1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:13,320 Thank you so much for your good singing tonight. 2 00:00:13,320 --> 00:00:20,720 In our study of the book of the Revelation, we are now in the tenth chapter, and I invite 3 00:00:20,720 --> 00:00:30,240 you to open the last book of the New Testament to chapter 10. 4 00:00:30,240 --> 00:00:35,200 Because of some of the questions that I've received the last couple of times that we've 5 00:00:35,200 --> 00:00:41,560 talked about this book, I thought it might be good to back up just a bit and remind ourselves 6 00:00:41,560 --> 00:00:53,840 of the context of some of the things that we are studying together. 7 00:00:53,840 --> 00:01:00,620 You will notice that this chart gives Israel, the nation of Israel, in the premillennial 8 00:01:00,620 --> 00:01:02,560 sequence of world events. 9 00:01:02,560 --> 00:01:09,860 What that means is that there are other ways of looking at the materials that we're studying, 10 00:01:09,860 --> 00:01:16,000 and the position, the place of the nation of Israel in prophecy. 11 00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:20,360 I suppose you would always expect that to be true when there are theologians involved, 12 00:01:20,360 --> 00:01:27,760 that there are at least two different opinions, and in this regard there are at least three. 13 00:01:27,760 --> 00:01:36,280 But the scheme of things that I prefer, which I follow, is the premillennial sequence, which 14 00:01:36,280 --> 00:01:42,440 means that we believe that there is going to come yet upon the earth a literal 1,000 15 00:01:42,440 --> 00:01:45,080 year reign of Christ. 16 00:01:45,080 --> 00:01:48,240 The word millennium means 1,000 years. 17 00:01:48,240 --> 00:01:54,640 It refers to the millennial kingdom, the reign of the Lord Jesus Christ. 18 00:01:54,640 --> 00:01:59,720 There are good people who don't agree with us on that, and we certainly want to respect 19 00:01:59,720 --> 00:02:00,720 them. 20 00:02:00,720 --> 00:02:06,520 But if you take the Bible literally, which I think is the only legitimate way to interpret 21 00:02:06,520 --> 00:02:13,200 it, if you understand it in its historical and grammatical context and interpret it literally 22 00:02:13,200 --> 00:02:21,840 in that sense, then I believe it leads you to the sequence that we're looking at. 23 00:02:21,840 --> 00:02:28,680 You will notice that it mentions the nation of Israel here, and there is the cross of 24 00:02:28,680 --> 00:02:33,560 the Lord Jesus Christ when the Messiah was rejected. 25 00:02:33,560 --> 00:02:39,440 This of course was prophesied in the Old Testament, including that crucial chapter of the ninth 26 00:02:39,440 --> 00:02:45,200 chapter of Daniel, in which he predicted when Messiah would come, present himself, that 27 00:02:45,200 --> 00:02:50,960 he would be cut off, referring to his crucifixion. 28 00:02:50,960 --> 00:02:56,640 As a result of those events surrounding Messiah's rejection when he came to his own and his 29 00:02:56,640 --> 00:03:00,760 own received him not, Israel was set aside. 30 00:03:00,760 --> 00:03:03,160 It was scattered. 31 00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:09,560 Romans chapters 9, 10, and 11, it seems to me, point to God's sovereign purpose in all 32 00:03:09,560 --> 00:03:10,560 of that. 33 00:03:10,560 --> 00:03:11,560 It was not accidental. 34 00:03:11,560 --> 00:03:13,360 It was part of his plan. 35 00:03:13,360 --> 00:03:20,160 But Israel as a nation, as the people of God, were set aside for this period of time that 36 00:03:20,160 --> 00:03:26,200 we call the church age, or which is called here on this chart, the times of the Gentiles. 37 00:03:26,200 --> 00:03:35,360 A time when God is visiting the Gentiles and is calling out a people for his name's sake, 38 00:03:35,360 --> 00:03:37,040 as is said in Acts chapter 15. 39 00:03:37,040 --> 00:03:41,640 Now it's not that the Jews aren't saved, they are saved in this time, but the church 40 00:03:41,640 --> 00:03:47,620 is largely and primarily, in its total make-up, Gentile. 41 00:03:47,620 --> 00:03:53,520 The church age is lasting, now some 2,000 years. 42 00:03:53,520 --> 00:03:59,720 As our Lord returned to heaven, the Holy Spirit came on the day of Pentecost. 43 00:03:59,720 --> 00:04:04,400 We're living, we believe, very close to the end of this age that we call here the church 44 00:04:04,400 --> 00:04:06,280 age. 45 00:04:06,280 --> 00:04:10,320 It is a time when Israel will return to the land. 46 00:04:10,320 --> 00:04:14,800 I don't think that shows up very well in this particular overhead. 47 00:04:14,800 --> 00:04:19,960 But Israel, having been scattered, returns to the land. 48 00:04:19,960 --> 00:04:28,640 And it seems to me that the return to the land in 1948 may well be the fulfillment, 49 00:04:28,640 --> 00:04:33,840 or at least a step toward the ultimate fulfillment of God's promise to the Jews to return them 50 00:04:33,840 --> 00:04:37,900 to that land. 51 00:04:37,900 --> 00:04:45,640 During the tribulation period, which is the closing of this particular time period, Israel 52 00:04:45,640 --> 00:04:47,720 will again be in center stage. 53 00:04:47,720 --> 00:04:48,960 Now why is that? 54 00:04:48,960 --> 00:04:52,600 Well, it's because the church is raptured. 55 00:04:52,600 --> 00:04:57,440 You can see in this chart that, again, the theologians have debated, and there are a 56 00:04:57,440 --> 00:05:00,680 couple of other positions here represented by the dotted lines. 57 00:05:00,680 --> 00:05:06,120 But of course, it's the solid line that is correct in these charts. 58 00:05:06,120 --> 00:05:09,280 I think that's how it works. 59 00:05:09,280 --> 00:05:17,480 And it shows here, thanks Roy, it shows here what is called the pre-tribulational rapture 60 00:05:17,480 --> 00:05:23,120 of the church, which means that the church is taken out of the world, called out. 61 00:05:23,120 --> 00:05:31,440 First Thessalonians 4, 1 Corinthians 15, Philippians 3, and is not in the world any longer. 62 00:05:31,440 --> 00:05:38,820 That initiates this period called the tribulation, which is approximately seven years in length. 63 00:05:38,820 --> 00:05:42,520 Or maybe a better way to say it would be it's at least seven years in length. 64 00:05:42,520 --> 00:05:48,980 There are seven years yet to be fulfilled in Israel's history. 65 00:05:48,980 --> 00:05:55,400 You recall that in Daniel chapter 9 again, there were 490 years prophesied for the people 66 00:05:55,400 --> 00:05:57,480 of Israel to Daniel. 