1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:05,800 I invite you to open your copy of the Word of God to the seventh chapter of the book 2 00:00:05,800 --> 00:00:15,240 of the Revelation, the final book in the Bible, and the only book in the New Testament dedicated 3 00:00:15,240 --> 00:00:22,480 primarily to prophetic themes. 4 00:00:22,480 --> 00:00:30,240 We are looking at the seventh chapter, which is something of an interlude, a parenthesis 5 00:00:30,240 --> 00:00:32,440 in the action. 6 00:00:32,440 --> 00:00:40,880 You recall that in chapter 6 we studied the six seals, but now we have a parenthesis before 7 00:00:40,880 --> 00:00:50,140 the seventh seal on the scroll is opened in chapter 8 and verse 1. 8 00:00:50,140 --> 00:00:56,840 Chapter 6 closes with the question, for the great day of God's wrath has come, who is 9 00:00:56,840 --> 00:00:59,760 able to stand? 10 00:00:59,760 --> 00:01:06,580 Chapter 7 perhaps is something of an answer to that. 11 00:01:06,580 --> 00:01:11,880 You will notice that he begins the chapter by saying, after these things, and then in 12 00:01:11,880 --> 00:01:16,880 verse 9 again he says, and after these things. 13 00:01:16,880 --> 00:01:22,760 Frequently John uses that little phrase or other words to indicate that he is transitioning 14 00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:28,520 on to a new phase of what was revealed to him. 15 00:01:28,520 --> 00:01:33,840 So after the six seals had been opened, after that he was given this vision as recorded 16 00:01:33,840 --> 00:01:36,440 in chapter 7. 17 00:01:36,440 --> 00:01:46,160 That may mean that chronologically chapter 7 occurs after the six seals, but more likely 18 00:01:46,160 --> 00:01:50,120 it means that after the six seals had been opened, John was given the information of 19 00:01:50,120 --> 00:01:58,520 chapter 7 to sort of fill out what had not been said thus far about the realm of heaven. 20 00:01:58,520 --> 00:02:02,600 Some things have been said, but John is giving us additional information here. 21 00:02:02,600 --> 00:02:08,040 In other words, what he sees in chapter 7 may not occur chronologically at this point, 22 00:02:08,040 --> 00:02:17,200 but is rather a broad overview of things happening in heaven along with the six seals and beyond 23 00:02:17,200 --> 00:02:19,600 that. 24 00:02:19,600 --> 00:02:24,000 Maybe it would be good for us to take a look at the outline here that will help us just 25 00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:26,140 put it in the context. 26 00:02:26,140 --> 00:02:34,800 We have here the six seals that are opened, and then chapter 7, the 144,000 saints sealed 27 00:02:34,800 --> 00:02:37,560 the songs of saints and angels. 28 00:02:37,560 --> 00:02:40,200 You will notice that it calls it here the first interlude. 29 00:02:40,200 --> 00:02:46,720 There are three of them, and they occur in each of the three series of judgments that 30 00:02:46,720 --> 00:02:51,880 are poured out upon the earth as recorded in the book of the Revelation. 31 00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:59,040 Each interlude occurs between the sixth and the seventh instrument of judgment, whether 32 00:02:59,040 --> 00:03:04,200 it be seals or trumpets or bowls of wrath. 33 00:03:04,200 --> 00:03:08,360 The interlude occurs between number six and number seven. 34 00:03:08,360 --> 00:03:14,200 As I've already suggested, these interludes seem to occur to fill in information that 35 00:03:14,200 --> 00:03:19,760 is important to know before we would go any further. 36 00:03:19,760 --> 00:03:26,480 This information is given here to assure that there will be many millions of people saved 37 00:03:26,480 --> 00:03:29,840 during the tribulation period. 38 00:03:29,840 --> 00:03:34,840 There will be a mingling of mercy with the judgment of God that will be poured out upon 39 00:03:34,840 --> 00:03:35,840 the earth. 40 00:03:35,840 --> 00:03:42,340 It is called the great day of His wrath, and yet in the midst of God's wrath being demonstrated 41 00:03:42,340 --> 00:03:47,880 upon those who have rejected Christ, those who had not had an opportunity to hear the 42 00:03:47,880 --> 00:03:55,280 gospel in this age in which we live will be given an opportunity to hear the gospel in 43 00:03:55,280 --> 00:03:56,280 the tribulation. 44 00:03:56,280 --> 00:04:02,240 As seems clear in this chapter, there will be many millions of them who will come to 45 00:04:02,240 --> 00:04:05,760 faith in Christ. 46 00:04:05,760 --> 00:04:10,200 John is an eye and ear witness of the things that he talks about. 47 00:04:10,200 --> 00:04:15,080 You will notice he says, I saw and I heard. 48 00:04:15,080 --> 00:04:17,600 He's not passing on secondhand information. 49 00:04:17,600 --> 00:04:24,200 He's saying, these are things that I saw, that I heard, that I want to tell you about. 50 00:04:24,200 --> 00:04:30,920 What he is an eye and ear witness of are three groups. 51 00:04:30,920 --> 00:04:34,480 The angels, there are some angels spoken about. 52 00:04:34,480 --> 00:04:38,040 The Israelites and the multitude. 53 00:04:38,040 --> 00:04:42,880 You should have an outline in your hands, do you? 54 00:04:42,880 --> 00:04:48,880 The angels are mentioned 67 times in the book of the Revelation, excluding chapters 2 and 55 00:04:48,880 --> 00:04:54,840 3 where John is instructed to write to the angel at whatever church. 56 00:04:54,840 --> 00:05:00,820 Other than those occasions, 67 times angels are mentioned. 57 00:05:00,820 --> 00:05:08,320 We sometimes fall into the trap of our culture which separates the supernatural from the 58 00:05:08,320 --> 00:05:10,820 natural realm. 59 00:05:10,820 --> 00:05:17,520 In this age of scientism, we tend to believe, as the world certainly does, that what is 60 00:05:17,520 --> 00:05:21,120 invisible is unreal. 61 00:05:21,120 --> 00:05:24,960 There is a separation between the supernatural and the natural. 62 00:05:24,960 --> 00:05:28,240 The supernatural is invisible, the natural is visible. 63 00:05:28,240 --> 00:05:31,720 We can't see this, we can't put it in the test tube, so we just lay that aside. 64 00:05:31,720 --> 00:05:35,640 We don't believe in it, and we just believe in the natural. 65 00:05:35,640 --> 00:05:38,760 But in fact, is that the worldview of Christians? 66 00:05:38,760 --> 00:05:40,540 Ought it to be. 67 00:05:40,540 --> 00:05:43,760 Is it the worldview that the Scriptures present to us? 68 00:05:43,760 --> 00:05:46,680 Indeed, it is not. 69 00:05:46,680 --> 00:05:51,600 There is not a separation between the supernatural and the natural. 70 00:05:51,600 --> 00:05:56,160 There certainly are two different realms, but they overlap. 