The Abiding Message of Revelation, Part 1

Introduction and Prayer for Illumination

0:00 The following sermon was delivered on Sunday morning, September 22, 2002, at the Trinity Baptist Church in Montville, New Jersey.

0:12 Now may I encourage you to turn with me in your Bibles to the book of the Revelation, the book of the Revelation, and chapter 1.

0:26 And I shall read in your hearing the 20 verses of this chapter. The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show unto his servants even the things which must shortly come to pass. And he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John, who bear witness of the word of God and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, even of all things that he saw. Blessed is he that reads. And they that hear. And they that hear the words of the prophecy, and keep the things which are written therein, for the time is at hand.

1:27 John, to the seven churches that are in Asia, grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits that are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead. And he said unto the sign, And I shall build, and I shall reveal, and I shall be the worker of the earth unto him that loveth us, and loosed us from our sins by his blood. And he made us to be a kingdom, to be priests unto his God and father, to him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

2:08 Behold, he comes with the clouds, and every eye shall see him, and they that pierced him, and all the tribes of Israel. the earth shall mourn over him even so amen i am the alpha and the omega says the lord god who is and who was and who is to come the almighty i john your brother and partaker with you in the tribulation and kingdom and patience which are in jesus was in the isle that is called patmos for the word of god and for the testimony of jesus i was in the spirit on the lord's day and i heard behind me a great voice as of a trumpet saying what you see write in a book and send it to the seven churches unto ephesus and unto smyrna and unto pergamum and unto thyatira and unto sardis and unto philadelphia and unto laodicea and i turn to see the voice that's spoke with me and having turned i saw seven golden lampstands and in the midst of the lampstands one like unto a son of man clothed with a garment down to the foot

3:29 and gird about at the breast with a golden sash and his head and his hairs were white as wool white as snow and his eyes were as a flame of fire and his feet like unto bernard's burnished brass as if it had been refined in a furnace and his voice as the voice of many waters and he had in his right hand seven stars and out of his mouth proceeded a sharp two-edged sword and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength and when i saw him i fell at his feet as one dead and he laid his right hand upon me saying fear not i am the first and the last and the living one and i was dead and behold i am alive forevermore and i have the keys of death and of hades right there for the things which you saw and the things which are and the things which shall come to pass hereafter the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand and the seven golden lampstands the seven stars are the

4:46 angels or messengers of the seven churches and the seven lampstands are the seven churches now let us again pause to consciously together ask god's help in the ministry of the word of god our father though we have come hundreds yes thousands of times over the years crying to you before we open up the scriptures lord be our teacher and we pray for you in Christ Jesus and the Holy Spirit enable preacher and people alike to be under the direct and present powerful influence of the Spirit. We come again because whatever measure of experience we have known of His help in past times over many years, they will not suffice for this day and this hour. And so we ask you will fill your servant with the Spirit, fill your people with the Spirit that together in the Spirit we may hear the voice of Christ. Hear us for our good and for your glory we pray. Amen.

Personal Burden and Rationale for Preaching Revelation

6:04 John Bunyan, the author of the immortal book The Pilgrim's Progress,

6:11 was a powerful and a much-loved preacher among the common people of his day. And although he had no formal theological training and was a tinker by nature, that is, an itinerant repairer of pots and pans, the great John Owen, considered by many to be the prince of all the Puritan theologians, John Owen, a contemporary of Bunyan who heard him preach, said, I would give up all my learning if I could preach like the tinker. I would give up all my learning if I could preach like the tinker. Like the tinker. And one of the elements in Bunyan's preaching which under the blessing of God made it so effective and gripping was this,

7:08 that writing of his preaching at a certain period in his life, John Bunyan said these words, I preached that which I did feel, that which I did smartingly feel.

7:25 Now while Bunyan's ministry was always based on the fact that it was based upon and suffused with his Bible, so much so that it was Spurgeon who said, prick Bunyan anywhere and out flows Bibeline. His Bible oozed out of him and while the Bible was the basis and the substance of his ministry, Bunyan said, I preached that which I did feel, that which I did smartingly feel. Well, I want to do, I want to do a Bunyan this morning having completed our series of messages on marriage, motherhood, and homemaking and before embarking upon a new series, God willing, next Lord's Day morning, I want to speak to you on a subject which has gripped me in recent months. It has become a subject which I feel, that which I smartingly feel. And that subject is this, the essence of the abominable, abiding message of the book of the Revelation. And it is my intention to preach to you both this morning and this evening on that subject, the essence of the abiding message of the book of the Revelation.

8:46 Now allow me a few minutes to tell you how I have come to smartingly feel that subject. In my own devotions last year, I came again, as I do once a year, in reading through the New Testament, once a year, to the book of the Revelation. And I was determined, as I have been in recent years, more and more, to know my Bible. And in conjunction with my own devotional reading, I read commentaries, not to prepare to preach, but to preach to my own heart.

9:16 And in the providence of God, three very helpful commentaries have been produced in the last couple of years that came into my hands. The Returning King by Dr. Verne Poythress, The Lamb Wins by Richard Buse, and The Triumph of the Land by Dennis Johnson. And as I have read those commentaries and come to a deeper understanding of the essence of the abiding message of the book of the Revelation, it has become an increasing burden that I would be able to pass on to you the fruit of that consideration of this wonderful book of Holy Scripture.