67 00:05:57,480 --> 00:06:01,560 483 of those were fulfilled here. 68 00:06:01,560 --> 00:06:06,480 And then there. 69 00:06:06,480 --> 00:06:09,500 And the clock stopped. 70 00:06:09,500 --> 00:06:16,200 And it has not moved, but the last seven years, totaling the 490, will take place in this 71 00:06:16,200 --> 00:06:19,280 tribulation time. 72 00:06:19,280 --> 00:06:22,040 Well that brings us up to the context of where we are now. 73 00:06:22,040 --> 00:06:29,040 I want to throw another overhead on here that will take that tribulation period and display 74 00:06:29,040 --> 00:06:33,240 it in a certain way. 75 00:06:33,240 --> 00:06:37,480 This is a colored overhead. 76 00:06:37,480 --> 00:06:44,240 It's a little hard for you to see, but what we have here, the total of seven years, is 77 00:06:44,240 --> 00:06:47,960 divided into two periods, each three and a half years long. 78 00:06:47,960 --> 00:06:51,760 And that plays into our study tonight. 79 00:06:51,760 --> 00:06:59,140 For the three and a half years is equal to 42 months, or 1,260 days. 80 00:06:59,140 --> 00:07:05,600 Or it's also called in Daniel, as you may recall, time, times, and a half a time. 81 00:07:05,600 --> 00:07:08,880 But all of that refers to a three and a half year period. 82 00:07:08,880 --> 00:07:13,400 The total of the seven is broken into two three and a half year periods. 83 00:07:13,400 --> 00:07:19,400 And the person who drew up this chart laid out for us, at least how he saw or how she 84 00:07:19,400 --> 00:07:25,400 saw the chapters of Revelation in the middle of the book. 85 00:07:25,400 --> 00:07:30,600 And this person believes that chapters seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, and twelve take 86 00:07:30,600 --> 00:07:32,760 place here in the first three and a half years. 87 00:07:32,760 --> 00:07:36,960 So generally I would agree with that, and that beginning in chapter twelve and on, we 88 00:07:36,960 --> 00:07:40,000 have the last three and a half years of the tribulation. 89 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:45,560 In other words, we believe that the best understanding of the book of the Revelation is that it's 90 00:07:45,560 --> 00:07:48,640 laid out chronologically. 91 00:07:48,640 --> 00:07:56,040 It's not just a hodgepodge, but there is a certain movement, a purpose, a sequence of 92 00:07:56,040 --> 00:07:59,760 events in the book of the Revelation. 93 00:07:59,760 --> 00:08:08,480 And as we come to chapter ten in our study this evening, we are coming to the midpoint 94 00:08:08,480 --> 00:08:10,200 of the tribulation period. 95 00:08:10,200 --> 00:08:20,920 Now John does step back from the chronology of the book and he gives us some material 96 00:08:20,920 --> 00:08:23,820 to fill in the blanks. 97 00:08:23,820 --> 00:08:27,480 And so that's what happens as we come to chapter ten. 98 00:08:27,480 --> 00:08:35,640 The chronology here stops and John is backing up to give us some background material that 99 00:08:35,640 --> 00:08:38,720 we need to know. 100 00:08:38,720 --> 00:08:47,360 You will notice that the tenth chapter focuses on an angel with a little book. 101 00:08:47,360 --> 00:08:51,200 And verses one through seven we see this angel discussed. 102 00:08:51,200 --> 00:08:59,000 John says, and I saw still another mighty angel coming down from heaven, clothed with 103 00:08:59,000 --> 00:09:00,000 a cloud. 104 00:09:00,000 --> 00:09:07,320 And the question that has often been asked by students of the Bible is, who is this angel? 105 00:09:07,320 --> 00:09:12,200 And there are some that we respect a great deal who believe that the possessor of the 106 00:09:12,200 --> 00:09:21,040 little book is the Lord Jesus Christ, here manifesting himself as an angel. 107 00:09:21,040 --> 00:09:25,160 And they do that because of the description of this being. 108 00:09:25,160 --> 00:09:30,560 It is a spectacular person that John sees. 109 00:09:30,560 --> 00:09:32,360 You say, well are angels persons? 110 00:09:32,360 --> 00:09:34,360 Yes they are. 111 00:09:34,360 --> 00:09:35,600 They are indeed persons. 112 00:09:35,600 --> 00:09:38,080 They are not human persons. 113 00:09:38,080 --> 00:09:40,720 They are spiritual persons. 114 00:09:40,720 --> 00:09:48,000 But they have individuality and personality somewhat similar to ours. 115 00:09:48,000 --> 00:09:52,520 And so as we think about the identity of this one described as an angel, there are some 116 00:09:52,520 --> 00:09:55,840 who say this is the Lord Jesus Christ. 117 00:09:55,840 --> 00:10:03,540 However, I believe that this is indeed an angel and not the Lord Jesus Christ. 118 00:10:03,540 --> 00:10:09,240 If this were Christ, it would be the only time since Bethlehem, that is when he came 119 00:10:09,240 --> 00:10:14,200 incarnate into the world, that he ever again appeared as an angel. 120 00:10:14,200 --> 00:10:20,480 As you know in the Old Testament, he appeared in a pre-incarnate form as the angel of the 121 00:10:20,480 --> 00:10:21,480 Lord. 122 00:10:21,480 --> 00:10:28,640 But once he joined himself to humanity through the miracle of the virgin birth and what happened 123 00:10:28,640 --> 00:10:35,160 at Bethlehem, we don't see him again appearing as an angel unless this be the exception. 124 00:10:35,160 --> 00:10:40,900 Furthermore, when the word angel is used in the book of Revelation, it always refers to 125 00:10:40,900 --> 00:10:45,520 an angel unless again this be the exception. 126 00:10:45,520 --> 00:10:50,440 I don't see an overwhelming reason to consider this an exception. 127 00:10:50,440 --> 00:10:57,700 It is a mighty angel, a strong angel, angels of course are God's servants to do his bidding. 128 00:10:57,700 --> 00:11:00,040 We often neglect their existence. 129 00:11:00,040 --> 00:11:04,680 I think when we get to heaven, we will be surprised to learn how much they have been 130 00:11:04,680 --> 00:11:13,440 involved in our lives in the world and involved certainly in the flow, the progress of human 131 00:11:13,440 --> 00:11:15,640 history. 132 00:11:15,640 --> 00:11:21,840 Now this very powerful angel is described with grandeur and splendor that is awesome. 133 00:11:21,840 --> 00:11:25,080 It says a rainbow was on his head. 134 00:11:25,080 --> 00:11:29,160 Now the last time we saw the rainbow in the book of Revelation, it was around the throne 135 00:11:29,160 --> 00:11:30,160 of God. 136 00:11:30,160 --> 00:11:35,800 And of course the rainbow originated at the time the flood ended. 137 00:11:35,800 --> 00:11:40,800 It was a sign of God's faithfulness and God's mercy to the world. 