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How are you all doing today?

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Awesome.

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Hey, we always like to start our Sunday mornings

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by saying welcome to anybody that is joining us

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in our room for the first time,

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and anybody that is joining us online for the first time,

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we just wanna say welcome.

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We're so glad you're at our worship with us

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here today at Hosanna.

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I am Pastor Nathan, and this morning,

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we are going to attempt to answer some tough questions.

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Questions like, why does God allow Satan to run rampant,

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seemingly without restraint?

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Why doesn't he do something about it?

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Why doesn't he just end him, remove him?

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I mean, he's God, right?

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He has the power.

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You know, there's many that struggle

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with the apparent conflict between God being holy,

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and omnipotent, and almighty,

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with him seemingly to not intervene dramatically

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against the evil that we see in our world.

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And they'll think things like,

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if God loves his creation so much,

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why does he allow it to suffer so much?

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Well, Philip Yancey, in one of his books,

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he actually said that there are three questions

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that lurk inside all of us,

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questions that we might not ask

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because they sound like they're a little bit

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too unspiritual to ask.

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And he said these three big questions

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that even believers can be wondering in their head is,

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is God unfair?

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Is God silent?

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And is God hidden?

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And wrapped up in these questions

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are all the variations of these questions

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that we might come up with in our struggle

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to understand God and his ways.

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Questions like, why won't he just stop the work of Satan?

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When will Jesus come back?

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When will he come back and make the world

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how he wants it to be and how he intends it to be?

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Why aren't the wicked destroyed?

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Questions as we've seen the tribulation

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saints ask in Revelation,

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when are the righteous gonna be avenged?

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When will God stop waiting?

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Well, Revelation answers these questions.

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The answers of Revelation are all linked

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to what the prophets predicted

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as a time period called the Day of the Lord.

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This time period is a time period

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of final judgment on the earth

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that we refer to as the tribulation period,

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the 70th week of Daniel,

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this last seven year period of history

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in this age of earth's history

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where God will indeed step in and judge sin.

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But then interestingly enough,

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in chapter 10 where we are today,

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the answers to these questions

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seemingly are then further linked to the seventh

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trumpet judgment to come later in chapter 11.

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Because in Revelation 10, seven it says,

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in the days when the seventh angel will blow his trumpet,

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then the mystery of God will be completed

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as he announced to his servants the prophets.

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It's the mystery of God that is the hinge point

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to answering some of these difficult questions.

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You know, the judgments of God,

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they follow a pattern that we've been studying

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and seeing here in the book of Revelation.

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You often see six judgments, then there's a pause.

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There's a break in the action, if you will,

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an interlude and then a seventh judgment.

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We saw that in the first set of judgments with the seals.

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There were six seal judgments, seals that were broken

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as the scroll that the lamb had reclaimed there

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in heaven was unrolled.

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And as those six seals were broken,

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we got to a break in the action after the sixth one,

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an interlude, where we read there was silence

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in heaven for a half an hour,

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and then the seventh seal as the trumpets were introduced.

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Here we see the same pattern again.

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We've looked at six trumpet judgments so far

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through chapters eight and nine of Revelation,

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and now we get to an interlude, a break,

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a parenthetical, if you will,

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as we are gonna be looking at chapters 10

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and part of 11 next time,

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which gives us a glimpse of what's taking place

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in this break in the action,

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after which then we will see the seventh trumpet sound,

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and then later on we'll see the same pattern again

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as we see six bowl judgments, a pause, and then a seventh.

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But during those pauses, during those interludes,

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during those parentheticals,

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some things take place as recorded here in Revelation,

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and things that are just more information to us.

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You see, much like an author might be using a parenthetical

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as they're given a chronological narrative,

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they might stop and go meanwhile,

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and in the parenthetical they will tell you

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some other things that are taking place

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where we get this information, additional information,

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to understand what we've been reading,

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to understand where we're at and what is happening,

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and it also serves to be a break in the action

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because if you look at the judgments of Revelation

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chronologically like I do,

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you see that these judgments

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have been escalating in intensity,

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escalating in their destructive intensity on the earth,

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and after six it's almost like, okay, take a breath,

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hold on before it gets worse,

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and so we see this break in the action,

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this holding your breath like we're right before

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the next big drop, and so this whole progression, however,

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what I see in these six judgments, pause, seventh,

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six judgments, pause, seventh,

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is really a neat picture of God's heart.

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You see, it is not God's joy to bring the judgment

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of the tribulation period.

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He is not excited about it.

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He is not jumping for joy to unleash it.

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It breaks his heart, and as he is dropping these judgments

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in each step, we see God holding back a little bit,

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not unleashing the full power of his wrath,

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but unleashing a little bit, then a little bit more,

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then a little bit more, and a little bit more,

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all while waiting for those falling under that judgment

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to repent of their sin, to turn from their wicked ways

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and to turn towards him, and so we see that God's judgment

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is mingled with mercy, a picture we see

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all through the Bible, that his judgment is mingled

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with mercy, and each pause in Revelation

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demonstrates that mercy, and so the interlude

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we are looking at this morning in chapter 10

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centers around this mighty angel

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that is gonna be described here,

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and a little bitty scroll,

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and it answers the age-old question,

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why does God delay and allow sin to reign

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and abound in our world today?

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But let's pray, and then we'll open with some time

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of worship before we get into the word this morning.

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Father God, Lord, Revelation is difficult.

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It is scary and heartbreaking to see what is to come

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when you finally judge sin on this earth.

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But Lord, in the process of waiting for that time

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to come, God, sometimes we could be just concerned, Lord,

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about what we see taking place in the world, Lord,

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the evil we see today.

