. God in all your judgement, 441 00:29:10,080 --> 00:29:15,400 absolutely Amen to that, but you cannot say Hallelujah to your 442 00:29:15,400 --> 00:29:19,120 first say Amen, our fourth and last Hallelujah. 443 00:29:19,320 --> 00:29:21,520 This is the Hallelujah of communion. 444 00:29:21,920 --> 00:29:26,160 Verse 6 and I heard as it were, the voice of the great multitude 445 00:29:26,520 --> 00:29:29,840 is the sound of many waters of the sound of mighty thundering, 446 00:29:29,840 --> 00:29:35,760 saying Hallelujah for the Lord God hears his title omnipotent 1 447 00:29:36,760 --> 00:29:41,160 reigns, that is, he is all powerful. 448 00:29:42,600 --> 00:29:48,200 How loud this massive break out of heavenly praise is thundering 449 00:29:48,200 --> 00:29:52,360 like a raging waterfall. They rejoice and are glad 450 00:29:52,360 --> 00:29:56,160 because the time for the marriage of Christ and his bride 451 00:29:56,400 --> 00:30:00,480 has come. The Lord God all powerful 452 00:30:00,480 --> 00:30:03,320 reigns. So between chapter 6 and chapter 453 00:30:03,320 --> 00:30:07,840 19, everyone in heaven saying God, you've been in control the 454 00:30:07,840 --> 00:30:11,240 whole time. Pastor Marlon, Pastor Nat spoke 455 00:30:11,240 --> 00:30:15,960 on it this morning. People who were pregnant were 456 00:30:15,960 --> 00:30:17,640 worried. I remember during when Helen and 457 00:30:17,640 --> 00:30:20,920 I first became believers, there were people who were pregnant 458 00:30:20,920 --> 00:30:23,600 going, well, I know I'm not going to have kids, Sorry 459 00:30:23,600 --> 00:30:25,600 though, thinking of pregnancy. We're not going to have kids. 460 00:30:25,880 --> 00:30:27,880 Who could bring a child into this? 461 00:30:27,880 --> 00:30:31,320 Such an evil world. Well, here's the deal. 462 00:30:32,840 --> 00:30:40,320 God rules the world. God is in control, God is on His 463 00:30:40,320 --> 00:30:43,640 throne. He is the omnipotent one or 464 00:30:43,640 --> 00:30:48,360 powerful one, and God has revealed now that He is in 465 00:30:48,360 --> 00:30:50,920 charge. I have judged. 466 00:30:51,120 --> 00:30:55,280 Everything's going to plan, and now he's about to return. 467 00:30:57,480 --> 00:31:00,800 His will will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 468 00:31:02,120 --> 00:31:06,720 This 4th Hallelujah is all of heaven rejoicing over God's 469 00:31:06,760 --> 00:31:12,040 power and the marriage between Christ the Lamb and His Bride, 470 00:31:12,280 --> 00:31:15,560 the Church. Who's the bride, you and I. 471 00:31:17,160 --> 00:31:21,040 To truly understand the next few verses, we need to have a bit of 472 00:31:21,040 --> 00:31:24,360 understanding of the background of a traditional Jewish wedding. 473 00:31:26,040 --> 00:31:29,640 Normally at a wedding the focus is on the bride and it's all 474 00:31:29,640 --> 00:31:33,800 about the bride. But in chapter 19, in this case, 475 00:31:34,200 --> 00:31:37,320 the focus is on the bridegroom who receives the honour. 476 00:31:37,320 --> 00:31:41,120 Verse 7. Let's be glad and rejoice and 477 00:31:41,120 --> 00:31:44,240 give him glory. Why? 478 00:31:44,520 --> 00:31:48,720 For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his wife has made 479 00:31:48,720 --> 00:31:51,520 herself ready. Note those words. 480 00:31:51,760 --> 00:31:56,600 His wife, that's the bride, has made herself ready. 481 00:31:58,080 --> 00:32:02,760 When talking about weddings, the first question is what did the 482 00:32:02,760 --> 00:32:04,560 bride wear? Helen always asked me when I do 483 00:32:04,560 --> 00:32:05,840 a wedding. So what were the bridesmaids 484 00:32:05,840 --> 00:32:07,000 like? I got no idea. 485 00:32:08,960 --> 00:32:11,320 I don't know. Plus I can't describe colours. 