138 00:11:40,800 --> 00:11:46,680 When we see the rainbow today in the sky after a summer thunderstorm, it reminds us of the 139 00:11:46,680 --> 00:11:51,000 mercy of God that the rain stopped. 140 00:11:51,000 --> 00:11:53,060 It did not continue. 141 00:11:53,060 --> 00:11:55,280 It did not create another flood. 142 00:11:55,280 --> 00:12:02,200 God allowed that rainbow to be in the sky as a perpetual reminder of his mercy to the 143 00:12:02,200 --> 00:12:07,920 human race and that he would not destroy the race again by a flood. 144 00:12:07,920 --> 00:12:15,680 So here the rainbow around the head of the angel depicts the mercy and the faithfulness 145 00:12:15,680 --> 00:12:17,960 of God. 146 00:12:17,960 --> 00:12:21,840 Now it says that his face was like the sun. 147 00:12:21,840 --> 00:12:28,880 Again this reminds us of the Lord Jesus in his transfiguration or when Saul saw him on 148 00:12:28,880 --> 00:12:31,200 the road to Damascus. 149 00:12:31,200 --> 00:12:33,280 But I don't believe this is Jesus. 150 00:12:33,280 --> 00:12:35,480 This is rather an angel. 151 00:12:35,480 --> 00:12:38,600 His feet are like pillars of fire. 152 00:12:38,600 --> 00:12:42,040 And it says he has a little book open in his hand. 153 00:12:42,040 --> 00:12:45,660 And again a question arises, what is this little book? 154 00:12:45,660 --> 00:12:51,760 Is it the scroll that Jesus took from the one who sat on the throne, from the Father 155 00:12:51,760 --> 00:12:53,960 back in chapter 5? 156 00:12:53,960 --> 00:12:57,100 The word here is different than the word there. 157 00:12:57,100 --> 00:12:59,400 The word there refers to a scroll. 158 00:12:59,400 --> 00:13:02,540 Here it's a different word meaning a small scroll. 159 00:13:02,540 --> 00:13:09,120 So I wouldn't understand it as being the same document as we've seen a couple of chapters 160 00:13:09,120 --> 00:13:10,480 ago in this book. 161 00:13:10,480 --> 00:13:17,520 But rather we have here probably a little scroll that represents some aspect of God's 162 00:13:17,520 --> 00:13:24,280 revelation for what is going to take place by the power of this angel. 163 00:13:24,280 --> 00:13:32,060 Or another way of saying it, what he has in his hands may be his marching orders. 164 00:13:32,060 --> 00:13:38,960 Now it says that he set his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land. 165 00:13:38,960 --> 00:13:46,000 And we think my, what a majestic personage this is to be able to do this. 166 00:13:46,000 --> 00:13:52,560 He is not merely the size of a human being, but he is obviously much larger than that. 167 00:13:52,560 --> 00:13:56,400 That presents no problem to an angel. 168 00:13:56,400 --> 00:14:02,120 And as he positions himself he places his feet carefully on the land and the sea, perhaps 169 00:14:02,120 --> 00:14:05,720 to claim it for God. 170 00:14:05,720 --> 00:14:12,520 And it says that he cries with a loud voice as when a lion roars, depicting to us the 171 00:14:12,520 --> 00:14:20,160 majesty and the authority that was in his voice and what he said literally, it might 172 00:14:20,160 --> 00:14:23,360 say here, he screamed. 173 00:14:23,360 --> 00:14:30,000 It means to cry out loudly and then as I say it further describes a low rumble like the 174 00:14:30,000 --> 00:14:33,040 deep resonant voice of a lion. 175 00:14:33,040 --> 00:14:41,360 When I read this I think of that British broadcasting production of the lion, the witch and the 176 00:14:41,360 --> 00:14:51,600 wardrobe and Aslan who at one point in that depiction roars with a mighty voice of a lion. 177 00:14:51,600 --> 00:14:55,560 Well here that is how the angels voice sounds. 178 00:14:55,560 --> 00:15:01,400 And it says that when he had cried out seven thunders uttered their voices. 179 00:15:01,400 --> 00:15:06,300 Vernon McGee called these thunders God's amen. 180 00:15:06,300 --> 00:15:15,680 It is a response to whatever the angels said and it is a mighty response. 181 00:15:15,680 --> 00:15:21,180 Whatever it was that was said was only for John's illumination. 182 00:15:21,180 --> 00:15:25,820 Because it says that when these thunders had uttered their voices John was about to write 183 00:15:25,820 --> 00:15:28,240 what he heard. 184 00:15:28,240 --> 00:15:33,460 But John says I heard a voice from heaven saying to me seal up the things which the 185 00:15:33,460 --> 00:15:37,360 seven thunders uttered and do not write them. 186 00:15:37,360 --> 00:15:42,560 So whatever it was that John heard he was not permitted to record for us. 187 00:15:42,560 --> 00:15:47,820 This is the only place in the book of the revelation where something is concealed. 188 00:15:47,820 --> 00:15:50,560 This is a book of revelation. 189 00:15:50,560 --> 00:15:55,520 This is a book in which things are revealed but in this case God said John this is not 190 00:15:55,520 --> 00:15:59,160 for public announcement at least yet. 191 00:15:59,160 --> 00:16:02,160 So do not write it. 192 00:16:02,160 --> 00:16:06,800 When the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land lifted up his hand to 193 00:16:06,800 --> 00:16:14,480 heaven and swore by him who lives forever and ever who created heaven and the things 194 00:16:14,480 --> 00:16:19,200 that are in it, the earth and the things that are in it and the sea and the things that 195 00:16:19,200 --> 00:16:24,200 are in it that there should be delay no longer. 196 00:16:24,200 --> 00:16:29,720 The King James version puts it there should be time no longer but that is not what he 197 00:16:29,720 --> 00:16:30,720 is saying. 198 00:16:30,720 --> 00:16:36,120 It means that there should not be a stretching out of the time any longer, no more delay. 199 00:16:36,120 --> 00:16:39,360 In other words let's get on with it. 200 00:16:39,360 --> 00:16:44,200 It's time for the real judgment from God to be poured out. 201 00:16:44,200 --> 00:16:50,440 Now already fierce judgments have been poured out as we've seen in our study. 202 00:16:50,440 --> 00:16:57,600 Approximately one half of the population of the earth has died as a result of the judgments 203 00:16:57,600 --> 00:16:59,700 that God has poured out. 204 00:16:59,700 --> 00:17:05,600 And yet now this angel says no more delay. 205 00:17:05,600 --> 00:17:08,000 It's time to get on with it. 206 00:17:08,000 --> 00:17:12,000 In the days of the sounding of the seventh angel when he is about to sound the mystery 207 00:17:12,000 --> 00:17:18,320 of God would be finished as he declared to his servants the prophets. 