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God, we do understand that the evil we see today

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is nothing compared to the evil as we move forward

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and what will be taking place in the world

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during tribulation, God, and even that is hard to fathom.

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But Lord, we know that your delays aren't neglect,

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your delays aren't you being slack in your promises, Lord.

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Your delays have a purpose.

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There's a reason, God, and they show that your heart

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is that you desire all to be saved.

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Lord, you waited for us, and you're still waiting

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for others to come to know you, God.

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Help us to understand your will in the delay.

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Help us to understand your purpose in the waiting, God,

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that even when we are the ones that are the victims

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of suffering, Lord, we would be able to look at that

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with long-suffering, God, with the heart of God saying,

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Lord, the time is coming when sin will be judged,

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but we're not there yet because people still

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need to be saved.

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Lord, encourage us today.

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We love you, we thank you.

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It's in Jesus' name we pray, amen.

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With that, we are in Revelation chapter 10,

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if you wanna turn there or swipe there.

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It says in verse one, then I saw another mighty angel

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coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud

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with a rainbow over his head.

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His face was like the sun, his legs were like

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pillars of fire, and he held a little scroll

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opened in his hand.

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He put his right foot on the sea, his left on the land,

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and he called out with a loud voice, like a roaring lion.

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Now, the events of chapter 10 and part of chapter 11

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take place between the sixth and seventh trumpet judgments.

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This is the interlude I was talking about in the opening.

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And so the description of this interlude opens

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with the description of this very unusual messenger.

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And I use that word messenger because if you remember,

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the word that is translated angel there

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is a Greek word that simply means messenger.

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It is a neutral word, it doesn't specifically refer

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to supernatural beings only, it means a messenger.

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It could be a human messenger, it could be

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a supernatural messenger, it could be a few different

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interpretations of that, and so usually it's the context

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around the word where we then understand

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whether it refers to an angelic supernatural being

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as we understand angel or something else.

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Here, I do believe it refers to an angelic,

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supernatural angelic being.

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And as we've mentioned before, angels are all over

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Revelation, they're referred to some 60 different times

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throughout this Revelation, this book.

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And angels in this supernatural sense, as you see them

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in Revelation, are supernatural messengers of God.

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They operate on God's behalf, they're very special,

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unusual creatures, but what's specifically unusual

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about them is biblically much of their work,

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much of what they do revolves around little old us.

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Human beings, God's creation, the apples of his eye

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as the scriptures describe it, and so we can understand

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at least a little bit or maybe understand why

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these angels are tasked with ministering to us.

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But Hebrews chapter one verse 14 tells us this.

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Are they not all ministering spirits sent out

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to serve those who are going to inherit salvation?

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In that first chapter of Hebrews they're talking

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about the angels, it refers to them,

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and it asks this question, aren't they all ministering

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spirits sent out to serve those who are going

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to inherit salvation?

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So angels are like God's army, if you will.

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God's set of people doing God's work, people,

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not people in our sense, but God's army doing God's work

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on earth for God's people.

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That's who the angels are.

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Most of us probably go through our days,

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our day-to-day living, we don't really think

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about angels too much, you know?

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We don't wake up going, oh, are there angels here?

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Get up, and are there angels around me

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and drive down the street?

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Oh, thanks angels for flying next to me and keeping me safe.

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You know, we don't necessarily think of those terms, right?

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But angels exist, and they're ministering to us,

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as the Bible tells us, during all of our good

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and bad choices.

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Now we can't forget that biblically we know

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that there's a lot of angels, a uncountable multitude,

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as the Bible describes it.

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And the Bible does tell us that a third

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of this uncountable multitude of angels fell with Satan

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in the original rebellion.

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And we could find ourselves over-focusing on that, right?

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You know, the demons, the fallen angels,

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and forget that if one third fell,

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that means two thirds did not.

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So what that tells us is that fallen angels

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are outnumbered by good angels.

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And the good ones, the Bible tells us,

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are sent out to minister to, or to serve,

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those who are gonna inherit salvation.

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So angels are around us as God's people, serving,

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according to what God wants,

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00:12:19,900 --> 00:12:21,800
and God's will, following his instructions.

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And we might not know until heaven

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00:12:23,720 --> 00:12:27,760
how much, precisely, they have served in our well-being.

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00:12:27,760 --> 00:12:30,880
You know, I think that those that are assigned to serve me,

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00:12:30,880 --> 00:12:33,240
in most cases, have qualified for overtime

266
00:12:33,240 --> 00:12:35,120
and hazard pay for most of my life.

267
00:12:36,040 --> 00:12:39,040
But they're serving, and they're serving at God's behest.

268
00:12:39,040 --> 00:12:42,240
But this particular angel in Revelation 10

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00:12:42,240 --> 00:12:46,240
is very spectacular, very specific.

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00:12:46,240 --> 00:12:48,840
It's not a trumpeting angel like we've seen

271
00:12:48,840 --> 00:12:50,440
as these angels have been sounding

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00:12:50,440 --> 00:12:52,680
these six trumpets of judgment.

273
00:12:52,680 --> 00:12:54,660
So who is this angel?

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Who is this mighty angel?

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00:12:56,080 --> 00:12:59,600
There are two major thoughts, there's variations within,

276
00:12:59,600 --> 00:13:02,080
but there's two major interpretations

277
00:13:02,080 --> 00:13:04,800
on who this mighty angel is.

278
00:13:04,800 --> 00:13:07,240
Now the first major interpretation is,

279
00:13:07,240 --> 00:13:10,600
due to the description, people go, it's Jesus.