71 00:05:56,160 --> 00:06:02,440 There's a working of the supernatural realm in that which is natural, in human affairs, 72 00:06:02,440 --> 00:06:04,760 in human history. 73 00:06:04,760 --> 00:06:08,020 And angels help carry that out. 74 00:06:08,020 --> 00:06:15,240 Whether they be the elect, holy angels of God, or they be the demons, the fallen angels 75 00:06:15,240 --> 00:06:19,640 that fell and followed Satan. 76 00:06:19,640 --> 00:06:24,240 This morning I told you a story about a band of angels that appeared in Ecuador. 77 00:06:24,240 --> 00:06:30,720 Well, there are some people hearing a story like that would really put it down, who would 78 00:06:30,720 --> 00:06:35,080 say, come on, you know, that's fantasy. 79 00:06:35,080 --> 00:06:37,880 Angels are, that's part of the ancient theology. 80 00:06:37,880 --> 00:06:39,280 It's sort of like mythology. 81 00:06:39,280 --> 00:06:42,920 It belongs back there where people believed in those things. 82 00:06:42,920 --> 00:06:47,960 But angels are as real today as they were then. 83 00:06:47,960 --> 00:06:56,040 Angels are as real in 1992 as they were real in perhaps the year 92 or 95, whenever it 84 00:06:56,040 --> 00:06:59,520 was that John received this vision from God. 85 00:06:59,520 --> 00:07:03,680 They are active in our world today. 86 00:07:03,680 --> 00:07:11,280 I shared with a few of you in a small group that I met this last fall a pastor who's 87 00:07:11,280 --> 00:07:12,280 become a friend of mine. 88 00:07:12,280 --> 00:07:16,560 He was a black brother who passed as a church in Delaware. 89 00:07:16,560 --> 00:07:21,440 And shared the story with me that a couple of years ago he was going through a very difficult 90 00:07:21,440 --> 00:07:22,440 time in his church. 91 00:07:22,440 --> 00:07:32,760 It was a very severe struggle with leadership and a couple of people who had been long time 92 00:07:32,760 --> 00:07:35,400 leaders in the church. 93 00:07:35,400 --> 00:07:41,240 And there was a struggle for power as sometimes happens in established churches. 94 00:07:41,240 --> 00:07:44,280 And he didn't know if he was going to be able to stay or not. 95 00:07:44,280 --> 00:07:48,200 It was very stressful on him and his family and the whole church was really going through 96 00:07:48,200 --> 00:07:49,840 it. 97 00:07:49,840 --> 00:07:54,720 One Sunday morning he got up to preach and was sitting on the platform during the song 98 00:07:54,720 --> 00:07:55,720 service. 99 00:07:55,720 --> 00:07:56,960 Didn't know if he actually could get up to preach. 100 00:07:56,960 --> 00:08:02,480 He was so worn out and so stressed out by all that had been taking place he felt that 101 00:08:02,480 --> 00:08:04,800 he might just have to get up and tell the people to go home. 102 00:08:04,800 --> 00:08:09,240 He literally could not preach for them that morning. 103 00:08:09,240 --> 00:08:16,320 And of course the song services and the churches of that culture tend to be rather lively and 104 00:08:16,320 --> 00:08:17,320 exuberant. 105 00:08:17,320 --> 00:08:20,200 But it wasn't catching with him that morning. 106 00:08:20,200 --> 00:08:25,560 He was sitting there just depressed and feeling as though he was so weak he was unable to 107 00:08:25,560 --> 00:08:27,840 go on. 108 00:08:27,840 --> 00:08:31,960 So the song service ended and he still felt that way and he got up, stood behind his pulpit 109 00:08:31,960 --> 00:08:34,560 and was prepared really to tell the people to go home. 110 00:08:34,560 --> 00:08:37,560 But he said one word and then he said another word. 111 00:08:37,560 --> 00:08:42,480 It just seemed as though he was able to get the words out and yet it wasn't with his 112 00:08:42,480 --> 00:08:47,200 normal enthusiasm and level of strength. 113 00:08:47,200 --> 00:08:52,400 But as he kept trying he looked in the back of his church and there standing at the corner 114 00:08:52,400 --> 00:08:57,240 of his church was an angel. 115 00:08:57,240 --> 00:09:02,000 Now he described briefly the angel in the meeting we were in together. 116 00:09:02,000 --> 00:09:05,360 And so I wrote him after that and I said would you tell me some more about this. 117 00:09:05,360 --> 00:09:07,880 Well I didn't hear from him until the first of December. 118 00:09:07,880 --> 00:09:10,100 He called me from Delaware. 119 00:09:10,100 --> 00:09:11,100 So I asked him some questions. 120 00:09:11,100 --> 00:09:13,360 I said what did the angel look like? 121 00:09:13,360 --> 00:09:17,640 He said well it's difficult to describe. 122 00:09:17,640 --> 00:09:24,520 He said the angel was very tall, much taller than anybody else in our church and very muscular, 123 00:09:24,520 --> 00:09:27,040 strong looking person. 124 00:09:27,040 --> 00:09:32,320 And this angel had on him garb like a Roman soldier would have worn, pictures that we 125 00:09:32,320 --> 00:09:37,720 see of soldiers in that ancient world. 126 00:09:37,720 --> 00:09:41,560 And he said he was standing in the back of the church with his arms crossed like this. 127 00:09:41,560 --> 00:09:48,200 And he said I knew immediately he was their standing guard over that service. 128 00:09:48,200 --> 00:09:52,720 He said not only did I see that angel but he said I was so stunned by what I saw. 129 00:09:52,720 --> 00:09:56,680 And he said I was the only one that saw it, no one else in the church saw it. 130 00:09:56,680 --> 00:10:00,000 I was so stunned that I kind of shook and I looked the other direction. 131 00:10:00,000 --> 00:10:06,400 He said there was a second one that appeared behind the church congregation in the left 132 00:10:06,400 --> 00:10:10,040 hand corner as I was looking out. 133 00:10:10,040 --> 00:10:13,040 He said the people were beginning to wonder by this time what's wrong with the pastor 134 00:10:13,040 --> 00:10:16,880 up there because of the way he was looking. 135 00:10:16,880 --> 00:10:19,640 And he said I turned around just automatically. 136 00:10:19,640 --> 00:10:24,680 He said there were two of them standing behind me, all of them in the same posture. 137 00:10:24,680 --> 00:10:29,760 And he said suddenly there was this deep sense within me that God was present and that God 138 00:10:29,760 --> 00:10:34,720 was protecting our church and that whatever the battle had been, it was over. 139 00:10:34,720 --> 00:10:40,920 That these angels had been sent and had become visible to me to signify to me that the victory 140 00:10:40,920 --> 00:10:43,040 had been won in prayer. 141 00:10:43,040 --> 00:10:49,120 And he said in fact that was the day that the battle broke and it's been blessed since 142 00:10:49,120 --> 00:10:50,960 then. 143 00:10:50,960 --> 00:10:54,480 And so angels are still very real today. 