208 00:17:18,320 --> 00:17:24,340 The mystery of God that is mentioned here may include all of the mysteries as we see 209 00:17:24,340 --> 00:17:28,000 them unfolded in the word of God. 210 00:17:28,000 --> 00:17:31,800 And it probably does refer to all of them summed up. 211 00:17:31,800 --> 00:17:38,240 He is saying that it is time to get on with all of the decrees, the purposes of God. 212 00:17:38,240 --> 00:17:45,120 That all of them be fulfilled and that nothing be delayed any longer. 213 00:17:45,120 --> 00:17:51,540 And John says then the voice which I heard from heaven spoke to me again and said go 214 00:17:51,540 --> 00:17:56,860 take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and 215 00:17:56,860 --> 00:17:58,520 on the earth. 216 00:17:58,520 --> 00:18:07,980 What an awesome command this must have been for John to walk to this angel that he saw 217 00:18:07,980 --> 00:18:14,000 and to receive from this angel that little scroll. 218 00:18:14,000 --> 00:18:19,520 And I went to the angel he says and I said give me the little book and he said to me 219 00:18:19,520 --> 00:18:27,360 take and eat it and it will make your stomach bitter but it will be as sweet as honey in 220 00:18:27,360 --> 00:18:28,360 your mouth. 221 00:18:28,360 --> 00:18:37,520 And so John was told to eat it which seems to indicate that he is to fully digest it. 222 00:18:37,520 --> 00:18:43,360 He is to appropriate what is in that book. 223 00:18:43,360 --> 00:18:48,600 Now this is not the first time that a command like this or similar to this has been given 224 00:18:48,600 --> 00:18:50,100 in the word of God. 225 00:18:50,100 --> 00:18:57,120 It happened to Jeremiah, it happened to Ezekiel and in those cases the eating of the scroll 226 00:18:57,120 --> 00:19:02,600 symbolizing the eating or the appropriating of God's word produced sweetness or there 227 00:19:02,600 --> 00:19:05,760 was a pleasant result but not in this case. 228 00:19:05,760 --> 00:19:12,360 There would be sweetness to the mouth but the result would be a tummy ache. 229 00:19:12,360 --> 00:19:15,640 He says it is going to be bitter in your stomach. 230 00:19:15,640 --> 00:19:18,240 Now why is that? 231 00:19:18,240 --> 00:19:24,360 Well the things in the book would be pleasant to John in that it would be the unveiling 232 00:19:24,360 --> 00:19:25,960 of the justice of God. 233 00:19:25,960 --> 00:19:30,720 God is going to be glorified in the things that are about now to take place because of 234 00:19:30,720 --> 00:19:35,540 the ministry of this mighty angel who is getting things moving on. 235 00:19:35,540 --> 00:19:41,040 God is going to be glorified and for any believer that is a sweet thing. 236 00:19:41,040 --> 00:19:47,300 That our God be exalted and honored and praised for he alone is worthy. 237 00:19:47,300 --> 00:19:56,000 But it also in this case brings judgment to the world and because of that aspect of the 238 00:19:56,000 --> 00:20:02,800 judgment coming there seems to be this sense of bitterness in his stomach because that 239 00:20:02,800 --> 00:20:04,440 is not pleasant. 240 00:20:04,440 --> 00:20:06,760 It is not pleasant to God. 241 00:20:06,760 --> 00:20:10,860 God does not delight in the death of the wicked nor should we. 242 00:20:10,860 --> 00:20:17,600 We do delight and find pleasant the fact that God is going to be exonerated if I can put 243 00:20:17,600 --> 00:20:18,600 it that way. 244 00:20:18,600 --> 00:20:25,500 He is going to be exalted that his righteousness is going to be vindicated but at the same 245 00:20:25,500 --> 00:20:32,920 time to many many people that is going to bring judgment and eternal judgment. 246 00:20:32,920 --> 00:20:39,560 So John ate the little scroll as he was told and it happened exactly as he said. 247 00:20:39,560 --> 00:20:47,000 He said to me you must prophesy again about many people's nations tongues and kings. 248 00:20:47,000 --> 00:20:54,680 So it seems that what John now ate is going to be coming through him to us. 249 00:20:54,680 --> 00:20:55,680 He is going to prophesy. 250 00:20:55,680 --> 00:20:59,880 He is going to give out what he himself has taken in. 251 00:20:59,880 --> 00:21:05,360 Folks there is a spiritual lesson here for you and me that we first need to partake of 252 00:21:05,360 --> 00:21:10,640 the word of God before we can give it out to others. 253 00:21:10,640 --> 00:21:16,760 We have to ourselves eat of it as it were and make it really a part of us. 254 00:21:16,760 --> 00:21:23,080 We have to digest it into our spiritual systems before we can be effective then in communicating 255 00:21:23,080 --> 00:21:26,440 it to others. 256 00:21:26,440 --> 00:21:31,960 Well so much for the little book and John's eating of that book and the effect of it upon 257 00:21:31,960 --> 00:21:33,480 him. 258 00:21:33,480 --> 00:21:37,960 We come now to the eleventh chapter and we are going to look at the first fourteen verses 259 00:21:37,960 --> 00:21:43,720 this evening and think about not only the little book but the two witnesses, the latter 260 00:21:43,720 --> 00:21:45,880 part of the outline that you have. 261 00:21:45,880 --> 00:22:03,200 We are going to talk about their identity, their power, their martyrdom and their resurrection. 262 00:22:03,200 --> 00:22:10,600 When I was given a read like a measuring rod and the angel stood saying, rise and measure 263 00:22:10,600 --> 00:22:17,440 the temple of God, the altar and those who worship there. 264 00:22:17,440 --> 00:22:21,000 So John is given a command as this chapter begins. 265 00:22:21,000 --> 00:22:27,920 He is to take this rod in his hand representing an instrument of measurement probably about 266 00:22:27,920 --> 00:22:36,560 ten and a half feet long and he is told to measure out the temple of God, the altar which 267 00:22:36,560 --> 00:22:44,040 is a part of that complex and those who worship in the immediate context of the temple but 268 00:22:44,040 --> 00:22:50,120 leave out the court which is outside the temple and do not measure it for it has been given 269 00:22:50,120 --> 00:22:52,880 to the Gentiles. 270 00:22:52,880 --> 00:23:00,680 Now you may recall that the temple in Jerusalem had an outer area where the Gentiles could 271 00:23:00,680 --> 00:23:08,600 enter but they could not come into the immediate presence of the temple under penalty of death. 272 00:23:08,600 --> 00:23:12,400 That picture is carried over here what John is told to do. 273 00:23:12,400 --> 00:23:21,560 Now the first question that arises in this difficult chapter is what is this temple? 