280
00:13:10,600 --> 00:13:14,440
It's an appearance, a picture of Jesus Christ himself.

281
00:13:14,440 --> 00:13:16,720
And there's a number of reasons

282
00:13:16,720 --> 00:13:18,220
that people will interpret it that way.

283
00:13:18,220 --> 00:13:20,880
One, people will say, well, in the Old Testament,

284
00:13:20,880 --> 00:13:24,040
Jesus is called the angel of the Lord many times,

285
00:13:24,040 --> 00:13:29,040
so it's not unusual to say an angel could be Jesus himself.

286
00:13:29,660 --> 00:13:32,080
The description here says that he is wrapped in a cloud,

287
00:13:32,080 --> 00:13:34,160
and that word wrapped means clothed in a cloud.

288
00:13:34,160 --> 00:13:36,360
And you go through the Bible, especially the Old Testament,

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00:13:36,360 --> 00:13:40,080
you'll often see God with the clouds.

290
00:13:40,080 --> 00:13:43,000
In Luke 21 and Matthew 24, Jesus himself said,

291
00:13:43,000 --> 00:13:45,160
you'll see the Son of Man coming with the clouds

292
00:13:45,160 --> 00:13:47,940
in great glory, right, so people associate that.

293
00:13:48,840 --> 00:13:50,440
Back in Revelation chapter one,

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00:13:50,440 --> 00:13:53,600
when John had this revelation of Jesus Christ,

295
00:13:53,600 --> 00:13:56,960
and it was God himself appearing as the Alpha and the Omega,

296
00:13:56,960 --> 00:13:58,160
it said there specifically

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00:13:58,160 --> 00:13:59,920
that he was coming with the clouds,

298
00:13:59,920 --> 00:14:02,160
so again, connections there.

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00:14:02,160 --> 00:14:04,580
Here in Revelation, this angel is described

300
00:14:04,580 --> 00:14:09,300
having a face like the sun and legs like pillars of fire.

301
00:14:09,300 --> 00:14:12,360
Some will go, well, that sounds like the description

302
00:14:12,360 --> 00:14:14,740
of Jesus in Revelation chapter one,

303
00:14:14,740 --> 00:14:18,080
where his feet were like fired bronze and whatnot.

304
00:14:18,080 --> 00:14:20,760
This rainbow being over this angel's head,

305
00:14:20,760 --> 00:14:23,720
well, that harkens back to Revelation chapter four, right?

306
00:14:23,720 --> 00:14:27,000
There was a rainbow that surrounded the throne of God.

307
00:14:27,000 --> 00:14:28,720
And then when it says his voice

308
00:14:28,720 --> 00:14:31,440
was like the voice of a roaring lion,

309
00:14:31,440 --> 00:14:34,280
well, the prophets, specifically Joel in chapter three,

310
00:14:34,280 --> 00:14:37,720
verse 16, said the Lord will roar from Zion,

311
00:14:37,720 --> 00:14:40,560
and so there's a connection that people make there.

312
00:14:40,560 --> 00:14:44,200
And then Revelation five, we read that Jesus is the lion

313
00:14:44,200 --> 00:14:46,000
of the tribe of Judah, right?

314
00:14:46,000 --> 00:14:47,720
So for that and some other reasons,

315
00:14:47,720 --> 00:14:51,000
people go this mighty angel is Jesus, right?

316
00:14:51,000 --> 00:14:53,960
The second major interpretation of this

317
00:14:53,960 --> 00:14:58,640
is that it could be exactly what it says.

318
00:14:58,640 --> 00:15:02,560
Another mighty angel, okay?

319
00:15:02,560 --> 00:15:04,920
And the reasons for this are,

320
00:15:04,920 --> 00:15:07,480
one is that John, especially at this point

321
00:15:07,480 --> 00:15:09,240
in his Revelation and being in heaven

322
00:15:09,240 --> 00:15:11,760
and watching all that's taken place,

323
00:15:11,760 --> 00:15:14,560
seeing the four creatures and seeing the multitude of angels,

324
00:15:14,560 --> 00:15:17,180
John knew the difference between the lamb of God,

325
00:15:17,180 --> 00:15:21,800
Jesus Christ, and the angels as far as their appearance.

326
00:15:21,800 --> 00:15:25,800
But specifically, John most often referred to Jesus

327
00:15:25,800 --> 00:15:27,960
with a definitive article,

328
00:15:27,960 --> 00:15:30,040
especially when he was using a metaphor.

329
00:15:30,040 --> 00:15:34,600
The definitive article is the.

330
00:15:34,600 --> 00:15:36,800
So when he refers to Jesus as the lion

331
00:15:36,800 --> 00:15:40,360
of the tribe of Judah, it's the lion of the tribe of Judah.

332
00:15:40,360 --> 00:15:44,480
When he refers to Jesus as the lamb, it's the lamb,

333
00:15:44,480 --> 00:15:47,640
not another lamb, not another lion of the tribe of Judah,

334
00:15:47,640 --> 00:15:49,840
if you're following me there.

335
00:15:49,840 --> 00:15:52,000
And that ties into that word another,

336
00:15:52,000 --> 00:15:53,100
which is very specific.

337
00:15:53,100 --> 00:15:54,800
In the Greek, it's the word alos,

338
00:15:54,800 --> 00:15:58,400
which means another of the same kind.

339
00:15:58,400 --> 00:16:00,320
So essentially what John is saying here

340
00:16:00,320 --> 00:16:05,200
is he saw a mighty angel like other mighty angels he's seen.

