WEBVTT 00:00:09.900 --> 00:00:14.619 We continue our series in Revelation chapter 00:00:14.619 --> 00:00:21.780 12. This is the last message in this series where 00:00:21.780 --> 00:00:25.460 we consider Revelation 12 as it relates to the 00:00:25.460 --> 00:00:29.579 birth, the life, the death, the resurrection, 00:00:29.899 --> 00:00:35.240 the ascension, and the enthronement of the Lord 00:00:35.240 --> 00:00:40.350 Jesus Christ. Now, in Revelation 12, verses 12 00:00:40.350 --> 00:00:48.350 through 17, John continues the image that he's 00:00:48.350 --> 00:00:52.149 been building, that he's been putting forth. 00:00:52.350 --> 00:00:57.590 So what is the image that he is putting forth 00:00:57.590 --> 00:01:01.750 for the recipients? Well, it's this. It's the 00:01:01.750 --> 00:01:08.920 defeated dragon is ejected. out of heaven, and 00:01:08.920 --> 00:01:12.640 notice in verse 12, the focus turns from heaven 00:01:12.640 --> 00:01:17.579 to the earth. There's this swap that takes place, 00:01:17.700 --> 00:01:23.200 and the rest of verses 13 through 17 have to 00:01:23.200 --> 00:01:28.260 do with the earth, in a sense. He's switching 00:01:28.260 --> 00:01:32.400 the focus. So the dragon is ejected. The dragon 00:01:32.400 --> 00:01:39.620 is cast out. The dragon, is thrown down from 00:01:39.620 --> 00:01:45.920 heaven. And because of his defeat, he is enraged. 00:01:46.459 --> 00:01:52.099 He's angry and he's mad because he's been defeated 00:01:52.099 --> 00:01:56.019 and he's been conquered by the male child who 00:01:56.019 --> 00:02:00.680 was enthroned and accomplished his work, who's 00:02:00.680 --> 00:02:04.500 caught up to the throne of God. Well, we see 00:02:04.500 --> 00:02:11.120 that the dragon, tries over and over to stomp 00:02:11.120 --> 00:02:15.960 out, to squash, to destroy, to overwhelm the 00:02:15.960 --> 00:02:22.080 woman. But we also see that God has a place prepared 00:02:22.080 --> 00:02:28.860 for the woman, and God takes care of the woman 00:02:28.860 --> 00:02:33.800 who's in the wilderness, who's in this period 00:02:33.800 --> 00:02:39.539 of... testing, the desert in a sense. We even 00:02:39.539 --> 00:02:41.939 see allusions to the Old Testament in the book 00:02:41.939 --> 00:02:46.539 of Exodus. Throughout this, the two wings of 00:02:46.539 --> 00:02:49.860 the great eagle, the wilderness language, we 00:02:49.860 --> 00:02:54.659 see in verse 16 where the earth helped the woman 00:02:54.659 --> 00:02:58.539 and the earth opened its mouth and drank up the 00:02:58.539 --> 00:03:00.840 river which the dragon poured out of his mouth. 00:03:01.000 --> 00:03:04.360 Remember back in the Old Testament when the earth 00:03:04.759 --> 00:03:07.939 Helped the people of God. And swallowed up the 00:03:07.939 --> 00:03:12.300 enemies of God's people. In their midst. And 00:03:12.300 --> 00:03:16.819 God judged them. God defended his people. So 00:03:16.819 --> 00:03:20.180 he's alluding to Old Testament imagery. This 00:03:20.180 --> 00:03:24.080 is the picture he's painting. The dragon raging. 00:03:25.099 --> 00:03:30.020 Because he's defeated. Yet. God sustains and 00:03:30.020 --> 00:03:33.800 preserves the woman. And even blesses the woman. 00:03:34.270 --> 00:03:38.009 In this period. So it's the entrance of a new 00:03:38.009 --> 00:03:43.050 age. That we see taking place. A new era of time. 00:03:43.530 --> 00:03:46.930 Following the exaltation of the male child. And 00:03:46.930 --> 00:03:50.650 the casting out of the dragon. So what does this 00:03:50.650 --> 00:03:54.990 picture mean? How do we explain this? How do 00:03:54.990 --> 00:04:01.150 we interpret this? Well it's this. Christ accomplished 00:04:01.150 --> 00:04:08.080 his work. He was born, he lived, he died, he 00:04:08.080 --> 00:04:12.819 rose, he's exalted, he's enthroned. The devil 00:04:12.819 --> 00:04:17.300 loses his accusatory powers at the throne of 00:04:17.300 --> 00:04:20.379 God because of the accomplished work of the Lord 00:04:20.379 --> 00:04:26.439 Jesus Christ. And for a period of time, the devil 00:04:26.439 --> 00:04:32.519 rages against the church. The devil thrashes 00:04:32.519 --> 00:04:38.699 against the church. He tries to destroy the church. 00:04:39.019 --> 00:04:43.740 He tries to destroy her children or individual 00:04:43.740 --> 00:04:50.040 Christians, as we see in verse 17. But we find 00:04:50.040 --> 00:04:57.379 that God sustains, preserves, blesses, and provides 00:04:57.379 --> 00:05:03.240 for the church. all throughout this age where 00:05:03.240 --> 00:05:08.540 the devil is raging against the church. Now, 00:05:08.600 --> 00:05:12.279 a couple important things to note before we start 00:05:12.279 --> 00:05:15.959 making our way through this text. The devil is 00:05:15.959 --> 00:05:19.500 presented as raging in this text, but the devil 00:05:19.500 --> 00:05:24.500 is also presented as restrained by God in this 00:05:24.500 --> 00:05:27.579 text. In a sense, he's an enemy, but he's... 00:05:27.769 --> 00:05:30.470 An enemy on a leash. And we will see this, and 00:05:30.470 --> 00:05:34.790 we'll see this evidence in the text itself. Though 00:05:34.790 --> 00:05:39.529 he's a real enemy, he is a creature. He's not 00:05:39.529 --> 00:05:43.730 sovereign. He's not absolute. He still operates 00:05:43.730 --> 00:05:46.670 under the sovereignty and the superintendence 00:05:46.670 --> 00:05:50.529 of a sovereign, good, faithful, covenant -keeping 00:05:50.529 --> 00:05:55.910 God. He still serves his maker, even in his evil, 00:05:55.949 --> 00:06:00.980 malicious... So we're going to consider this 00:06:00.980 --> 00:06:04.800 period of time in which the church waits for 00:06:04.800 --> 00:06:09.000 the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. We're 00:06:09.000 --> 00:06:13.579 going to consider this age or this era. So the 00:06:13.579 --> 00:06:15.500 very first thing we're going to do is clarify 00:06:15.500 --> 00:06:18.620 the period of time that the text speaks about. 00:06:19.579 --> 00:06:23.759 Specifically, this wilderness period of time 00:06:23.759 --> 00:06:27.569 that the text speaks of. But the second thing 00:06:27.569 --> 00:06:30.610 we have to do is this. We have to understand 00:06:30.610 --> 00:06:36.009 the nature of the enemy's activity in this age. 00:06:36.949 --> 00:06:40.350 How he operates, what he's doing, his restraint, 00:06:40.589 --> 00:06:43.529 his power, his ability, and ultimately his fall 00:06:43.529 --> 00:06:48.670 and his final judgment at the end of this age. 00:06:49.230 --> 00:06:51.629 And the third thing we'll have to consider today, 00:06:51.829 --> 00:06:56.639 we have to establish the fact. Of God's special 00:06:56.639 --> 00:07:04.939 care for the church throughout this period. God's 00:07:04.939 --> 00:07:11.259 covenantal provision and care for his people 00:07:11.259 --> 00:07:17.920 throughout the entirety of this age. So considering 00:07:17.920 --> 00:07:22.439 the first. Clarifying this period of time that 00:07:22.439 --> 00:07:27.730 is spoken of. In verses 12 through verse 17. 00:07:28.389 --> 00:07:32.870 Now notice that this period is described with 00:07:32.870 --> 00:07:38.250 wilderness imagery. Or this wilderness motif 00:07:38.250 --> 00:07:42.949 or theme we could say. We see this in verse 6 00:07:42.949 --> 00:07:47.470 where we read this. Then the woman fled into 00:07:47.470 --> 00:07:50.569 the wilderness where she had a place prepared 00:07:50.569 --> 00:07:54.680 by God. We read the same thing. In verse 14, 00:07:55.040 --> 00:07:57.839 but the two wings of the great eagle were given 00:07:57.839 --> 00:08:01.540 to the woman so that she could fly into the wilderness. 