274 00:23:21,560 --> 00:23:30,120 Now those who do not take Revelation in a literal sense but who interpret it symbolically 275 00:23:30,120 --> 00:23:35,160 arrive at a number of different conclusions as to what the temple of God is and usually 276 00:23:35,160 --> 00:23:45,280 they say that it is either the church or that it is all believers or something of that sort. 277 00:23:45,280 --> 00:23:50,280 But it seems to me again if we are simply to take the word for what it says it is talking 278 00:23:50,280 --> 00:23:53,620 about a literal temple. 279 00:23:53,620 --> 00:23:58,360 So what is this building that John is to measure? 280 00:23:58,360 --> 00:24:00,720 Is this the heavenly temple? 281 00:24:00,720 --> 00:24:07,280 Well it does not seem so because it says that the outside of the temple has been given to 282 00:24:07,280 --> 00:24:08,280 the Gentiles. 283 00:24:08,280 --> 00:24:11,360 How could that hardly refer to heaven? 284 00:24:11,360 --> 00:24:15,880 There is of course the real temple in heaven, the one that was built on the earth was a 285 00:24:15,880 --> 00:24:21,160 mirror pattern after the real one in heaven. 286 00:24:21,160 --> 00:24:24,600 But what is this temple? 287 00:24:24,600 --> 00:24:30,240 Well it seems to me that the best answer is that it is the temple that will be rebuilt 288 00:24:30,240 --> 00:24:37,720 in Jerusalem in this tribulation period or just prior to it. 289 00:24:37,720 --> 00:24:44,280 It is possible that we will see the temple rebuilt before the rapture of the church takes 290 00:24:44,280 --> 00:24:46,200 place. 291 00:24:46,200 --> 00:24:51,880 That would be quite a phenomenal event for us to see. 292 00:24:51,880 --> 00:24:57,320 If there would be anything that would signal the shortness of the time before our Lord 293 00:24:57,320 --> 00:24:59,800 is coming it would be that. 294 00:24:59,800 --> 00:25:03,600 We may see that, I am not saying that we will, but we may see that. 295 00:25:03,600 --> 00:25:09,360 But certainly there will be a temple constructed in Jerusalem by the Jews and as you know the 296 00:25:09,360 --> 00:25:16,040 one thing that stands in the way now is the little matter of an Islamic mosque that is 297 00:25:16,040 --> 00:25:18,040 near that site. 298 00:25:18,040 --> 00:25:23,920 And it has been thought for all of these years that that mosque has been built on the exact 299 00:25:23,920 --> 00:25:26,600 site of the temple. 300 00:25:26,600 --> 00:25:34,240 Interestingly the biblical archeology review in an issue a few months ago suggested that 301 00:25:34,240 --> 00:25:41,320 in fact that may not be built exactly where the temple was and that the temple area may 302 00:25:41,320 --> 00:25:45,800 be just slightly away from that mosque. 303 00:25:45,800 --> 00:25:52,720 And so it would seem that the temple might be, if that is true and can be confirmed, 304 00:25:52,720 --> 00:25:57,560 that it may be that this temple can be built without the removal of the mosque which of 305 00:25:57,560 --> 00:26:06,000 course would create quite a war in the Middle East if the Jewish nation tried to remove 306 00:26:06,000 --> 00:26:08,240 that mosque. 307 00:26:08,240 --> 00:26:14,600 And so we may see that temple constructed where they now believe it actually was. 308 00:26:14,600 --> 00:26:25,320 As I recall it was just a bit to the north of where the mosque of Omar is currently located. 309 00:26:25,320 --> 00:26:28,760 Well John is told to go to this temple to measure it out. 310 00:26:28,760 --> 00:26:32,920 The idea seems to be to claim it, to stake it out. 311 00:26:32,920 --> 00:26:38,680 It's not so much to see what size it is as it is to indicate that this is being staked 312 00:26:38,680 --> 00:26:42,640 out by God, this area, this territory. 313 00:26:42,640 --> 00:26:49,200 He is specifically told however not to include that outside area, the court of the Gentiles, 314 00:26:49,200 --> 00:26:56,440 as they will tread it underfoot, the holy city, and he goes on to say here that they 315 00:26:56,440 --> 00:26:59,120 will tread it under city for 42 months. 316 00:26:59,120 --> 00:27:08,460 And so we have this three and a half year period calculated in months. 317 00:27:08,460 --> 00:27:17,160 The time we live in now is called, as we referred to earlier, the time of the Gentiles. 318 00:27:17,160 --> 00:27:26,080 Here we see there's a special assignment to this area around the temple that the Gentiles 319 00:27:26,080 --> 00:27:32,680 will tread underfoot for this three and a half year period in some specific sense. 320 00:27:32,680 --> 00:27:39,000 And so the question seems to be, well what is this three and a half year period? 321 00:27:39,000 --> 00:27:46,240 And it seems to me that this three and a half year period is the last half of the tribulation 322 00:27:46,240 --> 00:27:47,240 period. 323 00:27:47,240 --> 00:27:53,920 The temple will be built in the first part or just prior to it. 324 00:27:53,920 --> 00:27:59,880 And during that first part of the tribulation, the first half of it, there will be the sacrifices 325 00:27:59,880 --> 00:28:07,000 in the temple that will be permitted and the rituals, the Old Testament rituals, in some 326 00:28:07,000 --> 00:28:10,360 sense will be resumed. 327 00:28:10,360 --> 00:28:15,600 But then at the three and a half year point, Scripture indicates that the Antichrist who 328 00:28:15,600 --> 00:28:21,920 has been gaining power in Europe and has made a covenant with Israel for seven years will 329 00:28:21,920 --> 00:28:27,880 come to Jerusalem and commit the abomination of desolations. 330 00:28:27,880 --> 00:28:35,560 That is, he will enter into the temple in Jerusalem and there declare that he is God 331 00:28:35,560 --> 00:28:40,820 and will demand that he be worshiped as God. 332 00:28:40,820 --> 00:28:48,560 From that point on, seems to be the 42 months referred to here, when that temple area will 333 00:28:48,560 --> 00:28:56,960 be dominated by the Gentiles and by their prince, the Antichrist. 334 00:28:56,960 --> 00:28:58,720 Now this further information is given. 335 00:28:58,720 --> 00:29:08,760 I will give power to my two witnesses and they will prophesy 1,260 days clothed in sack 336 00:29:08,760 --> 00:29:10,500 cloth. 