341
00:16:05,200 --> 00:16:10,160
There's a few different Greek words for the word another

342
00:16:10,160 --> 00:16:13,040
that we have in English that can be used

343
00:16:13,040 --> 00:16:15,840
to refer to things in this way,

344
00:16:15,840 --> 00:16:19,560
but John specifically chose the word alos here.

345
00:16:19,560 --> 00:16:21,520
If he was referring to Jesus,

346
00:16:21,520 --> 00:16:24,800
it's very likely he would have used this Greek word heteros,

347
00:16:24,800 --> 00:16:29,280
which means another of an entirely different kind, right?

348
00:16:29,280 --> 00:16:33,040
Because Jesus is entirely different from the angels.

349
00:16:33,040 --> 00:16:36,000
But John specifically used the word alos here.

350
00:16:36,000 --> 00:16:40,200
Plus, there's nowhere where there's really a biblical case

351
00:16:40,200 --> 00:16:41,880
that Jesus returns to the earth

352
00:16:41,880 --> 00:16:43,320
at the midpoint of tribulation,

353
00:16:43,320 --> 00:16:45,360
which is kind of where we're at congregationally,

354
00:16:45,360 --> 00:16:48,160
or chronologically.

355
00:16:48,160 --> 00:16:50,280
And then in verse five and six,

356
00:16:50,280 --> 00:16:52,320
we're gonna read that this particular mighty angel

357
00:16:52,320 --> 00:16:56,440
oaths, or he swears to the creator of heaven

358
00:16:56,440 --> 00:16:58,740
and the creator of earth and all that is in it.

359
00:16:58,740 --> 00:17:01,360
He kind of makes an oath to the creator.

360
00:17:01,360 --> 00:17:03,920
And then according to Colossians one, verse 15 and 16,

361
00:17:03,920 --> 00:17:06,760
it tells us that Jesus is the creator.

362
00:17:06,760 --> 00:17:09,180
So for those reasons,

363
00:17:09,180 --> 00:17:11,320
people say this mighty angel isn't Jesus.

364
00:17:11,320 --> 00:17:12,500
Some say it is.

365
00:17:12,500 --> 00:17:15,320
I lean towards the second one personally.

366
00:17:15,320 --> 00:17:19,520
But ultimately, Revelation doesn't tell us exactly.

367
00:17:19,520 --> 00:17:21,520
And we have learned over and over and over

368
00:17:21,520 --> 00:17:25,720
that we gotta be careful over speculating into things

369
00:17:25,720 --> 00:17:28,660
that scripture doesn't necessarily clarify for us

370
00:17:28,660 --> 00:17:30,560
because sometimes that can lead us

371
00:17:30,560 --> 00:17:31,960
to erroneous interpretation.

372
00:17:31,960 --> 00:17:33,560
So ultimately, Revelation doesn't tell us

373
00:17:33,560 --> 00:17:34,440
exactly who it is.

374
00:17:34,440 --> 00:17:37,040
And so whether you believe this is Jesus,

375
00:17:37,040 --> 00:17:39,440
or whether you believe it's what it says,

376
00:17:39,440 --> 00:17:41,840
another mighty angel of the same kind

377
00:17:41,840 --> 00:17:42,880
as other mighty angels,

378
00:17:42,880 --> 00:17:44,720
the point is, is this opening here,

379
00:17:44,720 --> 00:17:48,120
this interlude, is a picture of God

380
00:17:48,120 --> 00:17:50,460
putting his foot down, so to speak, okay?

381
00:17:50,460 --> 00:17:53,080
Whether it's his messenger on his behalf or whatever,

382
00:17:53,080 --> 00:17:54,940
God is putting his foot down.

383
00:17:54,940 --> 00:17:58,480
This is what we're seeing at this point in Revelation.

384
00:17:58,480 --> 00:18:00,720
Satan has been running rampant,

385
00:18:00,720 --> 00:18:03,680
allowed to run rampant for years and decades

386
00:18:03,680 --> 00:18:05,240
and centuries at this point.

387
00:18:05,240 --> 00:18:07,400
At this particular point in Revelation,

388
00:18:07,400 --> 00:18:09,200
earth is falling apart.

389
00:18:09,200 --> 00:18:10,920
Earth has been judged.

390
00:18:10,920 --> 00:18:14,520
And for so long before this tribulation period,

391
00:18:14,520 --> 00:18:19,360
God has been patient with mankind.

392
00:18:19,360 --> 00:18:23,240
Patient with the evil that mankind perpetrates.

393
00:18:23,240 --> 00:18:25,280
Whether it's prompted by the devil

394
00:18:25,280 --> 00:18:27,120
or whether it's prompted by our own flesh

395
00:18:27,120 --> 00:18:28,440
and our own sinful fallen nature,

396
00:18:28,440 --> 00:18:29,840
God has been patient.

397
00:18:29,840 --> 00:18:33,280
But here and now, after the sixth trumpet,

398
00:18:33,280 --> 00:18:35,240
in anticipation of the seventh trumpet,

399
00:18:35,240 --> 00:18:37,800
which ushers in the seven bowls,

400
00:18:37,800 --> 00:18:40,260
we see this mighty angel step forward,

401
00:18:40,260 --> 00:18:42,400
his feet straddling the land and the sea.

402
00:18:42,400 --> 00:18:46,520
And that's just a picture of authority.

403
00:18:46,520 --> 00:18:50,200
It's declaring God's authority over all of creation.