486 00:32:12,160 --> 00:32:16,360 There's red, black, blue, green, there's always amber, beige and 487 00:32:16,360 --> 00:32:18,840 then there's Bony colour. I got no idea what you're 488 00:32:18,840 --> 00:32:20,920 talking about. Is it red, black, blue or green? 489 00:32:21,280 --> 00:32:26,000 I don't know. What did the bride wear? 490 00:32:26,000 --> 00:32:29,640 The bride in this case is the Church of Jesus Christ, and his 491 00:32:29,640 --> 00:32:33,320 wife has made herself ready. Now when the bride of Christ 492 00:32:33,320 --> 00:32:37,960 arrived in heaven, she arrived at the rapture of the church. 493 00:32:37,960 --> 00:32:41,120 She arrived at the judgement seat of Christ. 494 00:32:41,560 --> 00:32:45,480 So as we're raptured, the first event, and this is all occurring 495 00:32:45,480 --> 00:32:48,960 in heaven, as the tribulation is happening upon the earth, the 496 00:32:48,960 --> 00:32:52,400 first event that happens for you and I is we each stand as 497 00:32:52,400 --> 00:32:55,360 believers before the Bema seat of Christ. 498 00:32:56,040 --> 00:32:58,600 It's not a judgement on sin and salvation. 499 00:32:58,920 --> 00:33:04,720 No, it's the judgement where we are judged by Christ on what we 500 00:33:04,720 --> 00:33:09,960 have done in serving Him and pleasing Him in our time after 501 00:33:10,040 --> 00:33:15,600 our conversion. Is it wood, hay, stubble, or is 502 00:33:15,600 --> 00:33:17,920 it gold, jewels? It doesn't last. 503 00:33:19,600 --> 00:33:23,560 It says we stand before the judgement seat of Christ before 504 00:33:23,560 --> 00:33:25,840 the marriage, Christ the bridegroom. 505 00:33:26,720 --> 00:33:30,440 And it says in Ephesians chapter 2, verse 10 that when we're 506 00:33:30,440 --> 00:33:36,640 saved, we are created for works. James speaks of it. 507 00:33:36,640 --> 00:33:39,760 He says I'll show you my faith by my works. 508 00:33:39,920 --> 00:33:43,960 I'm not saved by my works, but by the way that I live. 509 00:33:43,960 --> 00:33:50,480 You'll see my faith in Ephesians 210 says Paul says we are his 510 00:33:50,480 --> 00:33:54,240 workmanship created in Christ Jesus. 511 00:33:54,280 --> 00:33:57,640 Why? For good works which God 512 00:33:57,640 --> 00:34:01,240 prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. 513 00:34:01,360 --> 00:34:06,040 So the moment that you were saved, God says, OK, Tom, Fred, 514 00:34:06,080 --> 00:34:09,639 Mary, Jack, this is what I want you to do. 515 00:34:10,040 --> 00:34:13,560 And when you stand before the beamer seat of Christ, it will 516 00:34:13,560 --> 00:34:16,280 be did you do what I asked you to do? 517 00:34:18,280 --> 00:34:21,840 Did you do what I Well, no, but I came up some great programmes. 518 00:34:22,440 --> 00:34:25,840 We had golf, wet surf day and a knitting day. 519 00:34:27,000 --> 00:34:28,280 I didn't ask you to do any of that. 520 00:34:29,440 --> 00:34:30,920 I asked you to love your neighbour. 521 00:34:31,560 --> 00:34:34,040 I'll ask you. I asked you to be a godly father 522 00:34:34,040 --> 00:34:37,040 to your children. I asked you to serve me, to 523 00:34:37,080 --> 00:34:42,639 honour me, to trust me. Why is this written so? 524 00:34:43,800 --> 00:34:47,760 Through the ages, believers have been performing righteous acts 525 00:34:48,199 --> 00:34:52,400 which have been accumulating. Now we have a wedding garment. 526 00:34:52,639 --> 00:34:56,120 Our garment is grace, but there's an adornment to the 527 00:34:56,120 --> 00:34:59,000 wedding garment. After the wedding, the wedding 528 00:34:59,000 --> 00:35:05,520 gown is laid aside and the church will reveal His glory in 529 00:35:05,520 --> 00:35:07,960 Ephesians 2. Seven, that in the ages that 530 00:35:07,960 --> 00:35:11,800 come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace and his 531 00:35:11,800 --> 00:35:14,920 kindness, which is toward us in Christ Jesus. 