144 00:10:54,480 --> 00:10:58,840 I believe that brother, he's not a loony tune. 145 00:10:58,840 --> 00:11:02,360 He's not some way out charismatic kind of person. 146 00:11:02,360 --> 00:11:08,280 He's a wonderful dear brother in Christ and I am convinced he saw what he saw. 147 00:11:08,280 --> 00:11:16,120 Now John is going to tell us about four angels and then one angel. 148 00:11:16,120 --> 00:11:23,680 He says I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth. 149 00:11:23,680 --> 00:11:30,200 Angels are God's servants, God's emissaries and John sees them here as standing at the 150 00:11:30,200 --> 00:11:34,920 four corners of the earth which seems to be an expression pointing to the four points 151 00:11:34,920 --> 00:11:39,480 on the compass, north, east, south and west. 152 00:11:39,480 --> 00:11:45,800 He saw them standing there holding the four winds of the earth that the wind should not 153 00:11:45,800 --> 00:11:50,760 blow on the earth, on the sea or on any tree. 154 00:11:50,760 --> 00:11:58,520 And so these angels have been sent by God to cause a qualm upon the whole earth, a complete 155 00:11:58,520 --> 00:11:59,520 quiet. 156 00:11:59,520 --> 00:12:03,480 There is no wind blowing anywhere. 157 00:12:03,480 --> 00:12:06,200 You can imagine the stillness that that would create. 158 00:12:06,200 --> 00:12:14,000 It's like the quiet before the storm hits and certainly in chapter eight the storm hits. 159 00:12:14,000 --> 00:12:18,400 He says then I saw another angel ascending from the east. 160 00:12:18,400 --> 00:12:26,120 By the way as we see these angels interfering in the weather system it makes me think of 161 00:12:26,120 --> 00:12:31,760 Pat Robertson who prayed that the hurricane would miss Virginia. 162 00:12:31,760 --> 00:12:36,560 Do you remember seeing that in some of the televised ads that his opponents were using 163 00:12:36,560 --> 00:12:40,240 when he was running for president in 1988? 164 00:12:40,240 --> 00:12:44,120 When I read things like this I think that maybe Pat Robertson's view of these things 165 00:12:44,120 --> 00:12:51,280 is closer, much closer to reality than those who are his scoffers. 166 00:12:51,280 --> 00:12:56,880 In fact it does appear that angels are able to interfere in the weather systems and here 167 00:12:56,880 --> 00:12:59,380 they are doing exactly that. 168 00:12:59,380 --> 00:13:05,480 And what the meteorological impact of no wind on the earth would be I don't know. 169 00:13:05,480 --> 00:13:09,160 Somebody who studied meteorology could probably tell us. 170 00:13:09,160 --> 00:13:14,000 By the way I'm not suggesting that Pat Robertson was entirely right in praying that if God 171 00:13:14,000 --> 00:13:19,040 steers away from Virginia did he want to go to Delaware or North Carolina or what. 172 00:13:19,040 --> 00:13:21,000 We have to leave those things in God's hands. 173 00:13:21,000 --> 00:13:26,920 But my point is that his view of God being able to do that sort of thing is much closer 174 00:13:26,920 --> 00:13:30,200 than those who mocked him. 175 00:13:30,200 --> 00:13:39,960 Well there is another angel who ascends from the east which may indicate Jerusalem or Israel 176 00:13:39,960 --> 00:13:43,080 having the seal of the living God. 177 00:13:43,080 --> 00:13:51,640 So he has in his hands this seal which was the common kind of impression seal that was 178 00:13:51,640 --> 00:13:54,520 known in that day. 179 00:13:54,520 --> 00:14:00,600 And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the 180 00:14:00,600 --> 00:14:09,080 earth and the sea saying, do not harm the earth, the sea or the trees till we have sealed 181 00:14:09,080 --> 00:14:14,120 the servants of our God on their foreheads. 182 00:14:14,120 --> 00:14:20,440 So now we begin to understand the reason for this quiet before the storm really begins. 183 00:14:20,440 --> 00:14:24,680 And we begin to understand why there is this parenthesis of information that is given to 184 00:14:24,680 --> 00:14:29,200 us in the flow of things chronologically. 185 00:14:29,200 --> 00:14:30,400 Something has to take place. 186 00:14:30,400 --> 00:14:36,560 The servants of God have to be sealed with the seal that the angel has. 187 00:14:36,560 --> 00:14:42,200 It needs to be sealed, they need to be sealed on their foreheads. 188 00:14:42,200 --> 00:14:46,560 And so we have the angels that John sees and reports about. 189 00:14:46,560 --> 00:14:55,320 It seems that this seal is the mark of God's ownership, the mark of security and protection 190 00:14:55,320 --> 00:14:56,320 for them. 191 00:14:56,320 --> 00:15:05,800 In chapter 9 and verse 4, if you look there, we have locusts that come up on the earth 192 00:15:05,800 --> 00:15:08,160 out of the bottomless pit. 193 00:15:08,160 --> 00:15:13,660 And we'll talk about the identity of these locusts and what they may be at a later time. 194 00:15:13,660 --> 00:15:19,680 But let's just say at this point that I think that they are supernatural locusts. 195 00:15:19,680 --> 00:15:25,080 They are not your typical cicadas that you like out there in the summertime on the trees. 196 00:15:25,080 --> 00:15:31,240 These are creatures that are really demonic in their origin. 197 00:15:31,240 --> 00:15:35,000 And it says in verse 4, they were commanded not to harm the grass of the earth nor any 198 00:15:35,000 --> 00:15:42,480 green thing or any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 199 00:15:42,480 --> 00:15:47,000 And so from that language we would understand that the seal is not only for identification 200 00:15:47,000 --> 00:15:50,760 but for protection as well. 201 00:15:50,760 --> 00:15:53,180 There will be another mark on other foreheads. 202 00:15:53,180 --> 00:16:01,560 We see in Revelation 13 verses 16 to 17 that those who follow Antichrist receive a mark 203 00:16:01,560 --> 00:16:06,360 from him as well. 204 00:16:06,360 --> 00:16:14,720 This seal in chapter 7 is given to assure God's people of his concern and his power 205 00:16:14,720 --> 00:16:22,540 which is with them as they are facing opposition, persecution, and even martyrdom at the hands 206 00:16:22,540 --> 00:16:25,080 of those who are the Antichrists. 207 00:16:25,080 --> 00:16:32,680 Well let's move ahead and talk about this next group that John sees in verses 4 through 208 00:16:32,680 --> 00:16:34,320 8. 209 00:16:34,320 --> 00:16:36,000 It is the Israelites. 210 00:16:36,000 --> 00:16:47,160 And we notice that he says there's a total of 144,000 of them. 211 00:16:47,160 --> 00:16:52,280 And he says that they are of all the tribes of the children of Israel. 212 00:16:52,280 --> 00:16:58,320 And then he lists the tribes and says that there are 12,000 from each of them. 213 00:16:58,320 --> 00:17:07,480 So we get the 144,000 by 12 times 12,000. 