00:08:02.519 --> 00:08:06.560 Now, when we think about the wilderness, there's 00:08:06.560 --> 00:08:10.639 another word that we oftentimes probably don't 00:08:10.639 --> 00:08:13.379 associate with the word wilderness, but the Bible 00:08:13.379 --> 00:08:17.860 does, and that is desert. And so we think about 00:08:17.860 --> 00:08:23.250 the Old Testament. We have many examples. of 00:08:23.250 --> 00:08:27.089 the wilderness or the desert. We think about 00:08:27.089 --> 00:08:34.570 Israel in particular. They were redeemed and 00:08:34.570 --> 00:08:38.710 then they entered into what? The wilderness. 00:08:39.049 --> 00:08:41.850 God brought them out of Egypt. He delivered them 00:08:41.850 --> 00:08:44.129 and he brought them out of Egypt into the wilderness. 00:08:44.450 --> 00:08:49.210 And all that while God led them. He guided them. 00:08:49.309 --> 00:08:53.210 He provided for them. He protected them. And 00:08:53.210 --> 00:09:00.049 that period was prior to the promised land. So 00:09:00.049 --> 00:09:05.509 it's this in -between period. But we also find 00:09:05.509 --> 00:09:09.870 other examples throughout the Bible of the wilderness. 00:09:10.210 --> 00:09:14.230 We can think about the prophet Elijah. He went 00:09:14.230 --> 00:09:18.129 into the wilderness a couple times. Then we could 00:09:18.129 --> 00:09:22.210 think about the Lord Jesus Christ himself. Didn't 00:09:22.210 --> 00:09:25.470 the Lord Jesus himself, prior to the beginning 00:09:25.470 --> 00:09:28.789 of his ministry, wasn't he compelled out into 00:09:28.789 --> 00:09:32.970 what? The wilderness by the Spirit of God. And 00:09:32.970 --> 00:09:35.710 what took place in the wilderness in all of these 00:09:35.710 --> 00:09:44.889 cases? Testing, trials, hardship, refining, purifying 00:09:44.889 --> 00:09:49.820 times. Though there was difficulties, there was 00:09:49.820 --> 00:09:53.379 also good things that happened in the wilderness, 00:09:53.720 --> 00:09:59.740 like God's provision. Specifically, if we think 00:09:59.740 --> 00:10:04.539 about the Exodus, God provided for his people 00:10:04.539 --> 00:10:10.480 time and time again. He provided water. He provided 00:10:10.480 --> 00:10:14.059 manna. Their shoes didn't wear out. Their clothing 00:10:14.059 --> 00:10:16.539 didn't wear out. We could read that in the book 00:10:16.539 --> 00:10:20.620 of... Deuteronomy. He cared for them. He watched 00:10:20.620 --> 00:10:23.720 over them. He provided for them. We could think 00:10:23.720 --> 00:10:26.580 about Elijah. The Lord provides for him with 00:10:26.580 --> 00:10:29.820 ravens. We could also think about the Lord Jesus 00:10:29.820 --> 00:10:34.159 Christ himself. What happens in his trial after 00:10:34.159 --> 00:10:38.039 the prominent trials and tests of the devil? 00:10:39.799 --> 00:10:45.350 Angels minister to the Lord Jesus. He's cared 00:10:45.350 --> 00:10:51.809 for. He's nourished in the wilderness. John wants 00:10:51.809 --> 00:10:58.850 us to lay hold of this wilderness concept. This 00:10:58.850 --> 00:11:05.230 wilderness motif. Because he is saying that the 00:11:05.230 --> 00:11:11.509 church following the work of Christ is in the 00:11:11.509 --> 00:11:16.730 wilderness. That just as we see these themes 00:11:16.730 --> 00:11:21.029 throughout Scripture, the church now is in the 00:11:21.029 --> 00:11:26.110 wilderness waiting for the promised land once 00:11:26.110 --> 00:11:31.570 again. Christ has redeemed us. He's saving us. 00:11:31.629 --> 00:11:34.190 He's leading us. He's guiding us in and through 00:11:34.190 --> 00:11:37.850 the wilderness with what? The promised land in 00:11:37.850 --> 00:11:41.649 front of us. That means that the church's time 00:11:41.649 --> 00:11:46.899 in this era. And this period of time will be 00:11:46.899 --> 00:11:54.360 marked by trial, testing, purification, refinement, 00:11:54.500 --> 00:11:59.379 but it will also be distinctly marked by God's 00:11:59.379 --> 00:12:05.200 provision, God's blessing, God's leading, God's 00:12:05.200 --> 00:12:09.320 guiding, God's preservation, God's sustaining 00:12:09.320 --> 00:12:14.970 power in the life of his people. So the wilderness 00:12:14.970 --> 00:12:18.490 idea that John is putting forth is meant to convey 00:12:18.490 --> 00:12:24.690 a few things. It's an in -between period. That's 00:12:24.690 --> 00:12:29.490 between the point of redemption and the time 00:12:29.490 --> 00:12:32.350 of full and final realization of the promises. 00:12:32.769 --> 00:12:36.850 That is the state the church is in now. Christ 00:12:36.850 --> 00:12:42.639 has come. Christ has redeemed us. has been victorious, 00:12:42.899 --> 00:12:46.000 and the full and final redemption, and the full 00:12:46.000 --> 00:12:48.679 and final realization of all his promises, the 00:12:48.679 --> 00:12:51.019 new heavens and the new earth, the promised land, 00:12:51.100 --> 00:12:53.960 brothers and sisters, is in front of us. We're 00:12:53.960 --> 00:12:58.659 in this in -between stage. But he also wants 00:12:58.659 --> 00:13:03.700 us to understand that it is a time of testing 00:13:03.700 --> 00:13:08.600 and provision. So we see that it's described 00:13:08.600 --> 00:13:14.799 with this wilderness. Imagery. Now he also describes 00:13:14.799 --> 00:13:19.720 it with this symbolic duration. Or we could say 00:13:19.720 --> 00:13:23.740 with a symbolic calendar. Notice what he says 00:13:23.740 --> 00:13:28.879 in verse 6. And he associates it with this era. 00:13:29.779 --> 00:13:32.240 In verse 6 he says this. Then the woman fled 00:13:32.240 --> 00:13:34.980 into the wilderness where she had a place prepared 00:13:34.980 --> 00:13:37.980 by God. So that there she would be nourished 00:13:37.980 --> 00:13:45.549 for 1 ,000. 260 days. Now, we read that and we 00:13:45.549 --> 00:13:49.450 think, very, very exact. Now, we also read in 00:13:49.450 --> 00:13:54.610 verse 14. But the two wings of the great eagle 00:13:54.610 --> 00:13:57.789 were given to the woman so that she could fly 00:13:57.789 --> 00:14:00.730 into the wilderness to her place where she was 00:14:00.730 --> 00:14:06.509 nourished for a time and times and half a time. 00:14:07.309 --> 00:14:10.090 I'm sure that many of you, as we've read this, 00:14:10.230 --> 00:14:13.970 have thought, what in the world is John talking 00:14:13.970 --> 00:14:17.809 about with these numbers? What do I make of these 00:14:17.809 --> 00:14:22.710 things? Well, as we've said many times, John 00:14:22.710 --> 00:14:26.409 is using apocalyptic language, brothers and sisters. 00:14:26.889 --> 00:14:30.990 So he's not intending to communicate an exact 00:14:30.990 --> 00:14:35.320 time period. He's not intending to communicate 00:14:35.320 --> 00:14:39.279 a certain amount of definitive days. He's talking 00:14:39.279 --> 00:14:43.840 about a symbolic time in which the church dwells 00:14:43.840 --> 00:14:49.039 in a wilderness period. Other places throughout 00:14:49.039 --> 00:14:51.679 the book of Revelation this is referred to as 00:14:51.679 --> 00:15:00.159 42 months. What is 1 ,260 days? It is 42 months. 00:15:00.620 --> 00:15:06.409 This is the time. When the witnesses are preaching. 