9:55 So, behind my smartness, delightingly feeling the desire to preach this, is my own experience in interacting with this book. Secondly, it is evident that there is an ongoing and growing confusion and downright error percolating through the Christian world with respect to the book of the Revelation. And as a pastor, I have a responsibility to try to immunize you, the Lord's people, against error, and I desperately long to immunize you against the erroneous teaching that comes out of a mishandling of the book of the Revelation. And then thirdly, the circumstances in the world and in the professing church are such that I believe as never before we as Christians in the Western world in general and in the good old USA in particular need to store up in our souls the essence of the message of the book of the Revelation. In the past year or two, we have become increasingly aware of the suffering church throughout the world. We have become increasingly aware of the increased aggressiveness of the anti-Christian forces within our own dear country. And in the light of those movements

11:23 in the world at large and in our own country in particular, I am increasingly persuaded that we as the Lord's people need to store up in our souls for the coming days the essence of the abiding message of the book of the Revelation. So that gives you a little idea of how I came to smartingly feel that I want to address this subject. Now as I attempt to distill into two sermons, and I know what some of you are thinking, he'll never do it. He'll never do it.

11:56 This is going to be four, this is going to be six. Well, you want to play bets? I want to distill into two sermons with no promise that I may not come back sometime in the future and preach more detailed expositions. But today, God helping us, in two messages, I want to distill the essence of the abiding message of the book of the Revelation.

Crucial Introductory Issues: Purpose of Revelation (Negative)

12:25 And if I'm going to do this in a responsible way, I must begin by taking a few minutes to lay out what I am calling some crucial introductory issues. We cannot responsibly take up the book of the Revelation and begin to understand the essence of its abiding message unless we have some understanding of the purpose of the book, the form or type or style of the literature that we have in our hands, and thirdly, the basic structure of the book. And so, in these introductory issues, I want to set before you something concerning the purpose, the form or style, and the basic structure of this wonderful book of God's holy word. Now, what is the purpose for which God gave us the book of the Revelation? Well, let me state negatively what that purpose is not. The book of the Revelation is not intended to be a detailed pre-written history of specific men and specific nations from the first century down to the return of Christ, a kind of pre-written history couched in strange code language awaiting the decoding powers of imaginative minds steeped with the facts

13:53 of Western history and Middle Eastern history. This is not the purpose of the book of the Revelation. It is not meant to be a linear unfolding of what will happen from the first coming of Christ to the second coming of Christ in this strange literary form waiting for these profoundly imaginative minds to engage the text and come up with, ah, here is Napoleon, and here are the Napoleonic Wars, and here is Russia, and here are airplanes with guns in their tails and all this other nonsense. That is not the purpose of the book of the Revelation.

14:38 Tons of paper and oceans of printer's ink, not to count years of mental effort, have been wasted, and time has exposed the fruitless and confusing result of that kind of approach to the book of the Revelation. I hear quote along those lines, Dr. Poythress, why the confusion? If Revelation is clear, why do so many people have trouble with it?

15:09 And why is it so controversial? We have trouble because we approach it from the wrong end. Suppose I start by asking, what do the bear's feet in Revelation 13.2 stand for?

15:21 Tell me, what are the bear's feet? Who is the bear's feet? What is the bear's foot? If I start with such a detail and ignore the big picture, I'm asking for trouble.

15:32 God is at the center of Revelation, and we'll see that this morning. We must start with Him and with the contrast between Him and His satanic opponents. If instead we try right away to puzzle out details, it is as if we tried to use a knife by grasping it by the blade instead of by the handle. We are starting at the wrong end.

15:58 Revelation is a picture book, not a puzzle book. You got that lovely little turn phrase? Revelation is a picture book meant to reveal, not a puzzle book meant to conceal. Don't try to puzzle it out.

16:18 Don't become preoccupied with isolated details. Rather, become engrossed in the overall story. Praise the Lord. Cheer the saints.

16:28 Detest the beast. Long for the coming of Jesus. I got the goosebumps just reading those words. You still get goosebumps?

16:35 I hope you do. As you read it, praise the Lord. Cheer the saints. Detest the beast.

16:43 Long for the final victory. The truth is, some teachers of the book of the Revelation set a bad example. They turned the book on its head. They turned it into a puzzle book.

16:53 They preach obscurity instead of clarity. And of course, people end up feeling incompetent. Do the following responses sound familiar? I'm confused.

17:02 It's so complicated. I'm lost. It's all a puzzle. And only this expert teacher can make sense of it.

17:08 I give up. But a few refuse to give up. Instead, they develop an unhealthy preoccupation. They search for a complicated new scheme to solve the puzzle.

17:18 They end up tickling the fancy and missing the real point. You see, the purpose of the book is not to set forth a puzzle which only greatly imaginative minds steeped in the details of the history of the Western world can fit together and puzzle out in order to amaze us and dazzle us with their great insights. No, that is not the purpose of the book. Positively, according to the opening words, its purpose is unmistakably clear.