214 00:17:07,480 --> 00:17:12,560 Well the question does arise among Bible scholars, who are these people now really? 215 00:17:12,560 --> 00:17:19,480 Of course there are those who claim that because they are Jehovah's Witnesses they are or hope 216 00:17:19,480 --> 00:17:23,440 to be a part of the 144,000. 217 00:17:23,440 --> 00:17:29,040 The Seventh-day Adventists like to refer to this as do the Mormons and so on. 218 00:17:29,040 --> 00:17:32,280 But who are these 144,000? 219 00:17:32,280 --> 00:17:39,760 There are some Evangelicals who believe that they represent the church, that they are not 220 00:17:39,760 --> 00:17:47,740 necessarily Jewish at all, but it's saved people in general and that they're simply 221 00:17:47,740 --> 00:17:54,040 called Jews here because today in some of the language of the New Testament all of the 222 00:17:54,040 --> 00:17:58,760 saved are called the sons of Abraham for example. 223 00:17:58,760 --> 00:18:07,040 They also point to the phrase in Galatians chapter 6 where Paul speaks about true Israel 224 00:18:07,040 --> 00:18:13,080 and they talk about other texts in the New Testament where it seems as though to them 225 00:18:13,080 --> 00:18:19,120 at least that the church has replaced Israel in God's scheme of things. 226 00:18:19,120 --> 00:18:26,000 Well of course there is some truth to that in that Israel has been set aside by God in 227 00:18:26,000 --> 00:18:30,640 this age for his use as a nation. 228 00:18:30,640 --> 00:18:37,040 God is doing something new in this age dealing with the church, a brand new entity, a body 229 00:18:37,040 --> 00:18:46,080 that was created at Pentecost, comprised of both Jews and Gentiles who believe in the 230 00:18:46,080 --> 00:18:48,640 Lord Jesus Christ. 231 00:18:48,640 --> 00:18:53,600 But that doesn't mean that God is entirely finished with national Israel. 232 00:18:53,600 --> 00:19:01,160 The fact that the Jewish nation still exists today is a remarkable testimony of the sovereign 233 00:19:01,160 --> 00:19:09,400 plan of God and his faithfulness to them even in their unfaithfulness to him. 234 00:19:09,400 --> 00:19:16,580 When it talks here about these 144,000 of all the tribes of the children of Israel it 235 00:19:16,580 --> 00:19:21,880 seems to me the best thing to do is to take it literally for what it says that these are 236 00:19:21,880 --> 00:19:22,880 Jewish people. 237 00:19:22,880 --> 00:19:28,680 It is a believing remnant out of the nation of Israel. 238 00:19:28,680 --> 00:19:33,840 Because he talks about them being of the tribe of Judah, that is out of the tribe of Judah, 239 00:19:33,840 --> 00:19:36,280 out of the tribe of Reuben. 240 00:19:36,280 --> 00:19:44,440 So it's not all the Jewish people but it's a remnant that God elects from among the Jews. 241 00:19:44,440 --> 00:19:46,560 These are sealed. 242 00:19:46,560 --> 00:19:52,720 They receive this seal of God, this mark of God in their foreheads for identification 243 00:19:52,720 --> 00:19:54,680 and preservation. 244 00:19:54,680 --> 00:20:05,240 I believe that the best answer to the identity of these 144,000 is that they are the ones 245 00:20:05,240 --> 00:20:12,760 who will be the primary evangelists of God in the tribulation period. 246 00:20:12,760 --> 00:20:17,800 God is going to call them out very quickly to believe in Christ after the rapture of 247 00:20:17,800 --> 00:20:20,400 the church has taken place. 248 00:20:20,400 --> 00:20:25,040 They then will preach the gospel of their Messiah throughout the earth resulting in 249 00:20:25,040 --> 00:20:34,360 the salvation of this multitude that we see in heaven toward the end of chapter 7. 250 00:20:34,360 --> 00:20:43,780 So God calls them out, he seals them, and they become his flaming evangelists. 251 00:20:43,780 --> 00:20:51,400 We see them again in chapter 14 beginning in verse 1 where John says, then I looked 252 00:20:51,400 --> 00:21:01,920 and behold a lamb standing on Mount Zion and with him 144,000 having his father's name 253 00:21:01,920 --> 00:21:05,440 written on their foreheads. 254 00:21:05,440 --> 00:21:11,960 And so this same group it would seem appear with the Lord Jesus on Mount Zion. 255 00:21:11,960 --> 00:21:15,840 Now when is Jesus going to be on Mount Zion? 256 00:21:15,840 --> 00:21:19,960 When is he going to actually land there on that mount in the city of Jerusalem? 257 00:21:19,960 --> 00:21:22,600 Well the answer is at his second coming. 258 00:21:22,600 --> 00:21:30,160 And so John at that point in chapter 14 seems to receive a vision of when Jesus comes to 259 00:21:30,160 --> 00:21:39,080 the earth and he is there gathered to him these 144,000 who have served him in the tribulation 260 00:21:39,080 --> 00:21:44,800 period who are thus sealed at this early point in the tribulation period for the work that 261 00:21:44,800 --> 00:21:51,440 God has called him to in preaching the gospel during this time. 262 00:21:51,440 --> 00:21:56,760 Just look back quickly with me at Matthew chapter 24 and notice a statement that Jesus 263 00:21:56,760 --> 00:22:06,640 makes as he talks to his disciples about the end of the age. 264 00:22:06,640 --> 00:22:14,760 He describes the conditions in the world during that future period of time. 265 00:22:14,760 --> 00:22:24,400 And we have to acknowledge the fact that these signs that Jesus gives have often been present 266 00:22:24,400 --> 00:22:28,760 partially to some extent throughout the 2,000 years. 267 00:22:28,760 --> 00:22:36,560 But it seems to many people that never have all the signs been so powerfully present as 268 00:22:36,560 --> 00:22:38,240 they are right now. 269 00:22:38,240 --> 00:22:45,200 In other words that the signs for Christ's second coming to the earth, not the rapture 270 00:22:45,200 --> 00:22:51,000 of the church now but his second coming to the earth which follows the rapture are being 271 00:22:51,000 --> 00:22:52,000 put into place. 272 00:22:52,000 --> 00:22:54,560 It is difficult to miss them. 273 00:22:54,560 --> 00:23:00,280 But he says in verse 14, and this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world 274 00:23:00,280 --> 00:23:05,240 as a witness to all the nations and then the end will come. 275 00:23:05,240 --> 00:23:09,880 Now there are those who believe that that refers to this age in which we live now. 276 00:23:09,880 --> 00:23:14,760 In other words that all of the tribes and nations of the earth have to hear before the 277 00:23:14,760 --> 00:23:16,480 rapture can take place. 278 00:23:16,480 --> 00:23:18,600 I don't understand it that way at all. 279 00:23:18,600 --> 00:23:23,520 In the context of Matthew 24, Jesus is talking about his second coming to the earth, not 280 00:23:23,520 --> 00:23:24,520 the rapture. 