Conclusion; Q. and A. (Part 1) (Albert Martin)

In this part of the sermon: Martin begins by summarizing the previous five weeks' study of Revelation, emphasizing its purpose as a letter of consolation and direction to real churches, not pre-written…

The dominant themes of Revelation are compared to a recurring motif in music, lingering in the ears of God's people, to emphasize their pervasive and memorable nature.

In other words, when a first century Christian would have sat in an assembly somewhere in Pergamos, Thyatira, Philadelphia, Laodicea, Ephesus, and after having heard one of the elders, or several of the elders in succession, read this letter to the gathered church, the church, what dominant themes would have been sounded in their ears? What themes, like a recurring motif in a beautiful work of music, would have lingered in the ears of the people of God? And you suggested a number, and then I tried to collate those and present what I felt were the main themes.

2:42 - 3:25 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He substantiates this theme by sweeping through Revelation, citing passages like Smyrna's persecution by Satan, the angel of the abyss, the dragon's war against the woman and…

Martin clarifies that when the Lord says 'the devil is about to cast some of you into prison,' it refers to the visible actions of Roman officials or apostate leaders, behind which lies Satan's invisible activity.

Now he says behind the activity of these who are opposing you is the activity of Satan himself. Verse 10, fear not the things that thou art about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison and ye may be tried. Now is the Lord saying that literally the devil is going to come and take upon himself a human form as he occasionally does and literally take some believers like this and throw them into prison?

9:17 - 9:44 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He substantiates this theme by sweeping through Revelation, citing passages like Smyrna's persecution by Satan, the angel of the abyss, the dragon's war against the woman and…

The description of grotesque creatures from the smoking abyss in Revelation 9 is likened to a horror movie preview to convey the vivid and disturbing imagery, highlighting the demonic forces at play.

Here is this almost horrendous picture. This is the kind of thing you expect to find in the preview of some horror movie where these unusual beasts and creatures and all of the rest, and in chapter 9 we have the picture of this smoking abyss that is opened up and the smoke billows forth and out of it comes these grotesque creatures. Now notice the significant word, verse 11. They have over them as king the angel of the abyss.

10:42 - 11:13 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin traces the origin of this warfare to Genesis 3:15 and cites New Testament passages affirming Christ's victory over Satan. He emphasizes that this warfare and Satan's…

The warfare between God and the devil is contrasted with chessboard battles, which only involve pride, to emphasize that spiritual warfare is real, involving real people, destinies, Christ, and the devil.

Well, we should conclude that the warfare is real. This warfare between God and the devil is not something being worked out like the battles that are worked out in the chessboard that simply involve the pride of some master chessman. These are real battles that involve real people and the real destinies of those real people and a real Christ, and a real devil. And also we learn from this that the temporary triumphs of Satan are real.

15:00 - 15:34 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin traces the origin of this warfare to Genesis 3:15 and cites New Testament passages affirming Christ's victory over Satan. He emphasizes that this warfare and Satan's…

Martin uses the example of Christian Scientists telling a first-century saint in stocks or a mother in Southeast Asia with a dying child that suffering is an illusion, to powerfully refute the idea that evil and suffering are not real.

Evil's not real, battle's not real, it's all in my head. Well, you try to comfort a first century saint whose feet are in the stocks and who's about to have his head dropped in a basket and say it's all a matter of mind over matter. If he's not in a moment of unusual graciousness, he's liable to do something that Christians aren't supposed to do. If his hands are not free to pop you, he's liable to spit in your face and say, don't mock me with such foolishness.

15:59 - 16:25 Read in full sermon

The point: Face realistically the breakdown of national security and liberties, but hold fast to the principle that behind visible events is God's invisible warfare, and His purposes will ultimately prevail.

The death of Jesus, when Satan put it into Judas's heart to betray Him, is presented as the classic illustration of how Satan's temporary defeat (bruising Christ's heel) was a mighty cog in God's conquering plan of redemption.

All of the victories of the devil are but aspects of the conquering plan of God. And the classic illustration of that is the death of Jesus Christ. Jesus said, This is your hour and the power of darkness. Satan put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot to betray the Son of God.

17:37 - 18:01 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Responding to a question, Martin clarifies that Satan's victories are over the people and witness of God, but God overrules them for purification and sanctification. He applies…

The recent movement of the Spirit in Cambodia, where thousands converted, being 'snuffed out' by communist takeover, is used as an example of a real, temporary triumph of the devil, which God uses for purification.