532 00:35:15,960 --> 00:35:19,400 At the judgement seat, the bema seat, it deals with the things 533 00:35:19,400 --> 00:35:22,200 done while in the body, whether good or bad. 534 00:35:22,440 --> 00:35:26,320 Paul talked about this in Second Corinthians chapter 5, verse 10. 535 00:35:26,960 --> 00:35:30,760 He says to believers, to Christians, For we must all 536 00:35:30,760 --> 00:35:34,600 appear before the judgement seat of Christ, the Bema seat, that 537 00:35:34,600 --> 00:35:39,400 each one may receive the things done in the body according to 538 00:35:39,400 --> 00:35:42,360 what He has done, whether good or bad. 539 00:35:43,440 --> 00:35:47,520 And at the marriage, Christ's bride will have made herself 540 00:35:47,520 --> 00:35:52,680 ready with fine linen, which depicts the righteous acts of 541 00:35:52,680 --> 00:35:56,360 the Saints overlaid God's gift of grace. 542 00:35:56,560 --> 00:36:00,280 We're able to do these things because of God's grace. 543 00:36:00,640 --> 00:36:04,160 Because we've been saved by grace, Now we're be able to 544 00:36:04,160 --> 00:36:08,280 perform acts of grace. When the bride arrived in heaven 545 00:36:08,280 --> 00:36:11,680 at the judgement seat of Christ, she was not all beautiful 546 00:36:11,760 --> 00:36:14,680 because the Bible says in fact she was covered in spots, 547 00:36:14,680 --> 00:36:19,720 wrinkles, and blemishes. Ephesians 527 Jesus might 548 00:36:19,720 --> 00:36:23,800 present her, the bride to himself, a glorious church, not 549 00:36:23,800 --> 00:36:27,800 having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should 550 00:36:27,800 --> 00:36:32,520 be holy and without blemish, not having spot or wrinkle. 551 00:36:32,720 --> 00:36:36,800 The idea isn't that the bride is in this state before the wedding 552 00:36:37,000 --> 00:36:42,080 day, but on the wedding day. We are made this pure in heaven 553 00:36:42,240 --> 00:36:47,120 when we are joined to Jesus Christ as his bride and we're 554 00:36:47,120 --> 00:36:50,280 married. The married the the wedding 555 00:36:50,880 --> 00:36:56,400 occurs. But now after that, the bride is 556 00:36:56,400 --> 00:37:01,160 radiant in her glory. She has made herself ready for 557 00:37:01,160 --> 00:37:03,880 the public ceremony. Now in a Jewish wedding, there 558 00:37:03,880 --> 00:37:08,720 were three areas that occurred. One, there was the initial 559 00:37:08,720 --> 00:37:12,760 engagement or betrothal. From the moment the couple, the 560 00:37:12,760 --> 00:37:15,920 boy and the girl were legally bound like husband and wife. 561 00:37:16,520 --> 00:37:19,440 From the moment they were espoused or engaged to another, 562 00:37:20,640 --> 00:37:24,000 they went living together, sleeping together, but they were 563 00:37:24,000 --> 00:37:27,720 called and had the same rights as a husband and wife. 564 00:37:28,520 --> 00:37:32,920 It was called condition, and this relationship could only be 565 00:37:32,920 --> 00:37:37,160 broken now because they're betrothed by divorce. 566 00:37:37,360 --> 00:37:40,760 This is why when Mary came to Joseph, she said I'm pregnant 567 00:37:41,400 --> 00:37:42,800 even though they weren't married. 568 00:37:42,880 --> 00:37:47,600 He says I'm going to have to divorce them now. 569 00:37:48,760 --> 00:37:53,520 Most of the time it was parents who had arranged the couple to 570 00:37:53,520 --> 00:37:56,880 get married, some even before they were born. 571 00:37:57,040 --> 00:38:01,240 You're going to marry my son if I have a son, Well, and he's 572 00:38:01,240 --> 00:38:03,160 going to marry your daughter if you have a daughter. 573 00:38:03,240 --> 00:38:07,520 It was arranged before the couples or the kids were born. 574 00:38:08,080 --> 00:38:13,240 This too happened to you and I in Ephesians 14, According as He 575 00:38:13,240 --> 00:38:17,400 has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world. 576 00:38:17,600 --> 00:38:21,080 You and I were chosen to be the bride of Christ before we were 577 00:38:21,080 --> 00:38:22,960 born. We have an arranged marriage. 