281 00:23:24,520 --> 00:23:28,800 And he's saying that before he comes again to the earth in his second coming, in his 282 00:23:28,800 --> 00:23:35,440 return that in fact the gospel will be proclaimed to all the nations of the world. 283 00:23:35,440 --> 00:23:40,680 Everyone will have a chance to hear in that period of time of great suffering in the earth 284 00:23:40,680 --> 00:23:43,560 called the tribulation. 285 00:23:43,560 --> 00:23:48,160 And who is it that will carry this message to all the nations of the world? 286 00:23:48,160 --> 00:23:56,160 Well it seems to me that a reasonable answer is that it will be the 144,000 that we're 287 00:23:56,160 --> 00:24:00,040 looking at being sealed in Revelation chapter 7. 288 00:24:00,040 --> 00:24:05,360 Now let's just go back to that text again and I want to point out a couple of things. 289 00:24:05,360 --> 00:24:11,600 First of all, in the listing of the tribes you will notice that Reuben is not first on 290 00:24:11,600 --> 00:24:19,480 the list as you might suspect he should be because he was the firstborn of Jacob. 291 00:24:19,480 --> 00:24:32,860 Of course Reuben sinned in adultery by going to his father's bed with his father's concubine 292 00:24:32,860 --> 00:24:43,440 and because of that according to 1 Chronicles chapter 5 he lost his position as the firstborn 293 00:24:43,440 --> 00:24:44,600 in Jacob's family. 294 00:24:44,600 --> 00:24:52,280 He forfeited his birthright and Jacob makes that clear when he pronounces his blessings 295 00:24:52,280 --> 00:24:56,640 upon his children in Genesis chapter 49. 296 00:24:56,640 --> 00:25:02,440 And so taking Reuben's place as number one on the list is Judah. 297 00:25:02,440 --> 00:25:10,960 Now this may be because Judah is the tribe from which Christ eventually came. 298 00:25:10,960 --> 00:25:16,960 It is the Messianic tribe and so therefore it is honored, so it would seem, in this list 299 00:25:16,960 --> 00:25:19,000 by being placed number one. 300 00:25:19,000 --> 00:25:24,240 Of the tribe of Judah 12,000 were sealed. 301 00:25:24,240 --> 00:25:28,400 Now if you know the names of the tribes you will notice that there are two that are often 302 00:25:28,400 --> 00:25:31,760 listed that are not mentioned here. 303 00:25:31,760 --> 00:25:34,880 One of them is the tribe of Dan. 304 00:25:34,880 --> 00:25:38,880 The other is the tribe of Ephraim. 305 00:25:38,880 --> 00:25:43,200 Why are these tribes not listed and others put in their place? 306 00:25:43,200 --> 00:25:50,960 Levi for example takes the place it would seem of Dan and the name of Joseph takes the 307 00:25:50,960 --> 00:25:53,800 place of Ephraim in this list. 308 00:25:53,800 --> 00:25:55,760 Why is that? 309 00:25:55,760 --> 00:25:59,920 Well again there are many answers given but the best one seems to be that both Dan and 310 00:25:59,920 --> 00:26:08,160 Ephraim were tribes which led others in idolatry in ancient Israel. 311 00:26:08,160 --> 00:26:14,320 Ephraim was the first tribe to follow idolatry, Judges 18 and verse 30. 312 00:26:14,320 --> 00:26:20,600 And when Jeroboam set up his golden calves for the people of the northern kingdom to 313 00:26:20,600 --> 00:26:28,760 worship, the location of one of those calves was in the territory of the tribe of Dan. 314 00:26:28,760 --> 00:26:36,560 Likewise Ephraim was a tribe that was identified with idolatry. 315 00:26:36,560 --> 00:26:44,440 And Ephraim led the division of the united monarchy after the death of Solomon. 316 00:26:44,440 --> 00:26:55,520 Jeroboam was from that tribe and he led that northern part of the nation to divide against 317 00:26:55,520 --> 00:27:02,640 Judah in the southern part of the kingdom and led that northern kingdom into gross idolatry. 318 00:27:02,640 --> 00:27:09,160 And so both Dan and Ephraim are not represented by those who are sealed for God's special 319 00:27:09,160 --> 00:27:15,960 work in this time of the tribulation. 320 00:27:15,960 --> 00:27:19,500 There are other things I could say here but I think I'm just going to point out one more 321 00:27:19,500 --> 00:27:26,100 thing and that is in the book of the Revelation you will notice that there are certain numbers 322 00:27:26,100 --> 00:27:29,200 that seem to have significance. 323 00:27:29,200 --> 00:27:32,900 One of those numbers is the number 12. 324 00:27:32,900 --> 00:27:41,920 It is a number that sometimes means completion, fulfillment, perfection. 325 00:27:41,920 --> 00:27:48,540 And not only is 12 significant but multiples of 12 are significant. 326 00:27:48,540 --> 00:27:56,960 For example there are 24 elders around the throne, 2 times 12. 327 00:27:56,960 --> 00:28:04,560 When the New Jerusalem is measured by the angels it is said to be 12,000 stadia in length, 328 00:28:04,560 --> 00:28:09,080 width and height. 329 00:28:09,080 --> 00:28:19,720 Its walls are said to be 144 cubits, which is 12 times 12 of course. 330 00:28:19,720 --> 00:28:27,640 And there are 12 crops that come from the tree of life according to chapter 22. 331 00:28:27,640 --> 00:28:33,160 And so the number 12 has some symbolic value in the book. 332 00:28:33,160 --> 00:28:38,880 And here that may be the case as well although as I've done tonight I prefer to take these 333 00:28:38,880 --> 00:28:44,760 numbers literally and we have done so. 334 00:28:44,760 --> 00:28:52,780 Now we come to the third group of which John is the eyewitness and that is the multitude. 335 00:28:52,780 --> 00:28:59,080 Chapter 7 verses 9 through 17. 336 00:28:59,080 --> 00:29:05,560 He says, after these things I looked and behold a great multitude which no one could number 337 00:29:05,560 --> 00:29:08,800 of all nations, tribes, peoples and tongues. 338 00:29:08,800 --> 00:29:17,520 The language back in chapter 5 verse 11 where we see many around the throne and they are 339 00:29:17,520 --> 00:29:22,560 excuse me verse 9 where it is said that these people are from every tribe and tongue and 340 00:29:22,560 --> 00:29:24,560 people and nation. 341 00:29:24,560 --> 00:29:29,280 This is language which simply means there are people here in John's sight who come 342 00:29:29,280 --> 00:29:32,360 from all parts of the earth. 343 00:29:32,360 --> 00:29:38,720 And he sees them standing before the throne and before the Lamb. 344 00:29:38,720 --> 00:29:41,640 Who are these people? 345 00:29:41,640 --> 00:29:49,320 John's language seems to describe a teeming multitude with many different colors and languages 346 00:29:49,320 --> 00:29:54,080 and styles of dress and so on I suppose. 347 00:29:54,080 --> 00:29:57,720 It's a cosmopolitan kind of a picture. 348 00:29:57,720 --> 00:30:06,800 It is a crowded kind of a scene like one might see in the ancient marketplace or which one 349 00:30:06,800 --> 00:30:08,920 might see at Cub on the weekends. 