337 00:29:10,500 --> 00:29:16,800 And so again we have a three and a half year period, this time calculated in days. 338 00:29:16,800 --> 00:29:23,720 These months, by the way, are lunar months and that's why you come up with the 1,260 339 00:29:23,720 --> 00:29:26,480 days. 340 00:29:26,480 --> 00:29:30,760 And I should back up and say there are again those who take these days and these months 341 00:29:30,760 --> 00:29:33,800 as being symbolic of a period of time. 342 00:29:33,800 --> 00:29:39,560 However, because it is so specific, it hardly seems to me fair to say this is merely symbolic 343 00:29:39,560 --> 00:29:45,200 and stands for something and try to take a guess as to what it stands for. 344 00:29:45,200 --> 00:29:48,600 It says 42 months and I believe we ought to understand it that way. 345 00:29:48,600 --> 00:29:55,200 It says 1,260 days, we ought to understand it, literally that period of time. 346 00:29:55,200 --> 00:30:00,580 But the question is, well, what three and a half year period is in view here? 347 00:30:00,580 --> 00:30:06,920 When do these witnesses come and prophesy clothed in their sack cloth? 348 00:30:06,920 --> 00:30:12,640 Well, it seems that here he's backing up and talking about that first three and a half 349 00:30:12,640 --> 00:30:14,560 year period. 350 00:30:14,560 --> 00:30:19,520 During the time that this temple is being used by the Jews and before Antichrist comes 351 00:30:19,520 --> 00:30:26,640 and commits the abomination, that these witnesses are going to be proclaiming on behalf of God 352 00:30:26,640 --> 00:30:32,920 to the world the necessity of repentance. 353 00:30:32,920 --> 00:30:35,560 And there is the question then, who are these witnesses? 354 00:30:35,560 --> 00:30:39,240 Now I told you this is a difficult chapter and it is. 355 00:30:39,240 --> 00:30:40,880 Who are these witnesses? 356 00:30:40,880 --> 00:30:42,480 What is their identity? 357 00:30:42,480 --> 00:30:48,840 Well, this again has a number of answers as you might suspect, but most people say, well, 358 00:30:48,840 --> 00:30:55,000 one of them surely must be Elijah, for in Malachi 4 it says to the effect that Elijah 359 00:30:55,000 --> 00:31:00,320 will come and preach before the coming of the Lord. 360 00:31:00,320 --> 00:31:06,040 And although John the Baptist was something of a picture of that, it does not seem that 361 00:31:06,040 --> 00:31:10,840 John the Baptist was a fulfillment of that prophecy. 362 00:31:10,840 --> 00:31:19,160 It seems to me that we may well expect that Elijah will return from heaven and will be 363 00:31:19,160 --> 00:31:22,080 one of these two witnesses. 364 00:31:22,080 --> 00:31:23,080 Why Elijah? 365 00:31:23,080 --> 00:31:27,240 Well, because Elijah, as you know, did not die. 366 00:31:27,240 --> 00:31:34,880 He was caught up with a chariot of fire and taken into heaven bodily and did not die. 367 00:31:34,880 --> 00:31:41,080 And so he is probably a good guess for one of the two witnesses. 368 00:31:41,080 --> 00:31:44,800 Well then others say, well, if he is the prophet, it must be Moses the law. 369 00:31:44,800 --> 00:31:47,800 The law and the prophets are represented here. 370 00:31:47,800 --> 00:31:52,800 And Moses must be going to return and be one of these two and that could well be. 371 00:31:52,800 --> 00:32:00,080 There's a strong argument that the other witness would be Moses come back to the earth. 372 00:32:00,080 --> 00:32:08,500 But Moses, as you know, did die and his body was buried by God. 373 00:32:08,500 --> 00:32:14,840 There is one other man who did not die in the Old Testament and that is Enoch, who lived 374 00:32:14,840 --> 00:32:17,800 in those days before the flood. 375 00:32:17,800 --> 00:32:22,840 Enoch went out one day walking with God and simply was not. 376 00:32:22,840 --> 00:32:27,240 He disappeared for God took him home. 377 00:32:27,240 --> 00:32:32,160 And so it may be that the other witness to come back is the other man in the history 378 00:32:32,160 --> 00:32:38,000 of the world who left the earth without dying, Enoch. 379 00:32:38,000 --> 00:32:43,000 If so, then you have a rather of a balance here between those who were after the flood 380 00:32:43,000 --> 00:32:52,040 and those who were before the flood, a representative at least of both of these civilizations. 381 00:32:52,040 --> 00:32:55,840 It would make sense that the other would be Enoch in that both of these witnesses are 382 00:32:55,840 --> 00:32:56,840 put to death. 383 00:32:56,840 --> 00:33:03,360 And it does say in Hebrews that it's appointed unto man once to die. 384 00:33:03,360 --> 00:33:08,200 And Enoch as well as Elijah have not yet died in a physical sense. 385 00:33:08,200 --> 00:33:10,040 They have not died. 386 00:33:10,040 --> 00:33:12,920 But these witnesses will, as we'll see in a moment, die. 387 00:33:12,920 --> 00:33:18,280 It's interesting though that the information that John records for us doesn't relate these 388 00:33:18,280 --> 00:33:26,120 two witnesses at all to Elijah or Moses or to Enoch, but rather to two other people. 389 00:33:26,120 --> 00:33:31,800 Verse 4 says, these are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the 390 00:33:31,800 --> 00:33:33,960 God of the earth. 391 00:33:33,960 --> 00:33:39,640 The imagery here goes back to Zechariah, the fourth chapter. 392 00:33:39,640 --> 00:33:48,680 In that chapter, the two leaders of the returned exiles to Jerusalem. 393 00:33:48,680 --> 00:33:56,800 I'm speaking of Zerubbabel and Joshua or Jehoshua, not Joshua back in Moses' day, but another 394 00:33:56,800 --> 00:33:58,220 man. 395 00:33:58,220 --> 00:34:09,440 These two men led the nation of Israel in those days when they returned from their captivity. 396 00:34:09,440 --> 00:34:16,760 Zechariah sees them in the same imagery that these two witnesses are seen here. 397 00:34:16,760 --> 00:34:23,680 And God is saying in that imagery in Zechariah 4, you have these two men who stand before 398 00:34:23,680 --> 00:34:30,920 you as my witnesses, but it is not by their might or by power, but it is by my spirit, 399 00:34:30,920 --> 00:34:36,960 says the Lord of hosts, that the nation will be blessed. 400 00:34:36,960 --> 00:34:43,040 And so again, we have that kind of imagery called on here, that it's not these two men 401 00:34:43,040 --> 00:34:47,800 in themselves, it is the spirit of God working through them. 402 00:34:47,800 --> 00:34:53,000 Their resource is in God and they are God's witnesses, they are his lampstands in the 403 00:34:53,000 --> 00:34:56,840 world in this first half of the tribulation period. 404 00:34:56,840 --> 00:35:03,640 Well, it says, if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours 405 00:35:03,640 --> 00:35:05,280 their enemies. 406 00:35:05,280 --> 00:35:09,360 If anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner. 407 00:35:09,360 --> 00:35:13,040 And so these witnesses are supernaturally protected. 