578 00:38:24,400 --> 00:38:30,480 Secondly, as the bride prepares herself along with her 579 00:38:30,480 --> 00:38:35,400 bridesmaids for her wedding day. As the day approaches, she would 580 00:38:35,400 --> 00:38:41,440 make her own wedding dress while the the groom would prepare a 581 00:38:41,440 --> 00:38:45,000 place where the couple would live after the marriage. 582 00:38:46,000 --> 00:38:50,640 As a young Jewish boy he would not have the means to buy a 583 00:38:50,640 --> 00:38:55,960 house outright. He and his father would build A 584 00:38:55,960 --> 00:38:59,320 room where off his parents house. 585 00:38:59,640 --> 00:39:05,080 John chapter 14 verse 2. In my father's house are many 586 00:39:05,080 --> 00:39:08,280 mansions. If it were not so, I would have 587 00:39:08,280 --> 00:39:12,280 told you I go to prepare a place for you. 588 00:39:13,360 --> 00:39:18,000 Thirdly, the bride knew the time was near but didn't know the 589 00:39:18,000 --> 00:39:21,000 exact hour when the bridegroom would arrive. 590 00:39:21,800 --> 00:39:24,720 This is a beautiful picture of the bride. 591 00:39:24,840 --> 00:39:28,000 We know Jesus is coming. We know the wedding is soon, but 592 00:39:28,160 --> 00:39:30,880 we don't know when he's coming. It's the rapture of the church. 593 00:39:31,960 --> 00:39:37,120 The wedding was ceremony itself would last seven days. 594 00:39:37,400 --> 00:39:39,960 Seven days. The period of the great 595 00:39:39,960 --> 00:39:42,320 tribulation is the period of the wedding. 596 00:39:43,640 --> 00:39:48,160 Today, 2025 September. The church, you and I, we're 597 00:39:48,160 --> 00:39:51,160 engaged, we're betrothed. We're not married yet. 598 00:39:52,000 --> 00:39:54,920 We love the Lord even though we have not seen Him, Peter says, 599 00:39:55,120 --> 00:39:59,440 Whom having not seen you love, though now you do not see him, 600 00:39:59,440 --> 00:40:03,440 yet, believing you rejoice with joy, inexpressible and full of 601 00:40:03,440 --> 00:40:06,280 glory. So very soon the bridegroom, 602 00:40:06,280 --> 00:40:09,640 Jesus Christ will return. And take His bride. 603 00:40:09,920 --> 00:40:13,840 John 14, verse 3 by Go and prepare a place for you. 604 00:40:14,080 --> 00:40:18,080 I will come again and receive you to myself, that where I am, 605 00:40:18,240 --> 00:40:21,800 there you may be also. We call this the rapture of the 606 00:40:21,800 --> 00:40:24,400 Church. 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. 607 00:40:25,160 --> 00:40:28,880 Now at the judgement seat of Christ, all the bride's works 608 00:40:28,880 --> 00:40:32,080 will be judged in all the spots and blemishes removed. 609 00:40:32,400 --> 00:40:35,880 And when this is complete, the church will be ready. 610 00:40:36,360 --> 00:40:40,840 Second part after the wedding with her bridegroom because 611 00:40:40,840 --> 00:40:45,120 they're married at the close of the tribulation to reign with 612 00:40:45,120 --> 00:40:47,120 him in glory. Verse 9. 613 00:40:47,560 --> 00:40:51,880 Then he said to me, right, blessed are those who are called 614 00:40:51,880 --> 00:40:54,120 to the marriage supper of the lamb. 615 00:40:54,240 --> 00:40:56,600 This is not the wedding. This is the supper we call it 616 00:40:56,600 --> 00:40:58,080 today what the breakfast, don't we? 617 00:40:58,920 --> 00:41:02,360 And he said to me, these are the true sayings of God. 618 00:41:02,480 --> 00:41:04,680 This is what's going to happen now. 619 00:41:04,680 --> 00:41:07,520 No bride is invited to their own wedding. 620 00:41:07,840 --> 00:41:10,400 Oh, I got an invitation to my wedding. 621 00:41:10,400 --> 00:41:11,280 I've got that. I'm glad. 622 00:41:11,760 --> 00:41:14,000 Wasn't sure whether I'll RSVP now or what. 623 00:41:14,000 --> 00:41:19,360 Now no bride is invited to their own wedding, and neither is this 624 00:41:19,360 --> 00:41:22,960 the case here. So who are the invitations to 625 00:41:22,960 --> 00:41:26,920 the wedding feast for? Because the church, we're there. 