350 00:30:08,920 --> 00:30:11,560 It's just an overwhelming number. 351 00:30:11,560 --> 00:30:19,800 My wife sent me to Cub the Saturday before Christmas and if I ever do that again, a teeming 352 00:30:19,800 --> 00:30:25,440 multitude, when I read this I thought of Cub on the Saturday before Christmas. 353 00:30:25,440 --> 00:30:27,240 Except here it could not be numbered. 354 00:30:27,240 --> 00:30:33,560 It was a numberless multitude and they are standing in heaven and not at the checkout 355 00:30:33,560 --> 00:30:34,560 line. 356 00:30:34,560 --> 00:30:40,120 Now, the fact that they are standing there before the throne seems to indicate that they 357 00:30:40,120 --> 00:30:47,520 are accepted by God and they are there in the place of honor and welcome. 358 00:30:47,520 --> 00:30:52,320 And he sees them as being clothed with white robes. 359 00:30:52,320 --> 00:30:57,160 Literally it says here a white stole. 360 00:30:57,160 --> 00:31:02,800 The white stole seems to symbolize victory and salvation. 361 00:31:02,800 --> 00:31:06,120 They are there with palm branches in their hands. 362 00:31:06,120 --> 00:31:08,840 Palm branches are not mentioned much in the New Testament. 363 00:31:08,840 --> 00:31:10,200 In fact, only twice. 364 00:31:10,200 --> 00:31:16,660 Here and in John 12 in connection with the triumphal entry of Jesus when palm branches 365 00:31:16,660 --> 00:31:18,320 were waved. 366 00:31:18,320 --> 00:31:24,020 And there may be some symbolic connection here between the two palm branches. 367 00:31:24,020 --> 00:31:31,120 The palm branches were used in conjunction with the feast of tabernacles in the Old Testament. 368 00:31:31,120 --> 00:31:36,840 Booze or tabernacles were built by the people of Israel out of palm branches and they lived 369 00:31:36,840 --> 00:31:42,440 in it for the seven days of the feast symbolizing the pilgrimage of the people of Israel. 370 00:31:42,440 --> 00:31:46,160 They have no permanent dwelling place here. 371 00:31:46,160 --> 00:31:52,840 And it was apparently those palm branches that were waved by the people at the Passover 372 00:31:52,840 --> 00:31:58,680 season when Jesus was coming into the city of Jerusalem. 373 00:31:58,680 --> 00:32:07,280 Well, that feast in the Old Testament typically or symbolically points to the millennium, 374 00:32:07,280 --> 00:32:10,120 the coming reign of Christ. 375 00:32:10,120 --> 00:32:17,440 And so here we see this vast multitude standing there before the throne with palm branches 376 00:32:17,440 --> 00:32:18,920 in their hands. 377 00:32:18,920 --> 00:32:22,600 And they ascribe praise to God. 378 00:32:22,600 --> 00:32:28,660 They're crying out with a loud voice, salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne 379 00:32:28,660 --> 00:32:30,640 and to the Lamb. 380 00:32:30,640 --> 00:32:39,400 So they're praising God for the salvation which they apparently have experienced. 381 00:32:39,400 --> 00:32:43,520 And in verses 11 and 12 there's a response in heaven to it. 382 00:32:43,520 --> 00:32:51,520 It says, all of the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living 383 00:32:51,520 --> 00:33:00,000 creatures and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God saying, amen, blessing 384 00:33:00,000 --> 00:33:06,760 and glory and wisdom, thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever 385 00:33:06,760 --> 00:33:09,400 and ever, amen. 386 00:33:09,400 --> 00:33:14,400 So there is this scene of worship before the throne of God. 387 00:33:14,400 --> 00:33:19,920 And all of the creatures of heaven, the redeemed as well as the angelic, enter into it and 388 00:33:19,920 --> 00:33:27,680 proclaim the greatness, the honor, the worth of God who lives forever and forever. 389 00:33:27,680 --> 00:33:30,200 Well then there is a conversation. 390 00:33:30,200 --> 00:33:36,400 One of the elders, that's one of the 24 elders around the throne spoke to John. 391 00:33:36,400 --> 00:33:37,680 And it's sort of like a quiz. 392 00:33:37,680 --> 00:33:43,080 He says, who are these arrayed in white robes and where did they come from? 393 00:33:43,080 --> 00:33:46,160 Well, John isn't prepared to answer that. 394 00:33:46,160 --> 00:33:49,600 He says, sir, you know. 395 00:33:49,600 --> 00:33:57,480 And the elder said, these are the ones who come out of the great tribulation and washed 396 00:33:57,480 --> 00:34:02,880 their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb. 397 00:34:02,880 --> 00:34:09,720 And so now we begin to understand who these people are that John sees. 398 00:34:09,720 --> 00:34:14,560 In the first place we note that they are not the same as the 144,000. 399 00:34:14,560 --> 00:34:17,840 It's a different group. 400 00:34:17,840 --> 00:34:23,000 The 144,000 are said to be Jewish. 401 00:34:23,000 --> 00:34:26,840 These come from every tribe on the earth. 402 00:34:26,840 --> 00:34:31,640 Furthermore, there's a definite number in this earlier group. 403 00:34:31,640 --> 00:34:38,880 There is an uncountable number here in this vast multitude. 404 00:34:38,880 --> 00:34:44,440 Secondly, we seem to learn that they are not the same as the church. 405 00:34:44,440 --> 00:34:52,200 That is, if you take as I do, that the 24 elders there at the throne represent the church. 406 00:34:52,200 --> 00:34:57,160 The church raptured, the church glorified and with the Lord. 407 00:34:57,160 --> 00:35:03,760 The church is kept out of the tribulation, whereas these come out of it. 408 00:35:03,760 --> 00:35:10,120 The church is protected from the tribulation by being taken home to be with Christ. 409 00:35:10,120 --> 00:35:14,680 But these actually come out of the great tribulation. 410 00:35:14,680 --> 00:35:23,440 Furthermore, we see the 24 elders, if in fact they represent the church, seated on thrones 411 00:35:23,440 --> 00:35:26,400 around the throne of God. 412 00:35:26,400 --> 00:35:32,560 But the ones in this vast multitude are said to stand around the throne. 413 00:35:32,560 --> 00:35:37,560 There seems to be a slight difference here that the 24 elders actually are participating 414 00:35:37,560 --> 00:35:41,720 in the rule of Christ the Lamb. 415 00:35:41,720 --> 00:35:46,480 And that is the calling, that is the destiny of the church. 416 00:35:46,480 --> 00:35:51,560 Whereas this vast multitude that's come out of the great tribulation share in the glory. 417 00:35:51,560 --> 00:35:58,200 They're not participating in the rule, but they're sharing in the glory of redemption. 418 00:35:58,200 --> 00:36:04,520 Furthermore, the elders are wearing crowns. 419 00:36:04,520 --> 00:36:09,760 They've been rewarded for their service on the earth. 420 00:36:09,760 --> 00:36:11,920 They're now reigning with Christ. 