404
00:18:50,200 --> 00:18:53,760
And again, the idea here is, look, fallen man,

405
00:18:53,760 --> 00:18:57,240
sinful man, you have been worshiping the creation

406
00:18:57,240 --> 00:18:58,920
rather than the creator.

407
00:18:58,920 --> 00:19:01,480
And what God has been trying to say to man

408
00:19:01,480 --> 00:19:04,560
as he's judging creation itself is,

409
00:19:04,560 --> 00:19:06,880
creation isn't God, I am.

410
00:19:06,880 --> 00:19:08,920
I'm God Almighty.

411
00:19:08,920 --> 00:19:11,660
In fact, the thing you're worshiping, I created.

412
00:19:11,660 --> 00:19:13,920
So you should be worshiping me, the creator.

413
00:19:13,920 --> 00:19:15,720
But we're gonna look at that a little bit more

414
00:19:15,720 --> 00:19:17,360
when we get to this angel's declaration.

415
00:19:17,360 --> 00:19:20,360
So again, verse three.

416
00:19:20,360 --> 00:19:22,360
The angel's voice is like a roar of a lion

417
00:19:22,360 --> 00:19:23,880
and it says, when he cried out,

418
00:19:23,880 --> 00:19:26,640
the seven thunders raised their voices.

419
00:19:26,640 --> 00:19:28,040
And when the seven thunders spoke,

420
00:19:28,040 --> 00:19:30,360
I was about to write, but I heard a voice from heaven

421
00:19:30,360 --> 00:19:33,180
saying, seal up what the seven thunders said

422
00:19:33,180 --> 00:19:34,800
and do not write it down.

423
00:19:36,120 --> 00:19:38,280
So this mighty angel is standing,

424
00:19:38,280 --> 00:19:39,960
straddling the land and the sea,

425
00:19:39,960 --> 00:19:42,000
and he calls out with a loud voice

426
00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:44,720
and then it says, the thunders speak out.

427
00:19:44,720 --> 00:19:47,160
And what did the thunders say?

428
00:19:49,120 --> 00:19:49,960
We don't know.

429
00:19:52,280 --> 00:19:53,120
We don't know.

430
00:19:53,120 --> 00:19:57,000
Nobody knows what the thunders said.

431
00:19:57,000 --> 00:19:57,840
Why?

432
00:19:59,240 --> 00:20:01,600
John was told not to write it down.

433
00:20:02,680 --> 00:20:05,840
He didn't write it down so we don't know.

434
00:20:05,840 --> 00:20:07,900
Which is interesting in and of itself

435
00:20:07,900 --> 00:20:10,740
because we've talked a lot about this book, Revelation.

436
00:20:10,740 --> 00:20:12,840
This is the book of Revelation.

437
00:20:12,840 --> 00:20:14,240
And that word, Revelation itself,

438
00:20:14,240 --> 00:20:15,940
means an unveiling, right?

439
00:20:15,940 --> 00:20:17,980
It's an unveiling, specifically,

440
00:20:17,980 --> 00:20:20,080
it's a revelation of Jesus Christ

441
00:20:20,080 --> 00:20:22,300
and an unveiling of who he is.

442
00:20:22,300 --> 00:20:24,840
But whatever was said here by these thunders

443
00:20:24,840 --> 00:20:26,680
in response to this angel,

444
00:20:27,980 --> 00:20:30,860
John was told, seal it up, don't record it.

445
00:20:32,140 --> 00:20:34,120
And it's the only place in Revelation

446
00:20:34,120 --> 00:20:36,520
where John is told to not record something

447
00:20:36,520 --> 00:20:37,580
that he saw and heard.

448
00:20:37,580 --> 00:20:39,940
So it's very interesting, but what's the point?

449
00:20:39,940 --> 00:20:41,200
What's the point of that?

450
00:20:42,240 --> 00:20:45,160
Like if God didn't want us to know what the thunders said,

451
00:20:45,160 --> 00:20:47,320
why tell us the thunders said something

452
00:20:47,320 --> 00:20:49,440
and then record specifically that you told John

453
00:20:49,440 --> 00:20:52,440
not to record it so we wouldn't know what they said?

454
00:20:54,160 --> 00:20:55,280
You ever been there?

455
00:20:56,640 --> 00:20:58,600
Someone goes, I heard something, and you go, what is it?

456
00:20:58,600 --> 00:20:59,560
And they're like, I can't tell you.

457
00:20:59,560 --> 00:21:01,280
Why'd you even mention it then?

458
00:21:02,320 --> 00:21:04,280
Like what is the point of that?

459
00:21:04,280 --> 00:21:05,380
Why?

460
00:21:05,380 --> 00:21:07,620
Well, this is what I think is why.

461
00:21:09,540 --> 00:21:12,840
We as God's people need to know that there are times

462
00:21:13,720 --> 00:21:15,760
when God doesn't wanna tell us everything.

463
00:21:15,760 --> 00:21:20,760
And he doesn't have to tell us anything

464
00:21:21,240 --> 00:21:23,600
because he is God.

465
00:21:23,600 --> 00:21:24,860
He is God Almighty.

466
00:21:26,000 --> 00:21:31,000
God doesn't owe us any explanations at all.

467
00:21:32,440 --> 00:21:34,880
And we need to be okay with that.

468
00:21:36,920 --> 00:21:40,740
We can wonder what about this God?

469
00:21:41,640 --> 00:21:43,640
What about that God?