Crucial Introductory Issues: Purpose of Revelation (Positive)

17:50 I read chapter one in your hearing. Let's look at it. It is the revelation of Jesus Christ. It is a setting forth of the unfolding of Jesus which God gave him to show his servants, show his servants, his ordinary, common, blood-bought bondservants, not his greatly imaginative experts, but to show his servants, what?

18:25 Even the things which must shortly come to pass, things that will come to pass in principle with the people of God in the end of the first century and all the way down to the consummation. And so, verse three says, blessed is he that reads, remember, there were no printing presses back then, and this would be a circular letter, and there would be one of the appointed men to stand up and read, and a blessing is promised in the one who reads, now notice, and those who hear the words of this prophecy and keep. They are intended for our keeping, not just our treasuring them up in our hearts, which the Greek verb for keep can mean, but to obey. Revelation reveals with a view to doing, not a view to sitting around scratching our heads saying, how in the world did he ever figure that out? A blessing is promised on the one who reads, those who hear, and who keep the things that are written therein. It was written to seven specific, concrete historical churches in Asia Minor,

19:55 verse 4, John to the seven churches that are in Asia, and they are named, beginning in verse 11, the seven churches, and these particular ones apparently are singled out because there are other churches in Asia Minor that we read about in the New Testament that are not named because they form a rather rough circle, and the number seven does have great significance in the book of the Revelation, but they were written just like the book, the letter to the Colossians, to the Ephesians, to the Philippians, to specific churches. Who needed the message of this letter in their particular circumstances? The people of God had suffered under Nero, and now most likely, though one cannot nail this down with absolute certainty, this was written under the reign of Domitian, when the persecutions under Nero were picked up and intensified, so that John, in addressing the people, verse 9 says, I, John, your brother, and partaker with you in the tribulation and kingdom and patience that are in Jesus, was in the isle that is called Patmos for the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. John is conscious that he's writing to fellow believers

21:23 in a situation of tribulation. And when we read the seven letters to the seven churches, we find in two or three of them clear references made to intense opposition. We read the name of a specific martyr by the name of Antipas. We read the account that there in Asia Minor, these seven churches were experiencing the kind of opposition which escalated to the point where John has been exiled to an island called Patmos, and the pressure is on the people of God.

22:00 So for all of the people of God living near the end of the first century, this letter is written with a promise of blessing concerning things that are at hand. I know of no more success and no more succinct and accurate statement concerning the purpose of this book than that given both by Dr. Poythress and by William Hendrickson. Listen to this wonderfully simple, succinct summary of the statement, I mean, of the purpose of the book.

22:36 Revelation is addressed to seven churches in Asia Minor. I've already established that from the text, which is today part of Western Turkey. Each church receives rebukes and encouragement in accordance with the condition. Furthermore, persecution has fallen on some Christians.

22:52 1-9-2-9-13-3-9 and more is coming. 2-10, chapter 13. Roman officials would try to force Christians to worship the emperor. Heretical teachings and declining fervor would tempt Christians to compromise with pagan society.

23:08 Four or five references. Revelation assures Christians that Christ knows their condition. He calls them to stand fast against all temptation, their victory has been secured through the blood of the Lamb. Christ will come soon to defeat Satan and all his agents, and his people will enjoy everlasting peace in his presence.

23:30 The purpose of the book? Written to people in those circumstances, to rebuke where necessary, to encourage, to fortify their souls with the confidence that Christ and his people will win. William Hendrickson, writer, writes, Do you wish to know the theme of this book? Let the book speak for itself.

23:54 Its theme is stated most gloriously and completely in chapter 17 and verse 14. These shall war against the Lamb, and the Lamb shall conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and they also shall conquer that are with him, called and chosen and faithful. For whom was this book intended? Mr. Hendrickson goes on to write, In my desk lies a recently published commentary on the book of the Revelation. It's a very interesting book. It views the book of the Revelation as a kind of history written beforehand. The very thing I sought to expose a few moments ago.

24:31 Tell me, dear reader, well, let me read the details. It discovers in this last book of the Bible copious and detailed references to Napoleon, the Balkan Wars, the Great European War of 1914 to 18, the German ex-Emperor Wilhelm, Hitler and Mussolini, the NRA, etc. Our verdict? Such and kindred explanations must at once be dismissed.

24:56 Tell me, dear reader, what good would the suffering and severely persecuted Christians in John's day have derived from specific and detailed predictions concerning European conditions, which would prevail some 2,000 years later? I think the average eight-year-old kid here would say, none. It is written to a suffering church at the end of the first century concerning things that are at hand to give a revelation of Christ that will comfort them and nerve them and fortify them in the midst of their suffering. A sound interpretation of the revelation must take at its starting point the position that the book was intended for believers living in John's day and age. The book owes its origin at least in part to contemporary conditions. It is God's answer to the prayers and tears of severely persecuted Christians scattered about in the cities of Asia Minor. And just as Philippians had a specific historical context with a real church with real needs, and we enter into the text and understand what the professional exegetes would say the first horizon, what that epistle meant in their setting

Crucial Introductory Issues: Literary Genre of Revelation

26:25 and then we enter in and see its relevance for us in ours in the same way we must approach the book of the revelation. Now we move from the purpose of the book to the type or style or for you high school students the literary genre the type or genre of the book. Now it's evident in chapters one verses one to nine that we have an introduction given to us in straight uncomplicated prose. So I read the whole chapter you there was nothing confusing in chapter one verses one to nine.