00:15:07.169 --> 00:15:09.669 This is the time when the law and the gospel 00:15:09.669 --> 00:15:15.009 are actively being proclaimed in the world. When 00:15:15.009 --> 00:15:17.490 the law is resounding and men and women are being 00:15:17.490 --> 00:15:20.870 converted. And the law is sounding forth, convicting 00:15:20.870 --> 00:15:25.289 men of sin and drawing them to Christ. This is 00:15:25.289 --> 00:15:29.549 the age in which that takes place. Throughout 00:15:29.549 --> 00:15:33.519 the Bible. this is also referred to as this present 00:15:33.519 --> 00:15:38.440 evil age. In Revelation chapter 20, it's referred 00:15:38.440 --> 00:15:44.759 to as the thousand years. We can also see in 00:15:44.759 --> 00:15:48.460 other parts of the Bible that it's referred to 00:15:48.460 --> 00:15:54.700 as commonly the last days. This is what John 00:15:54.700 --> 00:15:58.919 is putting forward, that the church is in this 00:15:58.919 --> 00:16:03.879 age. Period. In this time. Now, we think about 00:16:03.879 --> 00:16:06.700 those numbers and the apocalyptic use of them 00:16:06.700 --> 00:16:11.500 by the apostle. We think about these things. 00:16:12.480 --> 00:16:17.320 In our end, from the church as we're in it, it's 00:16:17.320 --> 00:16:22.840 an uncertain, indefinite period of time. Ultimately, 00:16:23.000 --> 00:16:25.240 it's going to be cut short by the return of Christ. 00:16:25.899 --> 00:16:29.759 But from heaven's perspective, Is it uncertain, 00:16:30.159 --> 00:16:34.299 brothers and sisters? From a divine perspective, 00:16:34.620 --> 00:16:42.799 is this period of time indefinite or is it ordained? 00:16:44.080 --> 00:16:49.860 Is it determined? Is it certain? Is it fixed? 00:16:51.279 --> 00:16:57.009 Is it unchanging? Brothers and sisters, From 00:16:57.009 --> 00:17:00.190 our perspective, it's a time of difficulty and 00:17:00.190 --> 00:17:05.349 hardship that's mixed with good and evil. That 00:17:05.349 --> 00:17:08.710 we don't know when it will come to an end. But 00:17:08.710 --> 00:17:13.269 from God's perspective, he knows when the last 00:17:13.269 --> 00:17:18.130 day will come. The Father knows. It is fixed, 00:17:18.250 --> 00:17:22.529 it is determined, and it is definitive. So this 00:17:22.529 --> 00:17:26.529 is apocalyptic language. that is utilized to 00:17:26.529 --> 00:17:32.569 convey this idea of this wilderness period of 00:17:32.569 --> 00:17:39.230 time. This is the age the church is in now. Ever 00:17:39.230 --> 00:17:44.049 since Christ has completed his work, his birth, 00:17:44.170 --> 00:17:47.769 his life, his death, his resurrection, his exaltation, 00:17:47.769 --> 00:17:50.750 and his enthronement, brothers and sisters, ever 00:17:50.750 --> 00:17:53.930 since the completed, finished work of Christ, 00:17:54.190 --> 00:17:57.809 The church has been in this age. And when will 00:17:57.809 --> 00:18:03.789 this age come to an end? When will this age cease 00:18:03.789 --> 00:18:08.430 and stop at the return of the Lord Jesus Christ? 00:18:09.509 --> 00:18:13.930 If that is the end of this age, then we enter 00:18:13.930 --> 00:18:17.490 into the next, the world to come, the age to 00:18:17.490 --> 00:18:21.430 come, brothers and sisters. That is the age that 00:18:21.430 --> 00:18:25.720 all history is marching on. That is the age that 00:18:25.720 --> 00:18:29.099 all history is building and progressing to. The 00:18:29.099 --> 00:18:33.740 coming age that follows the return of the Lord 00:18:33.740 --> 00:18:37.539 Jesus Christ. And it is constantly, all the time, 00:18:37.539 --> 00:18:40.700 everywhere, presented as following the return 00:18:40.700 --> 00:18:44.460 of Christ, never preceding the return of Christ. 00:18:45.549 --> 00:18:48.730 The full and final realization of all things 00:18:48.730 --> 00:18:51.269 and all God's promises are brought about and 00:18:51.269 --> 00:18:54.289 that glory alone is reserved for the Lord Jesus 00:18:54.289 --> 00:18:56.970 Christ, not the church, brothers and sisters. 00:18:57.849 --> 00:19:01.410 He ushers in the manifest kingdom. He ushers 00:19:01.410 --> 00:19:04.589 in the glory. He ushers in the full and final 00:19:04.589 --> 00:19:08.089 stage of redemption. The next great redemptive 00:19:08.089 --> 00:19:13.230 event comes with Christ when He comes back to 00:19:13.230 --> 00:19:19.559 this world. So this is the age that the church 00:19:19.559 --> 00:19:26.819 lives in. Now, this is the church age, or as 00:19:26.819 --> 00:19:31.299 it's otherwise called, the gospel age. Now, why 00:19:31.299 --> 00:19:34.420 would it be called the gospel age, brothers and 00:19:34.420 --> 00:19:37.680 sisters? Because it's the age, the period when 00:19:37.680 --> 00:19:41.779 the gospel is proclaimed, when the gospel is 00:19:41.779 --> 00:19:45.259 preached and the church is built. when sinners 00:19:45.259 --> 00:19:48.859 are saved, and Christ's kingdom expands and grows 00:19:48.859 --> 00:19:54.640 in and throughout this world. Now, let's turn 00:19:54.640 --> 00:20:00.960 to Matthew chapter 13, and we'll see this. In 00:20:00.960 --> 00:20:05.420 Matthew 13, we have a very well -known parable, 00:20:05.440 --> 00:20:09.019 starting in verse 24, the parable of the tares 00:20:09.019 --> 00:20:13.289 and the wheat. Jesus presented another parable 00:20:13.289 --> 00:20:15.750 to them, saying, The kingdom of heaven may be 00:20:15.750 --> 00:20:18.309 compared to a man who sowed good seed in the 00:20:18.309 --> 00:20:23.150 spill. But while his men were sleeping, his enemy 00:20:23.150 --> 00:20:27.089 came and sowed tares among the wheat and went 00:20:27.089 --> 00:20:30.990 away. But when the wheat sprouted and bore grain, 00:20:31.250 --> 00:20:35.710 then the tares became evident also. The slaves 00:20:35.710 --> 00:20:38.539 of the landowner came and said to him, Sir, Did 00:20:38.539 --> 00:20:42.599 you not sow good seed in your field? How then 00:20:42.599 --> 00:20:46.140 does it have tares? And he said to them, An enemy 00:20:46.140 --> 00:20:49.119 has done this. The slave said to him, Do you 00:20:49.119 --> 00:20:52.380 want us then to go and gather them up? But he 00:20:52.380 --> 00:20:55.420 said to them, No, for while you are gathering 00:20:55.420 --> 00:20:58.559 up the tares, you may uproot the wheat with them. 00:20:59.119 --> 00:21:04.319 Allow both to grow together until the harvest. 00:21:05.160 --> 00:21:07.940 And in the time of the harvest I will say to 00:21:07.940 --> 00:21:10.940 the reapers, First gather up the tares and bind 00:21:10.940 --> 00:21:14.220 them in the bundles to burn them up, but gather 00:21:14.220 --> 00:21:19.259 the wheat into my barn. Notice in this parable 00:21:19.259 --> 00:21:26.900 that there's a mixture of wheat and tares. And 00:21:26.900 --> 00:21:31.599 both of them grow together and build and expand 00:21:31.599 --> 00:21:40.490 until the reaper. Now, Jesus explains this parable, 00:21:40.569 --> 00:21:45.490 starting in verse 36. Then he left the crowds 00:21:45.490 --> 00:21:48.849 and went into the house, and his disciples came 00:21:48.849 --> 00:21:51.769 to him and said, Explain to us the parable of 00:21:51.769 --> 00:21:55.329 the tares of the field. And he said, The one 00:21:55.329 --> 00:21:59.490 who sows the good seed is the son of man, and 00:21:59.490 --> 00:22:04.289 the field is the world. And as for the good seed, 00:22:04.509 --> 00:22:08.170 these are the sons of the kingdom, and the tares 00:22:08.170 --> 00:22:11.950 are the sons of the evil one. And the enemy who 00:22:11.950 --> 00:22:15.809 sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is the 00:22:15.809 --> 00:22:22.250 end of the age, and the reapers are angels. So 00:22:22.250 --> 00:22:24.950 just as the tares are gathered up and burned 00:22:24.950 --> 00:22:29.789 with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age. 00:22:30.869 --> 00:22:35.480 Brothers and sisters, This is the period in which 00:22:35.480 --> 00:22:42.319 we