421 00:36:11,920 --> 00:36:17,520 Whereas this vast multitude are said to have in their hands palm branches symbolizing their 422 00:36:17,520 --> 00:36:20,680 victory. 423 00:36:20,680 --> 00:36:27,400 So these are the redeemed, says this elder, that have come out of the great tribulation. 424 00:36:27,400 --> 00:36:31,720 They had experienced its horror and now they have come out of it. 425 00:36:31,720 --> 00:36:37,880 And he goes on to say, therefore they are before the throne of God and serve Him day 426 00:36:37,880 --> 00:36:42,640 and night in His temple. 427 00:36:42,640 --> 00:36:44,120 But what temple is this? 428 00:36:44,120 --> 00:36:50,480 I'm not sure that I'm settled on my own answer to that because we learned that in the eternal 429 00:36:50,480 --> 00:36:57,140 state there is no temple in the New Jerusalem. 430 00:36:57,140 --> 00:37:02,560 But here it is said that these people serve God in His temple. 431 00:37:02,560 --> 00:37:06,680 So if we take that and understand it literally, it may be that he's talking here about the 432 00:37:06,680 --> 00:37:09,440 millennial temple. 433 00:37:09,440 --> 00:37:15,520 That temple that will be built in the millennial reign so that the service there will not only 434 00:37:15,520 --> 00:37:19,980 be given to the Jews, but to all of the redeemed. 435 00:37:19,980 --> 00:37:23,240 I'm not frankly sure about that myself. 436 00:37:23,240 --> 00:37:27,160 But we do notice that they are involved in serving God. 437 00:37:27,160 --> 00:37:32,720 Some people have the idea that heaven is going to be one long vacation. 438 00:37:32,720 --> 00:37:34,360 And they're rather worried about that. 439 00:37:34,360 --> 00:37:39,080 They think they're going to get bored by idleness. 440 00:37:39,080 --> 00:37:46,080 But in fact, whatever it involves, it does involve serving God and worshiping God. 441 00:37:46,080 --> 00:37:50,400 There will be service to do for the Lord. 442 00:37:50,400 --> 00:37:54,320 And we see that suggested here in what these redeemed are doing. 443 00:37:54,320 --> 00:38:01,040 It says, He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. 444 00:38:01,040 --> 00:38:08,480 This is very similar language to chapter 21 and verse 3 where the eternal state is revealed, 445 00:38:08,480 --> 00:38:12,240 where God tabernacles among His people. 446 00:38:12,240 --> 00:38:19,080 The same language here means He spreads His tent over them to reside with them, to care 447 00:38:19,080 --> 00:38:20,880 for them. 448 00:38:20,880 --> 00:38:29,120 And as a result of that, it says, they shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore. 449 00:38:29,120 --> 00:38:33,360 Suggesting that they had come out of great suffering in the tribulation. 450 00:38:33,360 --> 00:38:37,800 But no longer will they hunger or thirst. 451 00:38:37,800 --> 00:38:43,580 It says, the sun shall not strike them nor any heat. 452 00:38:43,580 --> 00:38:49,480 For the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them. 453 00:38:49,480 --> 00:38:51,240 Literally means He will feed them. 454 00:38:51,240 --> 00:38:58,280 He will nurture them and lead them to the fountains of waters. 455 00:38:58,280 --> 00:39:05,000 Is this the same as the living waters that proceed from the throne in chapter 22 that 456 00:39:05,000 --> 00:39:06,240 we see? 457 00:39:06,240 --> 00:39:08,200 Perhaps it is. 458 00:39:08,200 --> 00:39:15,720 The point is that their eternal needs are cared for and they have life that comes from 459 00:39:15,720 --> 00:39:20,560 the Lord and is symbolized by this living fountain of waters. 460 00:39:20,560 --> 00:39:24,600 And it says, God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. 461 00:39:24,600 --> 00:39:29,880 And again, that's very similar language to what is said about the eternal state in chapter 462 00:39:29,880 --> 00:39:32,400 21. 463 00:39:32,400 --> 00:39:38,600 And so the elder gives us the answer as to who the multitude is. 464 00:39:38,600 --> 00:39:45,800 The multitude seen in chapter 7 is a group that has come out of the great tribulation. 465 00:39:45,800 --> 00:39:46,800 From the earth. 466 00:39:46,800 --> 00:39:51,120 They have been redeemed and they are now standing before God and they are there to do service 467 00:39:51,120 --> 00:39:58,400 to the Lord and God is providing for their every need. 468 00:39:58,400 --> 00:40:05,680 Although this is not primarily picturing heaven as it is now, I think that we can draw some 469 00:40:05,680 --> 00:40:11,320 parallels to the experience of people who are now in heaven. 470 00:40:11,320 --> 00:40:12,520 What is it like to be there? 471 00:40:12,520 --> 00:40:14,640 What are they doing there? 472 00:40:14,640 --> 00:40:20,180 Well, it says that they are worshiping God. 473 00:40:20,180 --> 00:40:26,400 They may be involved in some kind of specific service for the Lord. 474 00:40:26,400 --> 00:40:32,240 They are there enjoying the glory of God. 475 00:40:32,240 --> 00:40:34,000 They no longer suffer. 476 00:40:34,000 --> 00:40:39,320 They no longer have needs as they did upon the earth. 477 00:40:39,320 --> 00:40:44,720 And it says that God is caring even for the tears from their eyes. 478 00:40:44,720 --> 00:40:51,860 Now chronologically, chapter 7 comes before the resurrection that comes later in the book 479 00:40:51,860 --> 00:40:52,860 of the revelation. 480 00:40:52,860 --> 00:40:58,920 And yet these people are seen there in bodies. 481 00:40:58,920 --> 00:41:02,720 They are not merely spirits that are invisible and floating around. 482 00:41:02,720 --> 00:41:09,040 They are seen there, they are recognizable as people from all the tribes of the earth. 483 00:41:09,040 --> 00:41:14,960 Which at least suggests to me that those who are in heaven now likewise have some kind 484 00:41:14,960 --> 00:41:20,600 of covering for that soul that has gone to be with Christ. 485 00:41:20,600 --> 00:41:28,360 That there is whatever you want to call the temporary body that they have, an identity, 486 00:41:28,360 --> 00:41:35,960 a personal identity before they receive their resurrection body when Christ comes for His 487 00:41:35,960 --> 00:41:37,880 own. 488 00:41:37,880 --> 00:41:43,900 I think we can gain comfort from this regarding our loved ones who are with Christ. 489 00:41:43,900 --> 00:41:48,640 For although this does not directly picture them, it suggests something of the condition 490 00:41:48,640 --> 00:41:52,640 that they are in now with the Lord. 491 00:41:52,640 --> 00:41:58,240 I've been giving some thought as to where heaven is. 492 00:41:58,240 --> 00:42:03,840 And I have conjecture about that. 493 00:42:03,840 --> 00:42:10,680 I grew up at least with the idea that heaven was somewhere beyond the universe. 