27:05 Then in verse ten to the end of the first chapter we have an account of a shattering vision of the risen glorified and exalted Christ. An exaggerated vision in what we would call graphic visionary imagery. When John sees one like the son of man he does not see Christ as he is seated at the right hand of the father. At the right hand of the father Jesus doesn't have a literal sword hanging out his mouth.

27:39 He doesn't have eyes that are dancing like fire. This is graphic visionary imagery. We have to understand that. So right at the outset we are given to understand we not only have the genre of straight forward epistolary prose but we also have graphic visionary imagery.

28:04 Now that imagery signifies realities but the reality is not in a wooden one to one literalism with the imagery. Then we drop back in chapters two and three to the epistolary writing. Only this difference when Paul writes he writes as Paul. When John writes he writes as John.

28:32 Here the risen Christ dictates notice the language chapter two verse one to the messenger of the church in Ephesus write. And then you have a reference it is in essence straight forward prose. The Lord speaks about conditions in the churches that he commands some that he condemns and rebukes he gives counsel he gives promises. So chapters two and three are in the genre that we are familiar with.

29:06 But the moment we come to chapter four and I want you to look at this we enter in to a whole new chapter. Notice how chapter four begins. After these things I saw not I heard but I saw up till now John sees some things but chapters two and three are what he heard. So that the appeal of Christ is he that has an ear let him hear and see the word that is a power of the word and he has something that is his heart and he will come to him and he shall be as good as he is and what he sees is that contains the message now he does hear certain things and he records certain things that are said certain praises that are sung and spoken it is not as though all is just visual with no verbal i am not saying that a cursory reading of even chapters four and five will underscore that that's

30:35 not so but you must understand that we are making a shift from the kind of literature the style of literature with which with which we are familiar into a genre into a type that is not familiar to us and that type carries all the way through to chapter 22 and verse 5 and then beginning in verse 6 of the last chapter of the book of the revelation we come back to the spoken dominant form and he said unto me these words are faithful and true the lord the god of the spirit and the power and the power of the fear and the God of His chi-jen and of His power and His strength and the power and the love of His resurrection and the bondage with which The spirits of the prophet sent his angels to show unto his servants the things that must shortly come to pass. So that we come back then to the spoken words, but in between the dominant method of communicating spiritual reality is seeing. And I saw, and you have what people call apocalyptic visions or apocalyptic style of literature, in which the message is the overall picture, not all of the specific details, like political cartoons.

31:50 When you pick up a paper and you see a political cartoon in which there's a donkey that has three heads. And one of the heads has the name on it, Bush, Powell, and Rumsfeld. And you find different words coming out of it. You know what's being spoken, that the donkey is the Republican Party and the three leading spokesmen in the whole matter of what we should do in Iraq.

32:17 And you do not expect the reality in a donkey with three heads, but you get the message under that imagery. And likewise, when we come to apocalyptic literature. Where God is communicating primarily in what we see, the understanding is to be found in the overall picture, not in all of the specific details. Now some people say, well, wait a minute, we must handle our Bibles literal, if possible.

32:50 Nothing but literal, unless ludicrous. Well, my friend, listen to me. If God did not communicate in a method in which he intended literal. If possible, we're butchering the word of God.

33:02 When we impose that hermeneutical principle on the text, when Harold Camping takes straight narrative, like the gospels and the book of Acts, and he finds hidden meanings in numbers, in objects, the boat here in John 21 is the church and the net is the church. And they can't hold this. He is butchering his Bible. God never gave the narrative.

33:30 He gives of the gospels to have hidden meanings in numbers and in objects. If the text of the scripture demonstrates that certain themes are set forth under the images of light and of darkness, as in the book of John, we get the message. Light stands for God and for truth, and darkness for sin and the devil, and we understand that. But to look for hidden meanings when God put none there is to butcher the Bible.

34:00 And likewise, to come to this genre of literature and say, I'm going to interpret it literally, the Bible is the word of God and every word is the word of God. My friend, God did not give it to us to be interpreted literally. And we impose upon it a straitjacket of our own making. It is a method of communication and God expects us to recognize it and to handle it accordingly.

Crucial Introductory Issues: Basic Structure of Revelation

34:31 So that's the type of literature it is, and we must handle it accordingly. And then a word about the basic structure of the book. Now, it is clear. I trust to any of you that have any acquaintance with the book.