He said he thinks he does win a victory. Is victory over? Well, in the sense that, for instance, right now, I was doing some reading this past week. In the past few years, there's been a tremendous movement of the Spirit of God in Cambodia, and the reports come from responsible sources.

20:29 - 20:48 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Responding to a question, Martin clarifies that Satan's victories are over the people and witness of God, but God overrules them for purification and sanctification. He applies…

The Apostle Paul being thrown into prison, shutting his mouth, is presented as a triumph of the devil, but God turned it into victory by giving us the epistles that would not have been written otherwise.

When an individual man who, like the Apostle Paul, who's preached in established churches, he's thrown in prison, there's a sense in which that's a triumph of the devil. To shut his mouth. But now that very triumph has been turned into victory by God by giving us those epistles that never would have been written, humanly speaking, unless Paul had been shut up in prison. This is the type of thing I'm talking about.

22:31 - 22:54 Read in full sermon

The point: Look realistically at the world, but know that the real situation is not only what you see; God is in charge behind the scenes.

The languishing of the American church in its affluence is compared to the Laodicean church, illustrating how material blessings can become an occasion for indifference and spiritual sluggishness, a triumph for the devil.

Maybe explain your question a little more, Bill, if you will. Well, in the presence of all the light we have, the church, by and large, is in a very low ebb of real spiritual life. This is a triumph of the devil who has taken the occasion of our material affluence to do with us what happened to the Laodicean church. Because thou art rich and increased with goods.

23:07 - 23:30 Read in full sermon

The point: Look realistically at the world, but know that the real situation is not only what you see; God is in charge behind the scenes.

Satan is described as 'God's devil at the end of God's chain,' meaning he can only bite whom God permits and only as deep as God allows, emphasizing God's ultimate sovereignty over evil.

But that's the language of the Bible. Because he's God's devil at the end of God's chain. Now, when he bites the church, it means the blood that comes out of the leg of the victim is real. But at the end of God's chain, he was only permitted to bite the one God said he could bite and only as deep as God said he could bite.

24:31 - 24:51 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin expresses strong feelings about the betrayal of allies and the suffering in Southeast Asia, finding consolation in the knowledge that Christ is conscious of the invisible…

Henry Kissinger's 'laughable' words about Russia and Red China violating treaties are used to illustrate the naive, unscriptural thinking of liberal foreign policy, which fails to understand the communist disregard for treaties rooted in Western biblical norms.

That's why we must be realists. We must face realistically. I mean, that to me is the absolute tragedy of the mindless, unscriptural naivety of the liberal constituency, who are shaping our foreign policy. I mean, Henry Kissinger's words the other day were laughable.

25:31 - 25:51 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin expresses strong feelings about the betrayal of allies and the suffering in Southeast Asia, finding consolation in the knowledge that Christ is conscious of the invisible…

The absence of Jane Fonda and Ramsey Clark's 'sob stories' about the execution of intellectual leaders in Cambodia, contrasted with their past protests against US bombing in North Vietnam, highlights hypocrisy and the reality of suffering.

And I'd start marching on Washington. And in the name of the Lord, I might even start bombing some places. I mean, when you see this, the betrayal, the betrayal of our friends done so blatantly. And where are the Jane Fondas now, who are giving all of their sob story about the bombing, the poor innocent victims in North Vietnam?

27:44 - 28:07 Read in full sermon

The point: When sick, first pray for healing after searching your heart for disciplinary action. When in need, pray for provision, but know that if denied, it's for God's higher purposes.

The story of a widow coming to her last meal is used to illustrate that God sometimes provides temporally, but other times withholds, leading to a 'true bread' or spiritual riches, as seen in Hebrews 11.

You can pray the prayer of entreaty, Lord, if it please you. You have in the past been mindful of a widow who came to her last meal. Some widows died because there were many widows in Israel. And no doubt there were many widows who came to their last bit of meal and prayed, and God said, no, I have something better.

33:15 - 33:35 Read in full sermon

The point: Live each day under the Lordship of Christ to the hilt, doing the revealed will of God in dependence on the Holy Spirit, rather than planning for specific future contingencies.

The near fall of Indonesia to communism, which God reversed, is used to illustrate that believers should not assume specific future contingencies but live faithfully in the present, as God can bring unexpected visitations of grace.