626 00:41:30,080 --> 00:41:31,760 All the believers from the Old Testament. 627 00:41:33,480 --> 00:41:34,920 Can you imagine at the wedding supper? 628 00:41:36,600 --> 00:41:37,840 What's your name? Daniel. 629 00:41:38,000 --> 00:41:40,800 Daniel. Nice to meet you, David. 630 00:41:40,880 --> 00:41:41,760 Yeah. Pleased to meet you, mate. 631 00:41:41,800 --> 00:41:44,280 Where's your seat? I'm over near Ruth and Naomi. 632 00:41:44,280 --> 00:41:47,840 There you go. All the Old Testament Saints. 633 00:41:47,840 --> 00:41:51,800 Saints will come. All the Saints that were saved 634 00:41:51,800 --> 00:41:54,520 and martyred during the tribulation period. 635 00:41:54,680 --> 00:41:56,560 During the seven year tribulation period. 636 00:41:56,680 --> 00:41:59,080 Separate group. They'll be invited. 637 00:41:59,920 --> 00:42:05,280 Christ has only one bride, and the bride is the church. 638 00:42:06,360 --> 00:42:09,960 So we have had the wedding and now the marriage supper of the 639 00:42:09,960 --> 00:42:12,600 Lamb. The marriage of Christ and His 640 00:42:12,600 --> 00:42:16,480 Church will have already taken place before the feast. 641 00:42:17,000 --> 00:42:20,800 We know this is the case also due to the wording in verse 7. 642 00:42:21,000 --> 00:42:24,400 Let us be glad and rejoice in giving glory, for the marriage 643 00:42:24,400 --> 00:42:29,000 of the Lamb has come and his wife has made herself ready. 644 00:42:29,200 --> 00:42:32,920 The word, the word wife. There is a married is that word 645 00:42:33,120 --> 00:42:36,800 for married woman. Now in the rapture of the 646 00:42:36,800 --> 00:42:40,560 church, Jesus will take his bride to himself. 647 00:42:40,960 --> 00:42:45,080 And then when Jesus returns to earth, the next portion of 648 00:42:45,080 --> 00:42:53,680 chapter 19, the second coming of Jesus, he will celebrate the 649 00:42:53,680 --> 00:42:59,480 union, the wedding at a great, the wedding banquet to which the 650 00:42:59,480 --> 00:43:04,000 Saints of all the ages and groups will be invited. 651 00:43:04,560 --> 00:43:08,040 And so the beginning and remember 7 year tribulation 652 00:43:08,040 --> 00:43:13,160 period, Jesus returns what begins the thousand year reign 653 00:43:13,160 --> 00:43:16,120 called the Millennium. Jesus rules and reigns. 654 00:43:16,320 --> 00:43:21,680 And here's the deal. We return with Jesus at his 655 00:43:21,680 --> 00:43:23,520 second coming. We see that in the next few 656 00:43:23,520 --> 00:43:29,400 verses and then upon the earth, a great wedding banquet is held 657 00:43:29,640 --> 00:43:32,960 to which all the Saints and all the peoples and groups are 658 00:43:32,960 --> 00:43:35,520 invited. The beginning of the Millennium, 659 00:43:35,880 --> 00:43:39,560 the thousand year reign of Christ here on earth from 660 00:43:39,560 --> 00:43:43,480 Jerusalem after His second Coming, will fulfil the 661 00:43:43,480 --> 00:43:47,840 symbolism of the wedding supper and the wedding feast taking 662 00:43:47,840 --> 00:43:51,240 place at the very beginning of this thousand years. 663 00:43:51,720 --> 00:43:56,800 Verse 10 And I fell, John says I fell at his feet. 664 00:43:56,800 --> 00:43:59,240 That's the feet of the Angel to worship him. 665 00:43:59,800 --> 00:44:01,480 But he said to me, hey, don't do that. 666 00:44:02,400 --> 00:44:05,560 I am your fellow servant and I'll be your brethren who had 667 00:44:05,560 --> 00:44:10,920 the testimony of Jesus. Worship God, for the testimony 668 00:44:10,920 --> 00:44:13,680 of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. 