34:57 Now, it is clear. I trust to any of you that have any acquaintance with the book. The chapter one. verses 1 to 9 is introduction then we have the record of that vision of the exalted christ that was read in your hearing then chapters 2 and 3 seven letters to the seven churches but then in chapters 4 and 5 we have this vision of the throne the throne in heaven representing a real unrivaled authority and power there is a personal glorious majestic being upon that throne look at chapter 4 in verse 8 he is holy he is almighty and he is eternal john sees the throne he sees one upon it and these strange creatures all about it and what do they do they have no rest day and night saying holy holy holy is the lord god the almighty who was and who is and who is to come then in chapter 5 a vision of the slain but now living lamb who is worthy to administer the affairs from the throne no one is found worthy to open the seals and there's weeping in

36:16 heaven until the lamb the one that is as a resurrected lamb appears and he is said to be worthy and the role is put in his hand and he then in chapter 6 begins to open the seals and he Cardinal he is a great Instagram and a great collector of the Lord Jesus Christ and he opens the seals to other the holiest one. he reads the open of it. coming all the way to the second coming there are parallel cycles each one ending with the consummation in judgment of the wicked and god's blessing upon his own so that from chapter five

37:21 onward with the opening of the seals chapter six onward we do not have a linear unfolding of human history first century second third fourth all the way all the way down to the consummation in chapter 22 no that is not the way the book unfolds and only a torturing of passage after passage can lead to that notion because in chapter six we are brought all the way down to the end let me show you as an example of this verse 12 i saw when he opened the sixth seal there was a great earthquake the sun became black as sackcloth of hair and the moon was black as the moon was black as the moon was black as the moon was black as the became his blood the stars of the heaven fell to the earth the heaven was removed as a scroll when it's rolled up the kings of the earth the bondmen the freemen hide in the caves from what hide us from the face of him that sits on the throne and the wrath of the lamb why for the great day of their wrath is come and who should be able to stand that's the last day that's the coming of the lord jesus in chapter six and then we'll go back and then we have the various things that unfold in those next chapters and seven times we are brought down to the end that's the structure of the book and coming to the book with some thought that well where are we here is this the

38:48 15th century this is no these are the patterns of the administration of god between the two great epochs of the first you and the second coming of the lord jesus and this you will note as you read and you don't need to figure out all of the various details you will see as you read these seven cycles and increasing exposure of the cosmic warfare involved we get into the middle chapters and this beast and this dragon and this harlot these sinister powers are seen to be the ones through whom evil and evil men are constantly opposing god's people there is increasing exposure of the cosmic warfare that lies behind the events that pass before our eyes and an increasing emphasis and details given to the realities accompanying the ultimate triumph of christ so that as those cycles unfold we not only see more and more the powers that that are operated behind them but we see more and more of the glory that will be christ's and his people at the consummation so if you read the book of the revelation with that

40:08 structure in mind it breaks the back of so much of what is otherwise intimidating now then having given those introductory perspectives that i have written in my notes an illustration maybe this illustration will help you it's the best i could come up with from my perspective i think that's the best i could come up with from my perspective i think that's the best i could come up with from my perspective i think that's the best i could come up with from my perspective i think that's the best i could come up with home in cedar grove to this church building it's 8.2 miles now i feel i could make that drive blindfolded i won't do that but i feel i could now suppose over the next few weeks i was to take my camera and say now each time i make that trip i'm going to concentrate on a different aspect of the visual exposure that i have in that trip the first time i'm going to take a shot of all of the stoplights on the way. Well, if I were to do that, you'd get some of the background, some of the trees, and you'd have some sense, but I'm going to take, say, 10 shots each time. Well, this one focuses on every stoplight and every stop sign, all right? Next time, I want to get a picture of the kinds of trees that are in that trip, and so I take snapshots of the trees. Now, with that,

41:20 you'd see some reference points. You'd probably see at certain points certain stop signs, certain stoplights. You know you were going over the same territory, but with a subtle difference of focus, and then the next time, I say, well, I'm going to take a picture of some of the outstanding houses that I pass, and so I take snapshots of those houses, but when you compare the way, say, hey, it looks like we're going over the same road, but with a different focus, with different nuances of visual emphasis, and you'd be right. Now, that's what you have in the book of the Revelation. Seven times, we are taken down to the end. Different visions come before us, different elements enter, but it's covering that ground from the first to the second coming of our Lord Jesus. Well, I hope this has been helpful. We've considered the purpose of the book, the kind of literature it is, and the basic structure. Now, in the time that remains, we'll take up one or two of what I hope

Abiding Message 1: Christ is in the Midst of His Church

42:19 to cover this day, the essence of the abiding message of the book of the Revelation. What do suffering saints in Asia Minor need to know that God is revealing about Jesus through this book? There's your interpretive clue. Have I persuaded you? The Lord Jesus wants to minister to his suffering saints. I, John, your companion in tribulation, was in the Isle of Patmos. I heard a voice, and the voice said this, and then I turned and I saw, and they? And he writes what he sees.

42:58 And this then is sent to the seven churches to be the ministry of the risen Jesus to his suffering saints. What is its message that would minister to them? Number one. And there's no significance in the order of these.

43:15 Just view them as around a circle. Picking out any part of the circle you end up where you started. Here it is. Jesus Christ is in the midst of his church in all its trials, its apparent defeats, and its triumphs in the present age until the consummation of all things at his return.

43:43 This is the message that comes through this book. Jesus Christ is in the midst of his church in all its trials. Jesus Christ is in the midst of his church in all its trials, its apparent defeats, and its triumphs in the present age until the consummation of all things at his second coming. In the opening greeting, there's an unequivocal affirmation of the certainty of the return of Christ.