live. The wheat and the tares. And all of 00:22:42.319 --> 00:22:47.539 history is accumulating and progressing towards 00:22:47.539 --> 00:22:53.420 one singular point. All of history is working 00:22:53.420 --> 00:22:59.119 towards one time. One moment. When the Lord Jesus 00:22:59.119 --> 00:23:03.980 Christ returns. When he will reap. the tares, 00:23:03.980 --> 00:23:10.619 and he will harvest the wheat. When he will bring 00:23:10.619 --> 00:23:14.259 his people to himself, and he will judge the 00:23:14.259 --> 00:23:18.900 wicked on that great and final day. This age 00:23:18.900 --> 00:23:22.400 will be distinctly marked by the good works of 00:23:22.400 --> 00:23:26.359 God in and through the life of the church, and 00:23:26.359 --> 00:23:29.680 it will be distinctly marked by the activity 00:23:29.680 --> 00:23:34.490 and the work of the devil. All throughout this 00:23:34.490 --> 00:23:40.190 period. Now, we also have to understand the nature 00:23:40.190 --> 00:23:46.369 of the enemy's activity in this age. We have 00:23:46.369 --> 00:23:49.569 to grasp this. Because we don't want the wool 00:23:49.569 --> 00:23:55.789 pulled over our eyes. It's sad to me that I oftentimes 00:23:55.789 --> 00:24:02.359 hear individuals making light of this. Terrible 00:24:02.359 --> 00:24:06.279 enemy. Almost as though he doesn't really exist. 00:24:07.940 --> 00:24:11.599 Almost as though he's not real. I listened to 00:24:11.599 --> 00:24:14.900 part of a podcast the other day, and the individual 00:24:14.900 --> 00:24:17.599 was putting forward that the devil, and this 00:24:17.599 --> 00:24:20.960 is becoming a prominent view, is just the personification 00:24:20.960 --> 00:24:28.140 of evil. The personification of sin. He's a concept. 00:24:30.509 --> 00:24:33.950 That epitomizes everything that's wrong and bad 00:24:33.950 --> 00:24:38.789 with the world. But that's not what the Bible 00:24:38.789 --> 00:24:42.809 teaches, is it, brothers and sisters? The Bible 00:24:42.809 --> 00:24:49.150 is clear that the devil is a real, personal being. 00:24:50.089 --> 00:24:54.230 That he exists and he has autonomy. That he is 00:24:54.230 --> 00:24:59.009 a creature made by God. That he is a real... 00:25:00.519 --> 00:25:06.440 dangerous, powerful adversary that lurks, who 00:25:06.440 --> 00:25:11.220 is active, who is scheming, who is strategizing. 00:25:12.039 --> 00:25:18.200 He is active in and throughout this age. If we're 00:25:18.200 --> 00:25:21.319 going to understand his activity and his work 00:25:21.319 --> 00:25:24.339 and his attacks, we really need to understand 00:25:24.339 --> 00:25:29.059 his motives, don't we? His motives are this. 00:25:29.079 --> 00:25:32.900 It's very simple from the text. He says this, 00:25:32.940 --> 00:25:35.799 because the devil has come down to you, in verse 00:25:35.799 --> 00:25:42.059 12, having great wrath, knowing that he has only 00:25:42.059 --> 00:25:48.000 a short time. He knows that he's defeated. He 00:25:48.000 --> 00:25:50.519 knows that he's been conquered by the cross. 00:25:50.900 --> 00:25:54.240 He knows that Christ has been successful and 00:25:54.240 --> 00:25:57.460 victorious, brothers and sisters. So he is raging, 00:25:57.500 --> 00:26:00.720 but it is the raging of a foe who is already 00:26:00.720 --> 00:26:05.519 defeated. He knows his days are numbered. He 00:26:05.519 --> 00:26:07.960 knows he has no power and authority over the 00:26:07.960 --> 00:26:10.980 believer. He knows the cross is destroyed. His 00:26:10.980 --> 00:26:14.720 prosecutorial powers and the throne of God. His 00:26:14.720 --> 00:26:19.160 accusations fall flat. He knows these things 00:26:19.160 --> 00:26:23.640 and that is what motivates him. I only have so 00:26:23.640 --> 00:26:27.660 much time to hurt the Messiah, the Christ in 00:26:27.660 --> 00:26:34.180 his people. The one who dwells in them. He failed 00:26:34.180 --> 00:26:40.279 to thwart the coming of the Messiah. But now 00:26:40.279 --> 00:26:45.819 he goes at the Messiah as he dwells in his people 00:26:45.819 --> 00:26:51.119 by the Spirit of God. He can't hurt Christ on 00:26:51.119 --> 00:26:54.019 the throne who is ruling and reigning. But brothers 00:26:54.019 --> 00:26:57.880 and sisters, he knows. He can get a good shot 00:26:57.880 --> 00:27:00.440 in here and he can get a good shot in there. 00:27:00.539 --> 00:27:02.579 He can do a little bit of damage here and he 00:27:02.579 --> 00:27:05.740 can do a little bit of damage there to his people 00:27:05.740 --> 00:27:11.240 in this world. He is an enemy and a foe that 00:27:11.240 --> 00:27:15.180 is defeated and rages from defeat and because 00:27:15.180 --> 00:27:20.849 of defeat. He doesn't have hopes of winning. 00:27:22.710 --> 00:27:27.269 That's not in his game plan. The devil knows 00:27:27.269 --> 00:27:30.170 there's no more success for him in the future 00:27:30.170 --> 00:27:34.349 because he knows he was enthroned and he knows 00:27:34.349 --> 00:27:40.809 what is coming. In a sense, he has nothing to 00:27:40.809 --> 00:27:46.130 lose from this period onward with the church. 00:27:46.700 --> 00:27:52.579 in the world. Now, in this age, his attacks are 00:27:52.579 --> 00:27:56.299 real. They are dangerous and they are powerful. 00:27:56.859 --> 00:28:00.059 But it's very important for us to understand 00:28:00.059 --> 00:28:05.339 this. Though he is a fierce enemy, he is not 00:28:05.339 --> 00:28:12.099 a sovereign enemy. He is not absolute in his 00:28:12.099 --> 00:28:16.599 power. He is a creature. He only has what power 00:28:16.599 --> 00:28:21.519 and what ability and what authority the sovereign 00:28:21.519 --> 00:28:26.079 King of Kings and Lord of Lords permits him to 00:28:26.079 --> 00:28:32.460 possess in this world throughout this age. Actually, 00:28:32.539 --> 00:28:39.039 the Bible teaches that he is bound in this age. 00:28:39.380 --> 00:28:44.500 He is restrained throughout this period. Now, 00:28:44.539 --> 00:28:50.539 we would put forth that there's a period toward 00:28:50.539 --> 00:28:56.079 the end of this age where that restraint is lifted. 00:28:56.380 --> 00:29:01.400 Where that restraint is loosened. And he's given 00:29:01.400 --> 00:29:08.420 more freedom and more activity to work woe in 00:29:08.420 --> 00:29:12.960 the world. But just as... he's getting ready 00:29:12.960 --> 00:29:17.900 to make his decisive strike, Christ will return 00:29:17.900 --> 00:29:23.920 in glory and rescue and deliver his people. He 00:29:23.920 --> 00:29:27.759 will judge the wicked and the devil and he will 00:29:27.759 --> 00:29:33.720 deliver his people fully and finally. So, how 00:29:33.720 --> 00:29:38.440 is the devil restrained in this world? What does 00:29:38.440 --> 00:29:42.319 it mean that he is bound? As Revelation chapter 00:29:42.319 --> 00:29:46.779 20 puts it. Well, one, we already know this. 00:29:46.859 --> 00:29:53.440 He's limited in time. His time is short. He only 00:29:53.440 --> 00:29:58.579 has so much time to work. He only has such a 00:29:58.579 --> 00:30:03.980 period to accomplish his schemes and his strategies 00:30:03.980 --> 00:30:07.859 because of the work of Christ on Calvary, in 00:30:07.859 --> 00:30:11.450 Christ's enthronement. His time is short, according 00:30:11.450 --> 00:30:18.589 to verse 12. But he's also limited in his authority 00:30:18.589 --> 00:30:23.190 over believers. We know all throughout the Bible 00:30:23.190 --> 00:30:29.849 that believers are no longer blinded by the devil. 