669 00:44:14,560 --> 00:44:19,240 The Apostle John is overwhelmed with all that he's seen, the 670 00:44:19,240 --> 00:44:27,040 wedding, the bride, the wedding feasts, and if ever a patches 671 00:44:27,040 --> 00:44:32,240 passage of scripture prove beyond doubt that Jesus Christ 672 00:44:32,480 --> 00:44:36,880 is not merely an Angel but the eternal God in human flesh, this 673 00:44:36,880 --> 00:44:39,560 is it. The Angel tells, tells John to 674 00:44:39,560 --> 00:44:43,920 stand and then says these amazing words for the testimony 675 00:44:43,920 --> 00:44:46,920 of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. 676 00:44:47,840 --> 00:44:52,600 In other words, listen up John, take note all that the Old 677 00:44:52,600 --> 00:44:57,400 Testament prophecy that has been written as well as all the New 678 00:44:57,400 --> 00:45:01,080 Testament preaching and prophecy, it all comes down to 679 00:45:01,080 --> 00:45:06,960 this. Jesus is the Messiah and our 680 00:45:06,960 --> 00:45:08,960 Saviour. That's the reason for the book. 681 00:45:09,720 --> 00:45:14,240 All prophecy is intended to glorify Jesus Christ. 682 00:45:14,520 --> 00:45:17,160 Be careful, there's a lot of prophecy. 683 00:45:18,360 --> 00:45:22,800 What do they call them groupies today they they track prophecy, 684 00:45:22,800 --> 00:45:25,560 prophecy, prophecy. I love prophecy. 1/3 of the 685 00:45:25,560 --> 00:45:30,400 Bible is prophecy. But here this prophecy is only 686 00:45:30,480 --> 00:45:34,640 the means to look and glorify Jesus Christ. 687 00:45:35,120 --> 00:45:40,160 Don't get stuck in glorifying oh and what how many days and what 688 00:45:40,160 --> 00:45:42,040 now? Don't get stuck in that because 689 00:45:42,040 --> 00:45:45,080 you're missing the whole point of Bible prophecy. 690 00:45:46,120 --> 00:45:49,480 All prophecies intended to glorify Jesus Christ. 691 00:45:49,960 --> 00:45:54,000 Any teaching of prophecy that takes our minds and our hearts 692 00:45:54,160 --> 00:45:57,840 away from Him is not being properly communicated. 693 00:45:58,320 --> 00:46:01,520 The Book of Revelation, remember, is what it's the 694 00:46:01,520 --> 00:46:07,200 revelation of Jesus Christ. Every single text of Scripture 695 00:46:07,600 --> 00:46:11,120 points to Jesus Christ. He is the Lord of all. 696 00:46:11,440 --> 00:46:16,200 He is the Lord of Scripture. The history of our world, of our 697 00:46:16,200 --> 00:46:20,440 lives is His story. As the worship team gets ready, 698 00:46:20,760 --> 00:46:22,520 I'm going to close with these few points. 699 00:46:23,480 --> 00:46:28,480 The wedding day, we see Jesus face to face. 700 00:46:28,640 --> 00:46:30,200 You and I are going to experience this. 701 00:46:30,200 --> 00:46:34,320 I can't, I can't fathom that we're the bride. 702 00:46:35,120 --> 00:46:39,160 We're not just looking on, we're actually the bride. 703 00:46:40,440 --> 00:46:44,880 We see him face to face and then we will eat with him. 704 00:46:44,880 --> 00:46:48,040 Remember he said I'm not going to have this communion once 705 00:46:48,040 --> 00:46:51,640 again until I meet. Eat with you once more time. 706 00:46:51,720 --> 00:46:55,800 That's the time I want to ask you a couple of questions. 707 00:46:56,720 --> 00:46:59,360 Where will you be when all this takes place? 708 00:47:01,400 --> 00:47:06,120 One or three places 1. You might be in hell if you 709 00:47:06,120 --> 00:47:10,000 haven't received Christ as your Lord and Saviour 2 You might be 710 00:47:10,000 --> 00:47:13,440 on earth, having survived all the events we've been reading 711 00:47:13,440 --> 00:47:17,800 out since chapter 6 or three. You'll be standing in heaven, 712 00:47:18,440 --> 00:47:22,960 clothed in glory, hearing the choirs praise. 713 00:47:24,120 --> 00:47:31,800 Today God invites you to a wedding, your wedding and a 714 00:47:31,800 --> 00:47:39,920 feast where you're part of the honoured guests and it is all in 715 00:47:39,920 --> 00:47:46,360 His honour as His bride. Are you His bride?