470
00:21:43,640 --> 00:21:46,800
Why God, especially when we're suffering,

471
00:21:46,800 --> 00:21:47,880
especially when we're hurting,

472
00:21:47,880 --> 00:21:49,220
especially when we look around the world

473
00:21:49,220 --> 00:21:53,200
and we see what is taking place in the evil

474
00:21:53,200 --> 00:21:55,280
and some of these things we're just like, oh my gosh,

475
00:21:55,280 --> 00:21:57,320
I don't understand why God.

476
00:21:58,760 --> 00:22:01,980
But in asking those questions, in thinking those thoughts,

477
00:22:01,980 --> 00:22:04,600
in wondering those things, we could then expect

478
00:22:04,600 --> 00:22:09,600
or demand almost that God should give us answers,

479
00:22:09,680 --> 00:22:11,000
that he should answer us.

480
00:22:11,000 --> 00:22:14,000
I demand you answer me, God.

481
00:22:16,600 --> 00:22:18,720
And he doesn't owe us an answer.

482
00:22:18,720 --> 00:22:21,680
When he answers, praise the Lord, what a blessing.

483
00:22:21,680 --> 00:22:23,800
But he doesn't owe us any answers.

484
00:22:25,880 --> 00:22:28,280
I had someone ask me last week after the Bible study,

485
00:22:28,280 --> 00:22:31,480
why is it that when a Christian is doing good things

486
00:22:31,480 --> 00:22:33,360
and honoring the Lord and doing all this

487
00:22:33,360 --> 00:22:36,500
and doing everything right, that things still happen,

488
00:22:36,500 --> 00:22:37,860
bad things still happen?

489
00:22:37,860 --> 00:22:41,700
I was like, well first, there's no such thing

490
00:22:41,700 --> 00:22:44,260
as a Christian doing everything right all the time.

491
00:22:45,780 --> 00:22:50,580
But not withstanding that, I go, why don't you go ask Job?

492
00:22:53,300 --> 00:22:55,700
Because Job might be able to answer that question.

493
00:22:57,660 --> 00:22:59,260
And they didn't like that answer.

494
00:23:02,100 --> 00:23:04,460
But think about it, would an answer really help

495
00:23:04,460 --> 00:23:05,660
in most cases?

496
00:23:05,660 --> 00:23:09,620
I mean, is an answer really what we need?

497
00:23:11,180 --> 00:23:15,300
I mean, imagine if you will, you have a loved one pass, right?

498
00:23:16,700 --> 00:23:18,260
And many of us have experienced that.

499
00:23:18,260 --> 00:23:21,500
And sometimes we have a loved one pass,

500
00:23:21,500 --> 00:23:23,420
we go, God, why did you let that happen?

501
00:23:23,420 --> 00:23:25,400
Especially if it was something tragic, right?

502
00:23:25,400 --> 00:23:26,500
God, why did you allow that?

503
00:23:26,500 --> 00:23:30,540
Why did you take them that way?

504
00:23:30,540 --> 00:23:33,640
How could a God of love allow that to happen to somebody?

505
00:23:33,640 --> 00:23:34,920
And what if he answered you?

506
00:23:36,120 --> 00:23:38,720
What if he said, okay, well, let me break down

507
00:23:38,720 --> 00:23:41,680
the rationale behind everything I did and why,

508
00:23:41,680 --> 00:23:44,480
and let me know exactly in the picture of eternity

509
00:23:44,480 --> 00:23:47,120
and everything, exactly why that took place.

510
00:23:47,120 --> 00:23:49,000
Would that make you feel better,

511
00:23:49,000 --> 00:23:50,960
or would you still have the pain of the loss?

512
00:23:52,800 --> 00:23:56,800
Most of us would still have the pain of the loss.

513
00:23:56,800 --> 00:24:00,840
In the moments of suffering, in the moments of difficulty,

514
00:24:00,840 --> 00:24:04,000
we don't need a reason.

515
00:24:04,000 --> 00:24:06,320
What we need is a resource to get through it.

516
00:24:07,560 --> 00:24:10,040
We don't need to know why necessarily,

517
00:24:10,040 --> 00:24:13,240
we just need the strength to persevere

518
00:24:13,240 --> 00:24:15,560
as we grieve and as we heal.

519
00:24:17,560 --> 00:24:20,320
And the big picture is that there are certain things

520
00:24:20,320 --> 00:24:24,080
that we are simply unable to comprehend

521
00:24:24,080 --> 00:24:26,360
about God and what he does.

522
00:24:27,480 --> 00:24:29,600
That's just reality, he's infinite.

523
00:24:29,600 --> 00:24:31,200
We're not.

524
00:24:31,200 --> 00:24:34,040
He's almighty, we're all messed up.

525
00:24:35,200 --> 00:24:37,960
We're not God, God is God.

526
00:24:37,960 --> 00:24:42,400
And to expect that our tiny human,

527
00:24:42,400 --> 00:24:45,720
limited human minds can comprehend the thoughts

528
00:24:45,720 --> 00:24:50,000
in the mind of God to think that is naive at best

529
00:24:50,000 --> 00:24:51,640
and arrogant at worst.

530
00:24:55,120 --> 00:24:57,560
Now again, it's not wrong to ask questions.

531
00:24:57,560 --> 00:25:00,160
By no means, it's not wrong to wonder why

532
00:25:00,160 --> 00:25:02,240
when things happen that by no means.

533
00:25:03,360 --> 00:25:08,360
But if God doesn't answer the question

534
00:25:08,360 --> 00:25:10,440
when you're asking that question,

535
00:25:10,440 --> 00:25:12,400
we have to trust his judgment.

536
00:25:13,840 --> 00:25:15,080
That's called faith.