00:30:29.970 --> 00:30:33.529 They're no longer deceived. They're no longer 00:30:33.529 --> 00:30:37.390 children of wrath. according to Ephesians chapter 00:30:37.390 --> 00:30:40.349 2. They no longer walk after the course of this 00:30:40.349 --> 00:30:42.529 world. They're children of God. They've been 00:30:42.529 --> 00:30:47.930 made alive together with Christ. So his authority 00:30:47.930 --> 00:30:52.589 in the life of believers is broken. No longer 00:30:52.589 --> 00:30:56.930 are believers slaves. No longer do they dwell 00:30:56.930 --> 00:31:00.269 in the dominion of darkness and sin, in the sphere 00:31:00.269 --> 00:31:03.650 or the realm of sin in which the devil so powerfully 00:31:03.650 --> 00:31:07.509 and persuasively allures and persuades men and 00:31:07.509 --> 00:31:10.390 draws out the lusts of their hearts. The believer 00:31:10.390 --> 00:31:13.130 is not in that sphere anymore. They have the 00:31:13.130 --> 00:31:15.369 Spirit of God dwelling within them. They have 00:31:15.369 --> 00:31:17.970 a new, regenerate nature. Brothers and sisters, 00:31:18.109 --> 00:31:20.650 you have been born again by the power of the 00:31:20.650 --> 00:31:23.450 Holy Spirit. Christ rules and reigns in your 00:31:23.450 --> 00:31:28.059 heart. The devil has no authority in the heart 00:31:28.059 --> 00:31:32.259 and mind of the believer. It is a mistake for 00:31:32.259 --> 00:31:37.180 any Christian to believe that you must obey the 00:31:37.180 --> 00:31:43.160 temptations of the devil. You do not have to 00:31:43.160 --> 00:31:47.380 give in to temptation when the devil dangles 00:31:47.380 --> 00:31:51.980 it out in front of you. That power of sin, which 00:31:51.980 --> 00:31:57.509 he works through, Has been broken. So his authority. 00:31:58.210 --> 00:32:03.549 In the life of the believer. Is gone. His accusatory 00:32:03.549 --> 00:32:09.349 powers. At the throne. Are destroyed. By the 00:32:09.349 --> 00:32:13.569 work of Christ. And think about this. As the 00:32:13.569 --> 00:32:18.049 church. Of Jesus Christ. Continues to grow. In 00:32:18.049 --> 00:32:21.109 an accumulating fashion. Throughout the ages. 00:32:21.680 --> 00:32:25.380 generation by generation, throughout the world 00:32:25.380 --> 00:32:30.299 and around the globe, how much more does his 00:32:30.299 --> 00:32:35.619 authority diminish? How much more does it shrink? 00:32:36.000 --> 00:32:41.079 How much more power and persuasion does he lose 00:32:41.079 --> 00:32:47.079 as the gospel advances and grows throughout time 00:32:47.079 --> 00:32:50.250 and throughout the generations? As we approach 00:32:50.250 --> 00:32:54.730 and near the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:32:55.549 --> 00:33:01.650 His authority is done away with in the life of 00:33:01.650 --> 00:33:07.150 the believer. He is limited in his ability to 00:33:07.150 --> 00:33:12.589 stop the advance of the gospel. When Christ saves 00:33:12.589 --> 00:33:17.630 sinners. He doesn't ask the devil's permission. 00:33:19.339 --> 00:33:22.460 He regenerates them and he gives them faith and 00:33:22.460 --> 00:33:26.960 repentance. And his authority is gone in the 00:33:26.960 --> 00:33:29.400 believer's life. Their eyes are opened and they 00:33:29.400 --> 00:33:32.480 see Christ in all his glory, in all his greatness, 00:33:32.619 --> 00:33:36.279 in his majesty, in all his power. And they trust 00:33:36.279 --> 00:33:41.839 in him. The devil cannot stop that, brothers 00:33:41.839 --> 00:33:49.009 and sisters. He's restrained. In the intensity 00:33:49.009 --> 00:33:53.910 and the directness and the effectiveness of his 00:33:53.910 --> 00:33:57.529 attacks in the life of the church. Look at verses 00:33:57.529 --> 00:34:04.289 15 through 16. And the serpent poured water like 00:34:04.289 --> 00:34:09.289 a river out of his mouth. After the woman. So 00:34:09.289 --> 00:34:12.369 that he might cause her to be swept away with 00:34:12.369 --> 00:34:17.510 the flood. But the earth helped the woman. And 00:34:17.510 --> 00:34:20.710 the earth opened its mouth and drank up the river, 00:34:20.809 --> 00:34:23.550 which the dragon poured out his mouth. And then 00:34:23.550 --> 00:34:27.670 if we go back to verse 14, we read this. But 00:34:27.670 --> 00:34:30.130 the two wings of the great eagle were given to 00:34:30.130 --> 00:34:33.010 the woman so that she could fly into the wilderness 00:34:33.010 --> 00:34:36.150 to her place where she was nourished for a time 00:34:36.150 --> 00:34:42.369 and times and a half time from the presence of 00:34:42.369 --> 00:34:47.769 the serpent. So, meaning there's an indirectness 00:34:47.769 --> 00:34:52.550 with regards to the attacks. There's a shielding 00:34:52.550 --> 00:34:57.010 of God from the activity and the full brunt of 00:34:57.010 --> 00:35:03.030 the devil's power in this world. He's restrained 00:35:03.030 --> 00:35:07.929 in that capacity. He cannot destroy the church 00:35:07.929 --> 00:35:13.730 corporate. Notice in verses 16 and 17 where he... 00:35:13.980 --> 00:35:17.500 pours out this flood from his mouth. And the 00:35:17.500 --> 00:35:23.400 idea is that it's such an amount of water that 00:35:23.400 --> 00:35:26.039 it's meant to sweep the woman away and drown 00:35:26.039 --> 00:35:29.639 her and completely and totally destroy her. But 00:35:29.639 --> 00:35:34.579 we read that God helps her and that her presence 00:35:34.579 --> 00:35:38.099 continues. And actually the fact that he can't 00:35:38.099 --> 00:35:42.510 destroy her enrages him, according to verse 7, 00:35:42.570 --> 00:35:45.150 so the dragon was enraged. Why? Because the woman 00:35:45.150 --> 00:35:50.730 remains. Because he's incapable of snuffing her 00:35:50.730 --> 00:35:54.190 out. He's incapable of obliterating the church 00:35:54.190 --> 00:35:57.010 universal throughout the world. He's incapable 00:35:57.010 --> 00:36:03.650 of destroying God's church. He's limited. He 00:36:03.650 --> 00:36:08.539 is restrained in all of these ways. Chapter 20 00:36:08.539 --> 00:36:12.119 of the book of Revelation calls this, says this 00:36:12.119 --> 00:36:18.900 is the devil being bound by God. So he's a fierce 00:36:18.900 --> 00:36:22.500 enemy. But brothers and sisters, he's an enemy 00:36:22.500 --> 00:36:29.139 with a collar on. He has a leash. And it's only 00:36:29.139 --> 00:36:33.780 so long, brothers and sisters. And the one holding 00:36:33.780 --> 00:36:37.869 the leash works for the good of... his people. 00:36:38.909 --> 00:36:43.969 He even uses the opposition, the attacks, the 00:36:43.969 --> 00:36:48.590 work and the activity of the devil for the good 00:36:48.590 --> 00:36:55.030 of his people. Now, we know how he's restrained, 00:36:55.130 --> 00:36:59.409 but what is the focus of the devil's activities 00:36:59.409 --> 00:37:03.190 in this world? This is clear and obvious, isn't 00:37:03.190 --> 00:37:09.460 it? The church corporate but also the individual 00:37:09.460 --> 00:37:15.440 Christian. Notice that a great deal of the emphasis 00:37:15.440 --> 00:37:19.460 throughout 12 -17 is on the woman. And if you 00:37:19.460 --> 00:37:22.500 recall, the woman is the covenant community of 00:37:22.500 --> 00:37:28.480 God's people. As a whole. All of them. The corporate 00:37:28.480 --> 00:37:33.880 body. But we read in verse 17 that this woman 00:37:33.880 --> 00:37:38.750 actually has Children. We read this in verse 00:37:38.750 --> 00:37:42.289 17, which says this. So the dragon was enraged 00:37:42.289 --> 00:37:44.050 with the woman, meaning he couldn't destroy her, 00:37:44.170 --> 00:37:47.969 and he went off to make war with the rest of 00:37:47.969 --> 00:37:56.469 her children. Individual believers. Individual 00:37:56.469 --> 00:38:04.530 Christians. We see in our day, in our age, brothers 00:38:04.530 --> 00:38:07.650 and sisters, There is persecution throughout 00:38:07.650 --> 00:38:12.070 the globe of the Christian church. This is coming 00:38:12.070 --> 00:38:15.050 to the forefront because of so many things that 00:38:15.050 --> 00:38:17.690 are taking place overseas right now. Christians 00:38:17.690 --> 00:38:22.630 are being persecuted. Why is it that the Christian 00:38:22.630 --> 00:38:29.070 church has always been the most persecuted religion 00:38:29.070 --> 00:38:34.849 in the world throughout history? Why is it that... 00:38:34.989 --> 00:38:39.889 It's like there's a vacuum that's sucking all 00:38:39.889 --> 00:38:42.769 the persecution right to the Christian church. 