44:16 Verse 7. Behold, he comes with clouds and every eye. I shall see him, and they that pierced him, and all the tribes of the earth shall mourn over him. And at that point, John has to inject his own words, even so, amen.

44:38 John is in the Isle of Patmos, and he hears from the risen Christ, I'm coming. Every eye is going to see him, even so, amen. But as John writes, from circumstances of the...

44:55 The apparent triumph of evil, he's exiled in the Isle of Patmos. Many to whom he writes are in similar circumstances of oppression, of persecution, and opposition. What is it that the exiled John and the afflicted saints need to know above all else? God answers it in the first vision.

45:20 I hear a voice, and John says, I turn to see... I turn to see the voice that spoke with me.

45:28 Verse 10. I heard behind me a great voice as of a trumpet saying, What you see, write in a book. Verse 12. I turn to see the voice, and having turned, I saw.

45:43 And what's the first thing that impinges on his eyeballs? Seven golden lampstands. The first thing that hits him. He sees seven golden...

45:56 Lampstands. Apparently arranged in a circle, because he then says, And in the...

46:05 Not over and above, under or beneath, outside and adjacent to, but in the midst, one like unto the Son of Man. So the vision that first presses on the eyeballs of John is lampstands, and this majestic...

46:28 Glorious, exalted being in the midst... Then as he looks at that being in the midst, it shatters him.

46:41 The very John who snuggled up and put his head on the breast of Jesus in the days of his flesh. He sees this vision, and certain aspects of the glory and majesty of Christ are captured in that vision that shatter him, much like Isaiah was shattered when he saw the Lord high in the sky. He was shattered. He was shattered.

47:02 He was shattered. He was shattered. He was lifted up. And he said, I went down like a dead man.

47:05 I was like someone had taken a 45 magnum and put it through my temple. Down I went like a dead man. And this one who intimidated me by his grandeur and his majesty stooped and laid his hand upon me. I said, Don't be afraid, John.

47:24 I'm the very one upon whom you leaned your... Upon whom you leaned your head.

47:30 I'm the very one that nurtured and cared for you. In the days of my flesh. And John, I want you to write the things you see. And I want you to send it to the seven churches.

47:41 And this I want you to understand up front. So that there's no question in your mind. Everything else you see. Everything else I tell you.

47:49 Everything else that unfolds. This must be the baseline reality. Verse 20. The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand.

48:00 And the seven golden lampstands. The seven stars. The stars are the angels or messengers of the seven churches. The seven candlesticks or lampstands are the seven churches.

48:13 John, whatever you see. Whatever you write. This you must know. I am in the midst of my churches.

48:21 In all their trials. Their apparent defeats. And their triumphs. In this present age.

48:29 Until the consummation. And that reality. Has never been dislodged. Mr. Camping and his nonsense notwithstanding.

48:42 Christ has left his church. No. He says in one of these messages. I'll remove your candlestick.

48:50 Christ removes specific local congregations. From their place. But he never leaves his church. Never leaves his church.

49:01 Nothing that follows of the lamb on the throne. The lamb opening. The seals. Nothing that follows of these graphic images.

49:10 Of beast. And of the woman upon the horse. None of those images dislodges. This fundamental reality conveyed.

49:21 In the opening vision. The words of Jesus in Matthew 18 20. Lo I am with you always. Even unto the consummation.

49:33 Of the age. There is a no holds. Guard realism. The fact that the church in its life.

49:40 Between the two comings. Will be marked by trials. By triumphs. By apparent defeats.

49:46 The seven letters show us that. The risen Christ has some serious complaints. With some of his churches. They are passing through great difficulties.

49:57 The account of the two witnesses. In chapter 11. Who are killed by the beast. An apparent triumph.

50:04 Of the forces of evil. Over those who bear witness. To God and to his gospel. But in all of that.

50:11 Christ is with his church. And my dear people. You and I better know that. And believe it.

50:20 With every fiber of our being. As we hear of increasing persecution. Around the world. Militant Islamic oppression.

50:28 Of the people of God in Indonesia. In the Sudan in Pakistan. In the Middle East. As we hear of drug lords in Colombia.

50:36 Persecuting the people. Of God. This is the message. Jesus is in the midst.

50:44 Of his church. In all its trials. Its apparent defeats. Its triumphs in the present age.

50:52 His words have abiding validity. In the world. You shall have tribulation. Be of good cheer.

51:00 I have overcome the world. Read through the book of Acts. Persecution is let loose. Through Saul of Tarsus.

51:08 And what is the. Result of it. The saints are scattered. Churches are established.

51:16 Where otherwise they never would have been. The Roman authorities. Take this man Paul. Because of the pressure of the apostate Jews.

51:25 Put him in prison. And what's the result? We have those precious epistles. Called the prison epistles.

51:33 Would have fed the church of God. For centuries. John is in exile. The apostle.

51:41 Why should he be in exile? Because God wants a message for his church. To the end of the age. That is embodied in this wonderful book.

51:49 Christ. Is in the midst of his church. Dear people of God. You need to pray that in.

51:57 Until that becomes as much a part of the texture of your soul. As anything. That is a part of you. But then secondly.

Abiding Message 2: All History is Under God's Sovereign Government

52:05 We need to learn from the book of the revelation. That all that transpires. In human history. Is under the sovereign.