537
00:25:18,240 --> 00:25:20,440
Hebrews 11 one says, now faith is the reality

538
00:25:20,440 --> 00:25:24,200
of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen.

539
00:25:24,200 --> 00:25:28,200
Faith is God, I don't understand but I trust you.

540
00:25:30,600 --> 00:25:35,000
God, my limited human mind can't even fathom a reality

541
00:25:37,080 --> 00:25:40,320
of why you would allow this thing to happen

542
00:25:40,320 --> 00:25:43,000
but I'm not God and I have to trust you God

543
00:25:43,000 --> 00:25:44,360
because you are God.

544
00:25:45,960 --> 00:25:49,120
It's incongruent for us to say I have faith in God.

545
00:25:49,120 --> 00:25:50,720
I have faith in God.

546
00:25:50,720 --> 00:25:54,280
It's incongruent for us to say I have faith in God.

547
00:25:54,280 --> 00:25:58,760
I trust God and then fall to anger and despair

548
00:25:58,760 --> 00:26:01,720
and doubt at times when he doesn't answer our questions

549
00:26:01,720 --> 00:26:03,480
right away or at all.

550
00:26:06,240 --> 00:26:10,840
God knows what's best in all things at all times.

551
00:26:12,360 --> 00:26:13,400
We have to know that.

552
00:26:15,080 --> 00:26:17,640
We need to grow to be okay with that

553
00:26:17,640 --> 00:26:19,480
because there are gonna be times in our lives

554
00:26:19,480 --> 00:26:23,600
where we ask why God and he doesn't answer us

555
00:26:24,640 --> 00:26:27,040
and that's the best thing for us in that time.

556
00:26:29,480 --> 00:26:31,960
That includes what he allows us to know,

557
00:26:31,960 --> 00:26:34,200
what answers and reasons he allows us to have.

558
00:26:34,200 --> 00:26:36,160
We have to trust him and sometimes as I said

559
00:26:36,160 --> 00:26:39,360
the best thing is for reasons only known to God

560
00:26:39,360 --> 00:26:41,160
is that we aren't given the reasons.

561
00:26:42,960 --> 00:26:44,920
And you guys remember Jesus said to the disciples

562
00:26:44,920 --> 00:26:47,480
at one point, I have many things to share with you

563
00:26:47,480 --> 00:26:50,080
but you can't bear them now.

564
00:26:50,080 --> 00:26:55,080
J.I. Packer said this, we should not pry into God's secrets.

565
00:26:56,800 --> 00:27:00,200
We are to be content to live with what he has told us.

566
00:27:00,200 --> 00:27:02,920
Reverence excludes speculation about the things

567
00:27:02,920 --> 00:27:05,360
God has not mentioned in his word.

568
00:27:05,360 --> 00:27:07,200
We must be content not to know

569
00:27:07,200 --> 00:27:09,800
what the scripture does not tell us.

570
00:27:11,320 --> 00:27:13,880
So what did the thunder say?

571
00:27:13,880 --> 00:27:16,720
We don't know.

572
00:27:16,720 --> 00:27:19,720
And there is so much written,

573
00:27:19,720 --> 00:27:22,720
spend some, don't spend some time, I did on your behalf.

574
00:27:25,320 --> 00:27:29,680
Books and websites and blogs and volumes and volumes

575
00:27:29,680 --> 00:27:32,720
and volumes of stuff on this is what the thunder said.

576
00:27:34,960 --> 00:27:36,000
Don't waste your time.

577
00:27:36,960 --> 00:27:39,760
We don't know what the thunder said, we're not to know

578
00:27:39,760 --> 00:27:42,200
and we're to be okay with that, amen?

579
00:27:42,200 --> 00:27:44,400
But we do know what the angel here said

580
00:27:44,400 --> 00:27:46,400
so let's look at that, verse five.

581
00:27:46,400 --> 00:27:49,080
Then the angel that I had seen standing on the sea

582
00:27:49,080 --> 00:27:51,680
and on the land raised his right hand to heaven.

583
00:27:51,680 --> 00:27:54,320
He swore by the one who lives forever and ever

584
00:27:54,320 --> 00:27:56,440
who created heaven and what is in it,

585
00:27:56,440 --> 00:28:00,240
the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it.

586
00:28:00,240 --> 00:28:02,480
There will no longer be a delay,

587
00:28:02,480 --> 00:28:04,320
but in the days when the seventh angel

588
00:28:04,320 --> 00:28:06,840
will blow his trumpet, then the mystery of God

589
00:28:06,840 --> 00:28:09,960
will be completed as he announced to his servants

590
00:28:09,960 --> 00:28:13,240
the prophets.

591
00:28:14,840 --> 00:28:18,680
So it says he raised his right hand and he swore.

592
00:28:18,680 --> 00:28:21,640
The picture of that is what we might see in a courtroom.

593
00:28:22,480 --> 00:28:25,520
That word swear means to take an oath.

594
00:28:25,520 --> 00:28:27,760
It means taking an oath where you are affirming

595
00:28:27,760 --> 00:28:30,560
the truth and the certainty of what you're about to say.

596
00:28:32,080 --> 00:28:34,840
In court you'll go and sometimes they used to,

597
00:28:34,840 --> 00:28:36,760
I don't know if they do it anymore,

598
00:28:36,760 --> 00:28:38,800
swearing into Congress, put your hand on a Bible,

599
00:28:38,800 --> 00:28:40,080
raise your hand.

600
00:28:40,080 --> 00:28:41,680
I swear that what I'm about to say is the truth,

601
00:28:41,680 --> 00:28:43,480
I'll tell you about the truth, right?