00:38:44.010 --> 00:38:50.690 What's behind that? Why are there so many martyrs 00:38:50.690 --> 00:38:55.409 throughout history that we praise God for, that 00:38:55.409 --> 00:38:59.250 we're willing to die for their faith? Why do 00:38:59.250 --> 00:39:01.349 we look at the first couple centuries of the 00:39:01.349 --> 00:39:04.989 church and we see that the epitome, and the ultimate 00:39:04.989 --> 00:39:08.889 expression of spirituality and faith was martyrdom. 00:39:09.469 --> 00:39:17.489 Why was that even necessary? Because the enemy 00:39:17.489 --> 00:39:21.409 focuses on the church as a whole, but because 00:39:21.409 --> 00:39:24.670 he's incapable of destroying the church as a 00:39:24.670 --> 00:39:29.289 whole, what does he do? He goes after the individual 00:39:29.289 --> 00:39:32.929 Christians. We've even seen this in our day in 00:39:32.929 --> 00:39:36.190 the last two years. with prominent individuals 00:39:36.190 --> 00:39:41.469 who have fallen to the trap of the devil. He 00:39:41.469 --> 00:39:44.050 can't squash out Christ's people as a whole, 00:39:44.170 --> 00:39:47.030 but he sure can get one man to have an affair. 00:39:48.929 --> 00:39:52.429 He sure can go after the one individual and harden 00:39:52.429 --> 00:39:54.730 their heart and bring about bitterness and lies 00:39:54.730 --> 00:39:58.050 and deceit in their life. He may not be able 00:39:58.050 --> 00:40:00.170 to destroy the church as a whole, but he can 00:40:00.170 --> 00:40:04.690 focus his attention on individuals. He can go 00:40:04.690 --> 00:40:09.269 after the children of the woman. The focus of 00:40:09.269 --> 00:40:13.650 the devil throughout this age will always be 00:40:13.650 --> 00:40:18.670 on the people of God. Because it's in the people 00:40:18.670 --> 00:40:23.530 of God that Jesus Christ dwells through the Spirit 00:40:23.530 --> 00:40:29.550 of God. They are his prized possession. They 00:40:29.550 --> 00:40:32.420 are the ones that... image him in this world. 00:40:32.480 --> 00:40:34.440 They are the ones that are being conformed in 00:40:34.440 --> 00:40:36.679 the image and likeness of Jesus Christ. They 00:40:36.679 --> 00:40:39.940 are the ones that display his glory and his goodness. 00:40:40.039 --> 00:40:43.639 They are the light of the world just as he was, 00:40:43.780 --> 00:40:47.820 brothers and sisters. And the devil hates Christ's 00:40:47.820 --> 00:40:54.800 people. So the object of his fury and his rage 00:40:54.800 --> 00:41:01.750 is the church corporately. and Christians individually. 00:41:02.489 --> 00:41:08.090 Now, how does he attack? What methods and strategies 00:41:08.090 --> 00:41:13.010 does he go after the church and Christians with? 00:41:14.210 --> 00:41:19.789 Well, his names help us understand this to a 00:41:19.789 --> 00:41:24.489 degree. The accuser, the adversary, the deceiver. 00:41:25.050 --> 00:41:31.949 He brings up guilt and shame. In sin, he draws 00:41:31.949 --> 00:41:37.309 men's minds and hearts away from God. He seeks 00:41:37.309 --> 00:41:40.530 to deceive them with false doctrine, personally 00:41:40.530 --> 00:41:44.909 and individually, and error. But corporately, 00:41:45.010 --> 00:41:50.210 we see that he seeks to overwhelm the church 00:41:50.210 --> 00:41:57.030 with error and false teaching. Notice in verse... 00:41:58.190 --> 00:42:06.869 That the primary attack of the devil comes from 00:42:06.869 --> 00:42:16.489 where? His mouth. Why is that? Because it's words. 00:42:17.210 --> 00:42:24.730 It's ideas. It's doctrine. It's error. It's... 00:42:25.670 --> 00:42:32.230 truths and half -truths that are mangled by him. 00:42:32.369 --> 00:42:39.150 This is his primary way of attacking the church 00:42:39.150 --> 00:42:47.769 as a whole. False doctrine and error. But, throughout 00:42:47.769 --> 00:42:50.750 the book of Revelation, we also find that this 00:42:50.750 --> 00:42:55.269 enemy of ours has three helpers. And that these 00:42:55.269 --> 00:42:59.650 are three of the primary ways that he works to 00:42:59.650 --> 00:43:04.929 oppose the church. The beast, the false prophet, 00:43:05.150 --> 00:43:10.429 and the harlot, or the prostitute. You can read 00:43:10.429 --> 00:43:13.210 further in the book of Revelation, and you'll 00:43:13.210 --> 00:43:17.929 encounter all three of these individuals. All 00:43:17.929 --> 00:43:21.929 three of these figures, these types, these symbols. 00:43:22.829 --> 00:43:26.530 These realities that the devil works in and through 00:43:26.530 --> 00:43:31.789 to oppose the church in this world. How does 00:43:31.789 --> 00:43:35.610 he work? Through the beast. Unbelieving government 00:43:35.610 --> 00:43:40.849 that persecutes and ostracizes God's people. 00:43:41.650 --> 00:43:50.130 The false prophets. False competing religions 00:43:50.130 --> 00:43:56.840 in the world. That hate Christ. And the prostitute. 00:43:57.420 --> 00:44:02.699 The harlot that sits on the beast. How does she. 00:44:04.280 --> 00:44:11.639 Oppose the church. At the will of Satan. The 00:44:11.639 --> 00:44:19.019 world. And sexual immorality. And sensuality. 00:44:19.019 --> 00:44:23.579 In the world. These are the big waves. These 00:44:23.579 --> 00:44:27.539 are the big helpers of the devil in opposing 00:44:27.539 --> 00:44:32.639 and attacking and working against the church 00:44:32.639 --> 00:44:37.440 of Jesus Christ. All of these things he utilizes. 00:44:38.280 --> 00:44:44.760 Now, the devil's activity will only go so long. 00:44:46.179 --> 00:44:53.369 His end is determined. His end is fixed. The 00:44:53.369 --> 00:44:56.769 end of this age, the end of this era, brings 00:44:56.769 --> 00:45:02.469 about the end of our great nemesis, brothers 00:45:02.469 --> 00:45:06.909 and sisters. The end of this in -between phase 00:45:06.909 --> 00:45:10.650 brings about the end and the destruction and 00:45:10.650 --> 00:45:14.789 the final judgment of our great enemy, Satan. 00:45:15.690 --> 00:45:19.679 It's at this point. that he will be destroyed, 00:45:19.860 --> 00:45:24.579 and he will work no more woes for the church. 