52:13 Government of God. And of the lamb. All that transpires. In human history.

52:21 Is under the sovereign. Government of God. And of the lamb. Now this is made plain.

52:29 In the very opening words of greeting. Chapter one. Verses four and five. John to the seven churches in Asia.

52:37 Who is and was and is to come. And from the seven spirits. Before his throne. From Jesus Christ the faithful witness.

52:45 The first born of the dead. Now notice. And not the one who shall become. In a millennial reign.

52:54 The ruler of the earth. He is described as the one. Who is the present ruler. Of the kings of the earth.

53:03 These oppressed. Suffering saints. Feeling. And living under Domitian.

53:12 And perhaps they had relatives. That had lived some twenty thirty years earlier. Under Nero. And these Roman rulers.

53:20 Had oppressed and persecuted. And pressured the people of God. And John says. I want you to know at the outset.

53:28 Any human ruler. Is under the great ruler. Jesus Christ who is ruler. Of the kings of the earth.

53:37 And then. When John. The secretary of Christ. In taking down.

53:45 What he wants him to write. And send to the seven churches. In those messages. To each distinctive church.

53:53 What is the first vision. That is given to John. When the Lord is going to move. From straight forward prose.

54:01 Into this other genre. Of revealed truth. Chapter four. After these things I saw.

54:09 And behold a door opened in heaven. And a voice I heard. A voices of a trumpet saying. Come up hither.

54:17 I'll show you things. That must come to pass hereafter. So John internalizes this. And says wait a minute.

54:25 What am I going to be shown. I'm going to be shown things. You see that in the text. I'm going to be shown things.

54:33 That must come to pass hereafter. So John expects whoo. I'm going to see some things. And behold.

54:41 There was a throne set in heaven. And one sitting. Upon the throne. Wait a minute Lord.

54:49 I thought you were going to show me things to come. John says yes. But I want you to know that all the things to come. Emanate.

54:58 From a throne. And from the God who sits upon it. So the first thing he sees. Is a throne.

55:06 And that throne is not vacant. It is occupied by some impersonal power. He sees one sitting. Upon that throne.

55:14 And that one is then described. In all of this strange. But marvelous imagery. Of precious stones.

55:22 And these strange creatures. All of which point. To the utter transcendence. And majesty.

55:30 And glory. And power. Of this great God. Who sits upon a throne.

55:38 And can only bear God. We are told by the church growth people. We have got to present a God. With whom generation Xers.

55:48 Can feel comfortable. We have no right to present any other God. Than the God who is. And this is the God who is.

55:57 Majestic. Exalted. Transcendent. Intimidating in his majesty.

56:05 And in his glory. But then chapter 5. I saw in the right hand of him. Those sealed with seven seals.

56:13 The majestic God upon the throne. Is a book. And he is not opening that book. And when they look around and say.

56:23 Who is worthy to open it? There is weeping in heaven. Because none is found worthy. Until John says.

56:31 Verse 5. One of the elders said to me. Weep not. Behold the lion of the tribe of Judah.

56:39 The root of David. Of the four living creatures. The midst of the elders. A lamb standing.

56:47 As though it had been slain. And then this again to us. Grotesque picture. Having seven horns.

56:55 And seven eyes. What in the world would a lamb look like. That had seven horns. Seven eyes.

57:03 You see the message is not in a crass literalism. Horns speak of what? Of power. And of strength.

57:11 As though it had been killed. But it is alive. And it is redolent. With power.

57:19 Seven horns. And seven eyes. Seven eyes. Two eyes we see pretty well.

57:31 Seven eyes he sees perfectly. Utterly omniscient. He knows all. And he came.

57:44 And he took it out of the right hand of him that sat on the throne. And when he had taken the book. The four living creatures. The lamb.

57:52 Worthy are you to take the book. And to open the seals. Why? For you were slain.

58:00 And you purchased to God by your blood. Men of every tribe and tongue. And people and nations. What is going on here?

58:08 It is what we learn in the prose. Of the epistles. And of the gospels. That as a reward for his obedience.

58:16 In suffering unto death. And he is given a place. Of messianic rule and authority. And as the reward of his obedience.

58:24 He is entrusted. With the administration of the affairs. Of the government. Of God's kingdom.

58:32 That is what we have here. So that all that follows. Throughout the entire. Book of the revelation.

58:40 Is to take its clue. Not only from the truth. That Christ is in the midst of his church. Until the concept.

58:48 But God. And his beloved son. Sit absolutely. Unmoved.

58:57 Upon the throne. Of total sovereignty. In the administration. Of all the affairs.

59:05 Of the universe. So that as you read. Through the book of the revelation. Some amazing things.

59:13 You come to chapter 13. And this beast comes out of the sea. The representation of satanic power. The man of old evil.

59:21 The text says he blasphemes God. He blasphemes the church. He makes war with the saints. He seeks to gain universal homage.

59:29 How does he do this? Look at chapter 13. Verses 5 and 7. This is just a specimen.

59:38 Look. And there was given to him. A mouth speaking great things. And blasphemies.

59:46 And there was given to him. Authority to continue. And two months. Verse 7.