494 00:42:10,680 --> 00:42:17,240 That it was past the moon, the sun, the stars, and way out there beyond everything that we 495 00:42:17,240 --> 00:42:19,280 see that exists. 496 00:42:19,280 --> 00:42:23,880 Beyond that is where God is. 497 00:42:23,880 --> 00:42:27,640 I've come to change my mind about that. 498 00:42:27,640 --> 00:42:33,960 I believe that there is good reason to think that heaven may very well be right above the 499 00:42:33,960 --> 00:42:36,200 earth. 500 00:42:36,200 --> 00:42:38,520 That in fact it is close at hand. 501 00:42:38,520 --> 00:42:41,200 You say then why can't we see it? 502 00:42:41,200 --> 00:42:44,280 Because it's in another dimension. 503 00:42:44,280 --> 00:42:51,480 Physicists, for example, have for a long time just toyed with the idea that perhaps there 504 00:42:51,480 --> 00:42:55,960 is another dimension of things right here on the earth. 505 00:42:55,960 --> 00:43:01,480 That while we are here in this setting, in another dimension, there could be a locomotive 506 00:43:01,480 --> 00:43:03,920 going right through here at the same time. 507 00:43:03,920 --> 00:43:07,480 These two dimensions don't even know each other exists. 508 00:43:07,480 --> 00:43:10,760 All of that is theory of course. 509 00:43:10,760 --> 00:43:20,320 I believe that it's not bad biblical theory, if I can put it that way, that heaven is near. 510 00:43:20,320 --> 00:43:30,280 After all, John was on the Isle of Patmos and he looked up and saw a door open in heaven. 511 00:43:30,280 --> 00:43:32,640 How far up could he see that door open in heaven? 512 00:43:32,640 --> 00:43:34,280 We say well it may be just a vision. 513 00:43:34,280 --> 00:43:35,280 Well perhaps it was. 514 00:43:35,280 --> 00:43:40,840 But on the other hand, perhaps God has opened a door into the other dimension that exists 515 00:43:40,840 --> 00:43:43,400 right there. 516 00:43:43,400 --> 00:43:49,320 And John was able to see into heaven and then God said come up here. 517 00:43:49,320 --> 00:43:53,320 Jacob saw a ladder reaching from the earth to heaven. 518 00:43:53,320 --> 00:43:55,200 How tall a ladder could that be? 519 00:43:55,200 --> 00:43:58,840 You say well is it 12 feet or 15 feet? 520 00:43:58,840 --> 00:44:04,040 Well I'm not talking feet right now, we're talking about another dimension. 521 00:44:04,040 --> 00:44:12,280 But I believe that if we could see it, as Stephen saw it for example, just before he 522 00:44:12,280 --> 00:44:17,720 was killed, the first martyr, it says he looked up and he saw Jesus standing at the right 523 00:44:17,720 --> 00:44:19,760 hand of God. 524 00:44:19,760 --> 00:44:25,480 He was able to look into heaven and he saw right there before him that scene. 525 00:44:25,480 --> 00:44:27,280 Was that merely a vision that he had? 526 00:44:27,280 --> 00:44:32,480 Well maybe it was, but perhaps that realm is close. 527 00:44:32,480 --> 00:44:37,520 You think about our loved ones who've gone to be with Christ and sometimes we grieve 528 00:44:37,520 --> 00:44:43,760 that they are so far away and it does seem that way, doesn't it? 529 00:44:43,760 --> 00:44:47,320 Yet in fact they may be actually rather close to us. 530 00:44:47,320 --> 00:44:51,280 You say well they've been able to see what's happening on the earth? 531 00:44:51,280 --> 00:44:54,640 I hope not. 532 00:44:54,640 --> 00:44:57,640 In fact I don't think that they do. 533 00:44:57,640 --> 00:45:03,560 I know that Hebrews talks about the great cloud of witnesses which surrounds us. 534 00:45:03,560 --> 00:45:08,760 I don't think that those are people in heaven watching what's happening in this dimension. 535 00:45:08,760 --> 00:45:14,600 I could be wrong and forgive me if I am if you're looking, but I think rather he's 536 00:45:14,600 --> 00:45:22,120 talking there in Hebrews 12 about the faithful in chapter 11 who are encouraging us on as 537 00:45:22,120 --> 00:45:25,760 though they were in the stands and we're out here on the field in the middle of the 538 00:45:25,760 --> 00:45:31,320 game still and we're encompassed with those witnesses as it were from the Old Testament 539 00:45:31,320 --> 00:45:33,800 saying go on with it. 540 00:45:33,800 --> 00:45:40,560 But in fact the scene that John describes to us here with these people being with the 541 00:45:40,560 --> 00:45:46,480 Lord out of the great tribulation may very well be just in that next dimension that is 542 00:45:46,480 --> 00:45:51,660 not far from the earth as we know it at all. 543 00:45:51,660 --> 00:45:58,960 We know that the Lord Jesus when he ascended went up and up and up until he got to the 544 00:45:58,960 --> 00:46:04,560 clouds, the level of the clouds, however many feet they were in the sky that day and it 545 00:46:04,560 --> 00:46:17,520 says that a cloud took him out of their sight. 546 00:46:17,520 --> 00:46:22,000 And think that that's simply language and there were literally clouds there I'm sure 547 00:46:22,000 --> 00:46:27,760 but it's language suggesting that he simply entered into that next dimension that is right 548 00:46:27,760 --> 00:46:32,480 there somewhere around the clouds. 549 00:46:32,480 --> 00:46:34,280 Well all of that is free. 550 00:46:34,280 --> 00:46:36,000 You don't have to pay for it. 551 00:46:36,000 --> 00:46:41,160 That's my conjecture about this heavenly scene that John describes to us where he sees the 552 00:46:41,160 --> 00:46:45,280 angels who are involved in the weather system of the earth. 553 00:46:45,280 --> 00:46:47,760 An angel who is involved is sealing the redeemed. 554 00:46:47,760 --> 00:46:52,600 We're going to see angels involved in bringing judgment to the earth. 555 00:46:52,600 --> 00:46:57,600 And he sees these people sealed and proclaiming the gospel throughout the earth and a great 556 00:46:57,600 --> 00:47:02,640 multitude who come to faith in Christ in the tribulation period and who are then before 557 00:47:02,640 --> 00:47:05,720 the throne of God, a multitude without number. 558 00:47:05,720 --> 00:47:08,720 There will be many saved in the end. 559 00:47:08,720 --> 00:47:13,200 I know that it says the way is narrow, few there be that find it and perhaps that is 560 00:47:13,200 --> 00:47:17,880 true in ratio to those who are lost but the fact is friends that heaven is going to have 561 00:47:17,880 --> 00:47:20,360 a lot of people. 562 00:47:20,360 --> 00:47:26,800 Many are going to be redeemed by the grace of God and we will share eternity together. 563 00:47:26,800 --> 00:47:35,080 I want us to sing about that and so I'm going to ask you to take your hymnal. 564 00:47:35,080 --> 00:47:48,440 42, talking about that day when we all get to heaven. 565 00:47:48,440 --> 00:48:08,720 Would you stand with me as we sing 542 in your hymnal?