00:45:24.760 --> 00:45:32.079 Praise be to God. Now, we hear this about the 00:45:32.079 --> 00:45:34.719 activity and the work of the devil throughout 00:45:34.719 --> 00:45:38.800 this age, and we think, well, this might be a 00:45:38.800 --> 00:45:43.539 bit disheartening. We have this enemy who's working 00:45:43.539 --> 00:45:46.829 against us. Yes, he's restrained, but... This 00:45:46.829 --> 00:45:49.610 could send me into despair if I just focus on 00:45:49.610 --> 00:45:52.269 this, if I just know this, if I just think about 00:45:52.269 --> 00:45:56.510 this, knowing that there's a real personal enemy 00:45:56.510 --> 00:45:59.570 who's powerful and dangerous working against 00:45:59.570 --> 00:46:05.409 the people of God. But just as the church is 00:46:05.409 --> 00:46:07.630 the focus of the devil in this age, brothers 00:46:07.630 --> 00:46:11.869 and sisters, more importantly, we must always 00:46:11.869 --> 00:46:17.570 remember that the church is the focus. of God's 00:46:17.570 --> 00:46:23.469 special care throughout this age. This is the 00:46:23.469 --> 00:46:27.449 last thing we have to consider. The special care 00:46:27.449 --> 00:46:33.789 of God for the church throughout this age. Now, 00:46:33.829 --> 00:46:41.010 this care is sovereign in design. Notice in verse 00:46:41.010 --> 00:46:45.530 6, the woman fled into the wilderness. where 00:46:45.530 --> 00:46:49.050 she had a place prepared by God, so that there 00:46:49.050 --> 00:46:56.150 she would be nourished for 1 ,260 days. It's 00:46:56.150 --> 00:46:58.929 talking about the fact that God has put divine 00:46:58.929 --> 00:47:06.130 forethought into the woman's travel, into the 00:47:06.130 --> 00:47:10.929 woman's place, into her time in the wilderness. 00:47:11.530 --> 00:47:17.889 It's sovereign in design. I think of the Old 00:47:17.889 --> 00:47:21.710 Covenant and the first one or two sermons in 00:47:21.710 --> 00:47:24.570 this series. We discussed how God constantly 00:47:24.570 --> 00:47:31.269 superintended and sovereignly oversaw and countered 00:47:31.269 --> 00:47:35.570 the repeated thwarts and attempts of the devil 00:47:35.570 --> 00:47:41.750 to stop the coming of the Messiah. The same thing 00:47:41.750 --> 00:47:47.610 is true. Of the church throughout this age. God 00:47:47.610 --> 00:47:53.409 is sovereign. And superintends everything. We 00:47:53.409 --> 00:47:56.389 look out and see chaos. And see chaotic activity 00:47:56.389 --> 00:47:59.530 at times. We look out and we see craziness in 00:47:59.530 --> 00:48:01.909 the world. But brothers and sisters. This age. 00:48:01.949 --> 00:48:06.869 This period. Is not purposeless. It is not accidental. 00:48:07.130 --> 00:48:11.210 It is sovereign in design. It's evident and clear 00:48:11.210 --> 00:48:15.250 from verse 7. But we also see that it's rooted 00:48:15.250 --> 00:48:19.610 and grounded in God's covenant faithfulness to 00:48:19.610 --> 00:48:26.130 his people. We see this because it says in verse 00:48:26.130 --> 00:48:31.309 14, But the two wings of the great eagle were 00:48:31.309 --> 00:48:35.230 given to the woman. Let's turn to Exodus chapter 00:48:35.230 --> 00:48:41.719 19. We read this in verse 4. You yourselves have 00:48:41.719 --> 00:48:46.639 seen what I did to the Egyptians and how I bore 00:48:46.639 --> 00:48:52.820 you on eagle's wings and brought you to myself. 00:48:55.440 --> 00:49:01.699 The Lord didn't just redeem the people in Egypt 00:49:01.699 --> 00:49:07.099 and forsake them. No, his covenant faithfulness 00:49:07.099 --> 00:49:13.219 cost him. To lead them and guide them and protect 00:49:13.219 --> 00:49:18.900 them throughout the wilderness period. Brothers 00:49:18.900 --> 00:49:21.219 and sisters, the true is same for the church. 00:49:22.019 --> 00:49:25.079 Christ did not just die for us and accomplish 00:49:25.079 --> 00:49:28.880 an objective victory and then forsake and abandon 00:49:28.880 --> 00:49:34.079 his people throughout this age. His faithfulness 00:49:34.079 --> 00:49:40.889 remains and it guarantees and secures. His protection 00:49:40.889 --> 00:49:46.809 and provision and preservation in their lives, 00:49:46.929 --> 00:49:50.429 in the life of the church throughout this age. 00:49:50.849 --> 00:49:55.289 Now, this divine care itself manifests itself 00:49:55.289 --> 00:50:01.690 in the form of the Lord sustaining and preserving 00:50:01.690 --> 00:50:07.389 the church throughout this age. in the face of 00:50:07.389 --> 00:50:12.909 the adversary and his assaults. We see this in 00:50:12.909 --> 00:50:22.550 particular in verses 15 and 16. Where the devil 00:50:22.550 --> 00:50:26.969 seeks to drown the woman, what happens? The ground 00:50:26.969 --> 00:50:31.710 opens and swallows up the water and helps the 00:50:31.710 --> 00:50:36.929 woman. God doesn't just restrain the devil's 00:50:36.929 --> 00:50:42.329 activity. Brothers and sisters, he sustains the 00:50:42.329 --> 00:50:47.070 church in the face of the devil's opposition 00:50:47.070 --> 00:50:52.289 and attacks. He doesn't allow the church to be 00:50:52.289 --> 00:50:55.849 destroyed or obliterated throughout this age. 00:50:55.989 --> 00:51:00.489 He doesn't allow the church to be done away with. 00:51:01.360 --> 00:51:05.920 Christ said, I will build my church. And he is 00:51:05.920 --> 00:51:09.199 faithful to that promise, to that word which 00:51:09.199 --> 00:51:12.760 he made. Now what takes place in the desert? 00:51:13.099 --> 00:51:17.820 We find that God cares for his people by nourishing 00:51:17.820 --> 00:51:21.860 them and providing for them throughout this period. 00:51:22.840 --> 00:51:27.460 Twice in this text, it is said that God nourishes 00:51:27.460 --> 00:51:32.159 his people. Surely this is an allusion to God's 00:51:32.159 --> 00:51:35.000 provision in the life of Israel while they're 00:51:35.000 --> 00:51:39.159 in the wilderness. The manna and the water and 00:51:39.159 --> 00:51:43.000 God's provision for them. God nourishes the church 00:51:43.000 --> 00:51:45.699 in and throughout this age. And that is one of 00:51:45.699 --> 00:51:49.980 the primary purposes of this age. That the church 00:51:49.980 --> 00:51:54.840 would be strengthened, refined, purified, built 00:51:54.840 --> 00:51:58.739 up, stronger than she was before. And how does 00:51:58.739 --> 00:52:01.659 that take place personally in a person's life? 00:52:02.880 --> 00:52:07.219 Is it through ease and comfort and the absence 00:52:07.219 --> 00:52:13.880 of hardship? Does comfort and ease and the absence 00:52:13.880 --> 00:52:17.519 of hardship bring about greater sanctification 00:52:17.519 --> 00:52:23.440 in our life, typically and normally? No. Hardship, 00:52:23.440 --> 00:52:28.280 trials, difficulties bring about strengthening. 00:52:29.280 --> 00:52:33.460 They bring us to an end of ourselves where we're 00:52:33.460 --> 00:52:35.960 reliant on the Lord. Now think about the church 00:52:35.960 --> 00:52:39.940 corporately throughout this age. How does God 00:52:39.940 --> 00:52:43.219 refine and purify, nourish, strengthen and build 00:52:43.219 --> 00:52:46.199 up his people throughout the entirety of this 00:52:46.199 --> 00:52:51.599 age? Through trials, difficulties, hardships. 00:52:52.380 --> 00:52:57.039 He teaches the church The vanity of its own strength 00:52:57.039 --> 00:53:01.179 and its desperate need to rely upon Him and His 00:53:01.179 --> 00:53:04.320 power for their perseverance and their sustaining, 00:53:04.519 --> 00:53:08.199 their maintenance in life and their success in 00:53:08.199 --> 00:53:10.699 the life of the church and throughout this period. 00:53:11.380 --> 00:53:15.260 He nourishes the church. This is one of the purposes 00:53:15.260 --> 00:53:20.239 of the wilderness, is it not? It's not just for 00:53:20.239 --> 00:53:23.340 trials and hardships, but it's to teach dependence, 00:53:24.030 --> 00:53:29.610 On God. To look to him for nourishment. And for 00:53:29.610 --> 00:53:34.610 help. And for aid throughout this life. The ultimate 00:53:34.610 --> 00:53:40.489 evidence. Of all of this. Of God's special care 00:53:40.489 --> 00:53:42.929 in the life of the church. Throughout this age. 00:53:44.349 --> 00:53:52.320 Is the ongoing presence. Of the woman. And her 00:53:52.320 --> 00:54:01.219 offspring. No matter what the devil tries. No 00:54:01.219 --> 00:54:04.880 matter what he throws at the church. She continues 00:54:04.880 --> 00:54:14.119 to be. She continues on. The Lord sustains her 00:54:14.119 --> 00:54:18.679 existence and her life and her vitality. He continues 00:54:18.679 --> 00:54:22.239 to build the church. to grow the church and expand 00:54:22.239 --> 00:54:24.860 the church. How do we know that? Because she 00:54:24.860 --> 00:54:30.260 has children. She continues to multiply and grow 00:54:30.260 --> 00:54:35.260 throughout this world in the face of the enemy. 