59:54 And it was given unto him. To make war with the saints. And to overcome them. And it was given to him.

60:02 Authority over every tribe. And people. And tongue. And nation.

60:12 What's it saying? The embodiment of all evil. Can't move one millimeter. Without the sovereign control.

60:22 Of God. Chapter 17. You find similar language. We don't have time to examine it.

60:32 What's that say to us? You hear all the committees now examining. Could we have avoided. 9-11-2001.

60:41 Now I'm not against. Responsible examination. Of breakdowns in our. In our.

60:49 What's the term we want? In our intelligence system. Interaction of the FBI. But my friends.

60:57 Don't get caught up in all of that. It was given to those 19 men. To hijack. Those four planes.

61:07 It was given. Given by whom? The lamb upon the throne. That's right.

61:17 Given by the lamb upon the throne. He could have made them. Choke on their morning cereal. If he wanted to.

61:26 It was given. It was given. 9-11. Osama Bin Laden.

61:35 Alive or dead. How did he come to have such influence? It was given. Saddam Hussein.

61:43 That evil wicked man. Who slew the Kurds. By the tens of thousands. Why is he still alive?

61:51 God gives him his breath. And he'll have breath. As long as God's purposes for him. Are yet to be fulfilled.

62:03 That help you face. That's the message of the book of the revelation. Don't get lost in trying to find. What's this funny looking bear over here.

62:13 And what's the ribs in his teeth. My friend. This is the message. The message of chapters 4 and 5.

62:21 God is central. To the book of the revelation. And he is central as the absolute. Unrivaled sovereign.

62:29 I hope to get to number 3. But I'm going to have to stop you with number 2. We go back to Psalm 2. I hope you love that Psalm.

62:39 Why do the nations rage? Peoples imagine the vain things. The kings and the rulers of the earth. Take counsel together saying.

62:47 Let's cast away his cords. From us. We're going to overthrow God on his throne. What does God do?

62:55 He doesn't bite one nail in nervousness. He that sits in the heavens will laugh. I love God's laughter. You think I'd be nervous if I went home today.

63:04 And found a thousand ants. On my front porch. And one of them was somehow given the ability. To talk.

63:12 And said Mr. Martin. I'm here to represent myself and all of my buddies. All one thousand of us.

63:18 We're serving your notice. We've had a council. And we're going to take over your house. I said you are?

63:32 We'll see. Squish. Squish. I could laugh.

63:42 At the little cadre of ants. He that sits in the heavens. Shall laugh. At the people of God.

63:51 When we see with this perspective. We too. Can share in God's laughter. Nothing else.

64:01 We act responsibly. We pray as we prayed this morning. God give wisdom to our leaders. Grant peace.

64:09 But at the end of the day. We need to see there is a throne. And there's one sitting upon it. And there's a worthy lamb.

64:17 Who opens the seals. Who said all authority in heaven and earth. Given unto me. To whom God has made.

64:26 Head over all things. That's the message of the book of the revelation. And when you read it. You want to hear that message coming through again.

64:35 Again and again and again. And if you're reading and don't get that message. You're not reading it right. Because that is its message.

Application and Call to the Unsaved

64:43 Well God willing. We'll take up the remaining five tonight. We're going to have to plunge right in. With very little review.

64:51 And this is crucial. Now we'll jump over to the application. And it is this. To the Lord's people.

65:03 These are the truths that were needed. By the seven churches of Asia Minor. These are the truths that you and I need. Read the book.

65:11 Seeking. To see again and again. How these truths. Dominate the message of the book.

65:19 And to you who are unsaved. Still aligned with the serpent. You know. My appeal to you is.

65:28 Break rank. Give up your allegiance. To the one who's doomed. To be defeated.

65:39 As we'll see tonight. That ancient alignment. That began in the garden. Between the serpent.

65:48 And Adam and Eve. And God comes and says. I'll put enmity. Between you and the woman.

65:56 Between her seed. Your seed. And in his inimitable way. He spoke of enmity.

66:05 Injected. I will put enmity. Enmity perpetuated. Between your seed.

66:13 That seed. Enmity consummated. Crushing of the head. With the bruising of the heel.

66:22 My friend what are your alignments? Who are you aligned with? Christ the seed of the woman. And his people.

66:30 Who are marked. In triumph and vindication. Of the devil. And his people.

66:39 And ultimate destruction. Where are you aligned? To be a Christian means. You repudiate your present alignment.

66:50 And you go to Christ. The promised seed. Who died and came to that throne. By way of a cross and an open tomb.

66:58 And now from that throne. He welcomes you. To join the ranks of his people. Who in Christ.

67:07 Shall be more. Than conquerors. Let's pray. Our Father.

67:19 We confess that our spirits. Seem so constricted. To hold such wonderful truth. Enlarge our hearts.

67:28 We pray. Fill our minds. With the wonder and the glory. Of the present realities.

67:37 Of the Lord Jesus. Being in the midst of his church. And of the Lord Jesus. On his unshaken throne.

67:45 Fill our minds and hearts. With the glory. Of his person. His present work.

67:53 And administration of the affairs of the nations. And may it flood our souls. With peace. We ask you to seal your word.

68:02 To every heart. For our good and for your glory. Amen.