408 00:35:13,040 --> 00:35:20,440 And when we see this fire destroying their enemies, it reminds us of Elijah and the kinds 409 00:35:20,440 --> 00:35:27,480 of things that happened in his ministry and the ministry of Elisha who followed him. 410 00:35:27,480 --> 00:35:33,760 These have power to shut the heavens so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy. 411 00:35:33,760 --> 00:35:40,520 And again, that's Elijah, he did that in the days of Ahab the king. 412 00:35:40,520 --> 00:35:45,160 And they have power over waters to turn them to blood and to strike the earth with all 413 00:35:45,160 --> 00:35:48,360 plagues as often as they desire. 414 00:35:48,360 --> 00:35:54,480 And so of course, this is the imagery that pictures Moses to many people. 415 00:35:54,480 --> 00:36:01,240 And Moses was involved in the plagues of Egypt that these seem to draw their picture from. 416 00:36:01,240 --> 00:36:11,480 But whoever these two witnesses are, they are men who command a great deal of attention. 417 00:36:11,480 --> 00:36:14,680 The whole world knows about them. 418 00:36:14,680 --> 00:36:22,440 And because of what they declare, because of their testimony, because of their increasingly 419 00:36:22,440 --> 00:36:30,080 intense conflict with the Antichrist that seems to grow during these three and one half 420 00:36:30,080 --> 00:36:34,960 years, everybody is aware of them. 421 00:36:34,960 --> 00:36:40,800 It says that when they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless 422 00:36:40,800 --> 00:36:49,360 pit will make war against them and overcome them and kill them. 423 00:36:49,360 --> 00:36:54,560 You see, up until this point, they cannot be killed. 424 00:36:54,560 --> 00:37:01,560 Up until God is finished with them, they call fire down on their enemies. 425 00:37:01,560 --> 00:37:09,400 You see, the one who is serving God is protected by God. 426 00:37:09,400 --> 00:37:13,900 No harm can come to him except by God's hand. 427 00:37:13,900 --> 00:37:21,200 And here we see that clearly depicted in what happens to these two witnesses. 428 00:37:21,200 --> 00:37:30,080 When their work is done, God allows this beast, the Antichrist as we will see in chapter 13, 429 00:37:30,080 --> 00:37:32,880 he is called a beast there. 430 00:37:32,880 --> 00:37:34,840 This beast will make war against them. 431 00:37:34,840 --> 00:37:41,020 He will have had enough and he will overcome them and he will put them to death. 432 00:37:41,020 --> 00:37:43,680 They will be martyrs. 433 00:37:43,680 --> 00:37:48,440 And it says their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually 434 00:37:48,440 --> 00:37:51,480 is called Sodom and Egypt. 435 00:37:51,480 --> 00:37:56,280 Those are not two pleasant names in terms of Bible symbolism. 436 00:37:56,280 --> 00:38:03,480 You know what Sodom represents in terms of filthiness and perversion and rebellion against 437 00:38:03,480 --> 00:38:04,800 God. 438 00:38:04,800 --> 00:38:10,040 Egypt refers to basically the same kind of an idea. 439 00:38:10,040 --> 00:38:17,100 And so in this great city that is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt, their bodies will 440 00:38:17,100 --> 00:38:20,800 lay out in the open. 441 00:38:20,800 --> 00:38:24,720 And it says that this city is where our Lord was crucified. 442 00:38:24,720 --> 00:38:28,480 So it leaves no doubt as to what city is in view here. 443 00:38:28,480 --> 00:38:31,120 He's talking about Jerusalem. 444 00:38:31,120 --> 00:38:37,360 These men will be killed in Jerusalem and their bodies will lie there in the streets. 445 00:38:37,360 --> 00:38:45,320 And it says then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their dead bodies 446 00:38:45,320 --> 00:38:47,640 three and a half days. 447 00:38:47,640 --> 00:38:51,080 Well, is this literally three and a half days? 448 00:38:51,080 --> 00:38:54,280 Why not? 449 00:38:54,280 --> 00:38:56,920 Why not? 450 00:38:56,920 --> 00:38:57,920 How will they see them? 451 00:38:57,920 --> 00:39:04,280 Well, the answer is clear today since the 1940s as to how that can happen through television. 452 00:39:04,280 --> 00:39:08,280 I've said that they are going to be renowned throughout the world. 453 00:39:08,280 --> 00:39:15,440 When they are put to death, this is going to be instant news. 454 00:39:15,440 --> 00:39:19,440 I was listening to the radio and heard them break in and say that Thurgood Marshall had 455 00:39:19,440 --> 00:39:21,000 died in Washington. 456 00:39:21,000 --> 00:39:27,240 Well, this happened within minutes of the public being aware, just known everywhere 457 00:39:27,240 --> 00:39:29,680 that he had died. 458 00:39:29,680 --> 00:39:33,280 When these three men die, they're going to break into the networks. 459 00:39:33,280 --> 00:39:37,640 Everybody's going to know that they're dead and the television cameras will be focused 460 00:39:37,640 --> 00:39:38,640 on them. 461 00:39:38,640 --> 00:39:45,240 There will be reports from ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, and their bodies will be there for all 462 00:39:45,240 --> 00:39:47,840 the world to behold. 463 00:39:47,840 --> 00:39:51,680 And they will not allow their bodies to be put into graves. 464 00:39:51,680 --> 00:39:57,080 That's because they are mourning and weeping over the death of these men, right? 465 00:39:57,080 --> 00:39:58,480 Wrong. 466 00:39:58,480 --> 00:40:02,640 We have here a satanic Christmas celebration. 467 00:40:02,640 --> 00:40:04,460 Notice what happens. 468 00:40:04,460 --> 00:40:08,900 Those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them. 469 00:40:08,900 --> 00:40:16,520 Make merry and send gifts to one another because these two prophets tormented those who dwell 470 00:40:16,520 --> 00:40:19,140 on the earth. 471 00:40:19,140 --> 00:40:23,680 You see, they were the focus of a lot of hatred. 472 00:40:23,680 --> 00:40:28,480 And as a result of that, when they are put to death, there is rejoicing around the world 473 00:40:28,480 --> 00:40:33,480 and people send gifts like it was Christmas time to indicate how happy and merry they 474 00:40:33,480 --> 00:40:39,720 are that these two enemies of the people have now been dealt with and no longer will they 475 00:40:39,720 --> 00:40:46,200 be the source of torment and judgment upon them. 476 00:40:46,200 --> 00:40:49,920 But God isn't finished yet. 477 00:40:49,920 --> 00:40:56,840 He says, now after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God entered them and 478 00:40:56,840 --> 00:41:01,960 they stood on their feet and great fear fell on those who saw them. 479 00:41:01,960 --> 00:41:05,920 And so they are miraculously resuscitated. 480 00:41:05,920 --> 00:41:07,940 They are resurrected. 