I said that international communism was the final world power you don't know that it is and I don't know that it is God may come forth in such visitations of Grace and you saw what he did in Indonesia honey they were a hair's breath from falling under communism and God can do the same thing therefore you see all of this business of planning for certain contingencies as to bring forth suffering or if it's going to bring forth opportunities for gospel ministry we've never had before, what's the best preparation for both? To live to the hilt of the will of God for today.

43:40 - 44:24 Read in full sermon

The point: Seek grace from God to remain spiritually alive and useful in the midst of luxury and ease, rather than praying for grace for hypothetical future suffering.

Martin uses the analogy of God not giving 'ten pounds of suffering grace' when one only has 'one half of an ounce of suffering' to explain that God provides grace for the present need, not for hypothetical future trials.

And living to the hilt, the opportunities of the will of God now is the best insurance against any future contingency. The grace needed to be thrown in prison is not giving you now because you ain't in prison and God is not prodigal with his grace. I mean, why in the world should he give you ten pounds of suffering grace when all you've got is one half of an ounce of suffering? What would you do if it was sitting rock?

46:02 - 46:24 Read in full sermon

The point: Submit to disciplines to live faithfully in your current situation, trusting God to give grace and wisdom for whatever comes.

He challenges the popularity of the 'secret rapture' theory in America by asking how popular it would be if preached to suffering saints in Southeast Asia, highlighting its disconnect from global Christian experience.

And I'm convinced that's why, the only country in which the whole concept of the secret rapture and the Lord going to take us out of the thing before things get too hot is popular in our own country is, oh, the people love it here. You know, before things get too bad the Lord will take us out of it. Well, you go tell the saints there in Southeast Asia that now.

47:21 - 47:39 Read in full sermon

Driving home: But our concern is not to be looking for that but, as I've tried to emphasize, this is showing the history of the church as the significant vein of historical development.

The Westminster Confession's identification of the Pope as the Antichrist is used as a 'classic example' of how even good men can err when they become too specific in prophetic interpretation, emphasizing caution.

in our, in our confession in the back of our handbooks, it has been abridged slightly there from the old confession. But it says, there is no other head of the church but the Lord Jesus Christ, nor can the folk of Rome in any sense be the head thereof. In the old one, it went on to say, but he is the son of perdition, the Antichrist, and so forth. Could we understand from the confession, then, that the framers of the confession interpreted this passage to, not to be in the world governments, but to mean Romanism?

49:04 - 49:38 Read in full sermon

Driving home: But our concern is not to be looking for that but, as I've tried to emphasize, this is showing the history of the church as the significant vein of historical development.

Ads in Moody Monthly for 'prophetic newsletters' about the common market and Northern Alliance are cited as examples of using the Bible like a 'crystal ball,' which Martin deems ridiculous and not its intended purpose.

But in some places, she still wields both of those swords. But I think, again, it's an illustration of how we must exercise holy caution. And you see, there seems to be so little of that in these, Moody Monthly, you know, as I get Moody Monthly to keep my finger on what's going on in that segment of evangelicalism and you get these ads in there, so and so with your monthly prophetic newsletter, what is the latest development in prophecy with the common market and with the Northern Alliance and I'm just ridiculous. It's trying to use the Bible like a crystal ball.

50:36 - 51:11 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He critiques certain millennial interpretations, particularly the idea of unregenerate people being externally restrained for a thousand years, arguing it creates a 'hellish…

The hypothetical scenario of a man saying he's 'externally restrained' from stealing your bucket or wife is used to illustrate the 'hellish existence' of unregenerate people under external restraint in certain millennial schemes, arguing against their bliss.

Some guy comes up to me and said, I'm still going to pick your bucket. I'm being externally restrained by the right iron. That's your life to steal your wife. Be honest.

53:57 - 54:10 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not invest time, energy, and substance preparing for predicted future events that may not come, thereby missing opportunities for the work at hand.

The unexpected reversal of Indonesia's political trajectory, preventing a communist takeover, is used to illustrate the folly of Christians preparing for specific, predicted future events, as God can change circumstances.

We do not know how God has structured things. And there, imagine Christians who saw what was happening in Indonesia. Let's take that as a current example. All of the factors were that within a matter of weeks the comments were going to come.

56:53 - 57:08 Read in full sermon