00:54:36.679 --> 00:54:42.940 The ultimate evidence that God cares for his 00:54:42.940 --> 00:54:46.460 people in this world is that the church still 00:54:46.460 --> 00:54:50.519 exists, brothers and sisters. Why has the church 00:54:50.519 --> 00:54:53.960 not been done away with yet? Think about the 00:54:53.960 --> 00:54:57.599 history of the world. Why has the church not 00:54:57.599 --> 00:55:03.739 been obliterated by now? Why has the church not 00:55:03.739 --> 00:55:07.599 been blown up and done away with by now? Because 00:55:07.599 --> 00:55:10.880 the sovereign King of Kings and the Lord of Lords 00:55:10.880 --> 00:55:15.260 sustains, preserves, and blesses and keeps the 00:55:15.260 --> 00:55:18.539 people of God. And He will bring them into glory. 00:55:19.440 --> 00:55:22.940 He will bring them into the full and final realizations 00:55:22.940 --> 00:55:25.420 of His promises. He will bring them into glory 00:55:25.420 --> 00:55:28.139 either by their death or by Christ's return, 00:55:28.420 --> 00:55:33.000 brothers and sisters. That's why we should rejoice 00:55:33.000 --> 00:55:37.219 that there are healthy churches throughout the 00:55:37.219 --> 00:55:40.400 world. That means God is sustaining and God is 00:55:40.400 --> 00:55:44.000 working throughout the world, brothers and sisters. 00:55:44.840 --> 00:55:52.940 God's special care is not Hopeful thinking. This 00:55:52.940 --> 00:55:56.280 is not hopeful thinking that God will probably 00:55:56.280 --> 00:55:59.579 take care of his church. Brothers and sisters, 00:55:59.679 --> 00:56:05.420 this is guaranteed because Christ has been exalted. 00:56:07.179 --> 00:56:12.579 This is for certain because Christ was born. 00:56:13.559 --> 00:56:18.869 Christ lived. Christ died. Christ rose. Christ 00:56:18.869 --> 00:56:22.210 exalted. Christ was enthroned, brothers and sisters, 00:56:22.269 --> 00:56:28.170 because of his completed, finished work. The 00:56:28.170 --> 00:56:33.909 special care of the church is absolutely guaranteed 00:56:33.909 --> 00:56:40.449 for the entirety of this age until the return 00:56:40.449 --> 00:56:50.019 of the Lord Jesus Christ. 100%. No doubt. All 00:56:50.019 --> 00:56:55.320 of this ought to help us in understanding the 00:56:55.320 --> 00:57:01.820 world in which we live. All of these things ought 00:57:01.820 --> 00:57:06.219 to inform our worldview of this age or this period 00:57:06.219 --> 00:57:12.019 of the world. Now, how does it do that? Well, 00:57:12.039 --> 00:57:16.840 it does it first because it requires of us to 00:57:16.840 --> 00:57:22.639 have a holy skepticism of this present evil age. 00:57:24.039 --> 00:57:27.739 We must have a holy skepticism, brothers and 00:57:27.739 --> 00:57:31.239 sisters, of the world, the flesh, and the devil. 00:57:32.500 --> 00:57:36.019 Because we know that there is an enemy behind 00:57:36.019 --> 00:57:39.539 that which we see, working for our woe, working 00:57:39.539 --> 00:57:42.750 for our ill. He is our adversary and he will 00:57:42.750 --> 00:57:45.170 continue to be our adversary until the end of 00:57:45.170 --> 00:57:48.570 this age. We must have a holy skepticism with 00:57:48.570 --> 00:57:52.550 regards to the world and empires and powers and 00:57:52.550 --> 00:57:56.530 cultures and societies. It is a biblical necessity 00:57:56.530 --> 00:58:00.570 when we understand the nature of our enemy, brothers 00:58:00.570 --> 00:58:05.730 and sisters. Our enemy cannot be reformed. Do 00:58:05.730 --> 00:58:12.300 you understand that? Our enemy. cannot be transformed. 00:58:13.900 --> 00:58:20.280 He hates God and he hates God's people. We must 00:58:20.280 --> 00:58:25.679 have a holy skepticism regarding the unbelieving, 00:58:25.820 --> 00:58:31.760 unregenerate world, culture, and society at large 00:58:31.760 --> 00:58:35.460 because we know that the devil is actively working. 00:58:38.190 --> 00:58:44.849 That must be balanced with a holy optimism and 00:58:44.849 --> 00:58:50.630 confidence in the kingdom of God throughout this 00:58:50.630 --> 00:58:57.110 age. Yes, we have to have a holy skepticism with 00:58:57.110 --> 00:58:59.989 regards to the world, the flesh, and the devil, 00:59:00.110 --> 00:59:03.610 this present evil age. But brothers and sisters, 00:59:03.949 --> 00:59:11.409 we must have a bolster. a vital optimism regarding 00:59:11.409 --> 00:59:15.750 God's work in the life of the church, the preaching 00:59:15.750 --> 00:59:18.849 of the gospel, the work of the Spirit in this 00:59:18.849 --> 00:59:23.429 world. We must take that away. We must embrace 00:59:23.429 --> 00:59:27.289 the reality that God will build His church, that 00:59:27.289 --> 00:59:31.960 God will be with His church. That God will work 00:59:31.960 --> 00:59:34.820 in and through his church. That God will sanctify 00:59:34.820 --> 00:59:37.500 his people. That he will mature his people and 00:59:37.500 --> 00:59:40.980 edify them. That he will refine them and purify 00:59:40.980 --> 00:59:46.139 them in this age. As he does those in the wilderness. 00:59:47.219 --> 00:59:52.260 We must have a holy confidence in the work of 00:59:52.260 --> 00:59:56.659 God. And those have to be balanced. There's a 00:59:56.659 --> 01:00:00.639 danger in having an imbalanced view one way or 01:00:00.639 --> 01:00:07.840 another. What happens if we focus too much on 01:00:07.840 --> 01:00:11.320 the things taking place in the culture, in the 01:00:11.320 --> 01:00:14.980 world, in society at large, in governments, in 01:00:14.980 --> 01:00:20.659 rulers, in earthly kingdoms? It can easily lead 01:00:20.659 --> 01:00:27.079 to despair and frustration. It can easily lead 01:00:27.079 --> 01:00:31.099 to being disheartened in this life and lead us 01:00:31.099 --> 01:00:34.400 to a place where we say, Lord, what are you doing? 01:00:35.579 --> 01:00:39.079 What is taking place around me? What is happening 01:00:39.079 --> 01:00:41.500 in the world around me? Brothers and sisters, 01:00:41.659 --> 01:00:45.420 don't let that determine and dictate your faith 01:00:45.420 --> 01:00:48.119 in God and His work in the life of the church. 01:00:49.679 --> 01:00:54.880 Two different things. Two different categories. 01:00:55.659 --> 01:01:00.780 Where must our hope rest, wholly and completely? 01:01:02.019 --> 01:01:07.639 In Christ. In His rule, in His reign, in and 01:01:07.639 --> 01:01:11.500 through the life of God's people and the life 01:01:11.500 --> 01:01:17.280 of the church. We must balance the two. We must 01:01:17.280 --> 01:01:21.360 find a healthy balance between the two. But we 01:01:21.360 --> 01:01:27.239 must. Have a holy skepticism of the world, the 01:01:27.239 --> 01:01:32.179 flesh, and the devil. And we must have a holy 01:01:32.179 --> 01:01:36.619 optimism and confidence with regards to the kingdom 01:01:36.619 --> 01:01:44.679 of God. So much so that we can say this. I am 01:01:44.679 --> 01:01:50.860 skeptical of the present evil age. But I am absolutely 01:01:50.860 --> 01:01:55.550 confident. In God's work. In the kingdom of God. 01:01:55.610 --> 01:01:57.730 In this world.