481 00:41:07,940 --> 00:41:11,960 They come to life and you can just imagine the sheer terror. 482 00:41:11,960 --> 00:41:17,640 And you talk about breaking into the programming when they were put to death. 483 00:41:17,640 --> 00:41:21,300 You talk about CNN being there live. 484 00:41:21,300 --> 00:41:24,920 When these two men come back to life, you can count on it. 485 00:41:24,920 --> 00:41:28,500 That is going to be world news. 486 00:41:28,500 --> 00:41:34,040 And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, come up here. 487 00:41:34,040 --> 00:41:36,880 Wait a minute. 488 00:41:36,880 --> 00:41:37,880 That rings a bell. 489 00:41:37,880 --> 00:41:39,480 Where have we heard that before? 490 00:41:39,480 --> 00:41:47,440 Well, those are exactly the words that were given to John when he was in the Isle of Patmos. 491 00:41:47,440 --> 00:41:52,160 And he looked up and there was a door open in heaven and God said, come up here. 492 00:41:52,160 --> 00:41:58,400 As I told you a few weeks ago, that's one reason I believe that heaven is not far away, 493 00:41:58,400 --> 00:42:05,320 but is merely another dimension of reality that is above the earth. 494 00:42:05,320 --> 00:42:12,640 And that God at any moment that he desires can cause that dimension to be made visible. 495 00:42:12,640 --> 00:42:18,760 I believe that at Bethlehem, the angels really just appeared right in heaven and the shepherds 496 00:42:18,760 --> 00:42:22,840 there in the fields saw into that next dimension. 497 00:42:22,840 --> 00:42:30,160 And then that dimension was closed up and the angels disappeared from their sight. 498 00:42:30,160 --> 00:42:34,720 And a door, God opened a door and allowed John to look up and see and to enter into 499 00:42:34,720 --> 00:42:35,720 that door. 500 00:42:35,720 --> 00:42:38,920 It was a way of getting into that other realm. 501 00:42:38,920 --> 00:42:44,120 And now these two witnesses hear a loud voice, the same phrase, and they ascended to heaven 502 00:42:44,120 --> 00:42:46,120 in a cloud. 503 00:42:46,120 --> 00:42:48,040 And their enemies saw them. 504 00:42:48,040 --> 00:42:51,040 Can you imagine the terror? 505 00:42:51,040 --> 00:42:57,880 Can you imagine the sense that must have come over the world, that will come over the world 506 00:42:57,880 --> 00:43:04,080 when these two men ascend into heaven on a cloud? 507 00:43:04,080 --> 00:43:11,000 And in the same hour there was a great earthquake and a tenth of the city fell. 508 00:43:11,000 --> 00:43:12,680 There's been an earthquake before. 509 00:43:12,680 --> 00:43:19,120 I think it was the sixth seal that was opened and there was an earthquake that did great 510 00:43:19,120 --> 00:43:20,600 devastation throughout the earth. 511 00:43:20,600 --> 00:43:26,120 There is a worse earthquake to come, the big one still to come in the book of Revelation. 512 00:43:26,120 --> 00:43:28,160 But here is another earthquake. 513 00:43:28,160 --> 00:43:29,520 This is in the city of Jerusalem. 514 00:43:29,520 --> 00:43:34,280 A tenth of the city of Jerusalem is destroyed. 515 00:43:34,280 --> 00:43:38,820 And it says 7,000 men were killed. 516 00:43:38,820 --> 00:43:45,400 Now the language suggests here that these are not just 7,000 commoners. 517 00:43:45,400 --> 00:43:52,480 It may be that these are 7,000 very important people, VIPs, who've come from around the 518 00:43:52,480 --> 00:43:58,000 world to this celebration of the death of these men. 519 00:43:58,000 --> 00:44:05,680 And they're there to lead the world in rejoicing that the two witnesses have been put to death, 520 00:44:05,680 --> 00:44:11,840 that after they ascend to heaven an earthquake comes and these people are killed, 7,000 of 521 00:44:11,840 --> 00:44:12,840 them. 522 00:44:12,840 --> 00:44:16,600 And the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven. 523 00:44:16,600 --> 00:44:23,840 Doesn't mean they were saved, but they recognized the source of what was taking place. 524 00:44:23,840 --> 00:44:25,920 And it says the second woe is past. 525 00:44:25,920 --> 00:44:33,440 Do you remember that angel flying around heaven saying, woe, woe, woe to the earth dwellers? 526 00:44:33,440 --> 00:44:40,320 Well, one woe has come, now the second one has passed, and the third one is just about 527 00:44:40,320 --> 00:44:41,320 to be announced. 528 00:44:41,320 --> 00:44:44,840 It comes with the seventh trumpet. 529 00:44:44,840 --> 00:44:48,960 And at this point we bring our study tonight to a close. 530 00:44:48,960 --> 00:44:55,380 One of the more fascinating chapters, and not an easy chapter, a lot of speculation 531 00:44:55,380 --> 00:45:00,000 here as to who these are and what this was about, but I can tell you that if we just 532 00:45:00,000 --> 00:45:05,800 come to this chapter and read it and let it say what it says, it seems to tell us of a 533 00:45:05,800 --> 00:45:18,000 very interesting time when God is going to bring two men in dynamic ministry to the world. 534 00:45:18,000 --> 00:45:22,960 They're going to be put to death, resurrected, taken back to heaven, and that is going to 535 00:45:22,960 --> 00:45:28,680 signal then, it seems, the last three and a half years. 536 00:45:28,680 --> 00:45:34,200 And what is often referred to as the great tribulation. 537 00:45:34,200 --> 00:45:41,800 The whole time is the tribulation, but the last half of it is extremely intense. 538 00:45:41,800 --> 00:45:44,960 The suffering is terrible. 539 00:45:44,960 --> 00:45:51,320 The cruelty, the wickedness of Antichrist is inhuman, as you would expect, because he 540 00:45:51,320 --> 00:45:56,960 is a satanically controlled individual. 541 00:45:56,960 --> 00:46:00,720 And so it is called the great tribulation. 542 00:46:00,720 --> 00:46:07,460 And as we return to our study in the Revelation next Sunday night, we will get into that period 543 00:46:07,460 --> 00:46:14,920 of time as we begin to look at the mysteries of Revelation chapter 12 that come out of 544 00:46:14,920 --> 00:46:17,440 the seventh trumpet. 545 00:46:17,440 --> 00:46:21,040 Now I invite you to bow with me in prayer. 546 00:46:21,040 --> 00:46:24,600 Don't we have much to give thanks to God for? 547 00:46:24,600 --> 00:46:36,640 How good God is in His grace to save us, to give us some understanding of the future. 548 00:46:36,640 --> 00:46:38,640 Let's sing together. 549 00:46:38,640 --> 00:46:57,520 Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, That saved a wretch like me. 550 00:46:57,520 --> 00:47:16,520 I once was lost, but now am found, Was blind, but now I see.