602
00:28:44,680 --> 00:28:47,000
But the idea is that when you do that,

603
00:28:47,000 --> 00:28:49,560
and the whole idea of putting your hand on the Bible,

604
00:28:49,560 --> 00:28:51,840
when they would do that is that you're promising

605
00:28:51,840 --> 00:28:54,280
by invoking a divine witness

606
00:28:54,280 --> 00:28:56,080
that what you're about to say is true.

607
00:28:57,680 --> 00:29:00,080
And so we would understand, people would say,

608
00:29:00,080 --> 00:29:02,600
phrase God is my witness, right?

609
00:29:02,600 --> 00:29:04,480
They're invoking a divine witness,

610
00:29:04,480 --> 00:29:07,160
the highest divine witness to affirm

611
00:29:07,160 --> 00:29:08,120
what they're saying is true.

612
00:29:08,120 --> 00:29:11,640
And so notice here who that divine witness is.

613
00:29:11,640 --> 00:29:15,280
It says the angel invokes the creator

614
00:29:15,280 --> 00:29:18,040
of the very creation he is standing upon.

615
00:29:19,360 --> 00:29:22,360
So the first thing is he invokes the character

616
00:29:22,360 --> 00:29:23,200
of that creator.

617
00:29:23,200 --> 00:29:26,240
He says the one who lives forever and ever.

618
00:29:27,920 --> 00:29:32,400
You can't be much more above and over creation

619
00:29:32,400 --> 00:29:35,160
than to be the one who created time and space itself,

620
00:29:35,160 --> 00:29:39,200
and therefore being outside or not subject to time and space.

621
00:29:40,200 --> 00:29:42,120
And so the one who lives forever and ever,

622
00:29:42,120 --> 00:29:44,400
who is infinite, who is eternal,

623
00:29:44,400 --> 00:29:46,740
and then he invokes the authority of the creator,

624
00:29:46,740 --> 00:29:49,080
who's the one who created the heaven and the earth

625
00:29:49,080 --> 00:29:51,920
and the sea and everything in them.

626
00:29:51,920 --> 00:29:54,260
And so by this point of tribulation,

627
00:29:55,320 --> 00:29:57,840
the land, the sea, the fresh water, the trees,

628
00:29:57,840 --> 00:30:01,440
I mean, much of the environment has been devastated

629
00:30:01,440 --> 00:30:03,520
as God has been trying to get people to understand,

630
00:30:03,520 --> 00:30:05,280
look, the mountains and the rocks aren't gonna save you,

631
00:30:05,280 --> 00:30:08,080
only I can save you.

632
00:30:08,080 --> 00:30:09,760
So stop trusting in the false gods

633
00:30:09,760 --> 00:30:13,060
that you have raised up made of the creation I created, stop.

634
00:30:15,520 --> 00:30:18,480
So this angel is swearing by the one who created it all.

635
00:30:18,480 --> 00:30:20,920
And by doing that, he is saying that the one

636
00:30:20,920 --> 00:30:23,200
who created it all is the one who has power

637
00:30:23,200 --> 00:30:26,020
and authority over it all because he is God.

638
00:30:27,060 --> 00:30:29,640
And so the judgment that is coming,

639
00:30:29,640 --> 00:30:32,560
the escalating judgment that is about to come,

640
00:30:32,560 --> 00:30:35,960
it's on those who worship the creation

641
00:30:35,960 --> 00:30:37,480
rather than the creator.

642
00:30:37,480 --> 00:30:40,200
And this should not be an unfamiliar concept for us

643
00:30:40,200 --> 00:30:43,840
because Paul addressed this in Romans chapter one.

644
00:30:43,840 --> 00:30:46,480
In Romans one, starting in verse 18, Paul said this,

645
00:30:46,480 --> 00:30:48,720
for God's wrath is revealed from heaven

646
00:30:48,720 --> 00:30:53,120
against all godlessness and unrighteousness of people

647
00:30:53,120 --> 00:30:56,140
who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.

648
00:30:57,160 --> 00:30:58,280
What is the truth?

649
00:30:58,280 --> 00:31:01,320
Since what can be known about God is evident among them

650
00:31:01,320 --> 00:31:03,760
because God has shown it to them.

651
00:31:03,760 --> 00:31:05,320
For his invisible attributes,

652
00:31:05,320 --> 00:31:08,600
that is his eternal power and divine nature,

653
00:31:08,600 --> 00:31:11,800
has been clearly seen since the creation of the world

654
00:31:11,800 --> 00:31:15,720
being understood through what he has made.

655
00:31:15,720 --> 00:31:19,520
As a result, people are without excuse.

656
00:31:19,520 --> 00:31:21,040
For though they knew God,

657
00:31:21,040 --> 00:31:24,120
they did not glorify him as God or show gratitude.

658
00:31:24,120 --> 00:31:25,840
Instead, their thinking became worthless

659
00:31:25,840 --> 00:31:28,040
and their senseless hearts were darkened.

660
00:31:28,040 --> 00:31:30,120
Claiming to be wise, they became fools

661
00:31:30,120 --> 00:31:32,760
and exchanged the glory of the immortal God

662
00:31:32,760 --> 00:31:35,640
for images resembling mortal man,

663
00:31:35,640 --> 00:31:39,360
birds, four-footed animals, and reptiles.

664
00:31:39,360 --> 00:31:40,880
Therefore, God delivered them over

665
00:31:40,880 --> 00:31:43,600
in the desires of the hearts to sexual impurity

666
00:31:43,600 --> 00:31:47,200
so that their bodies were degraded among themselves.

667
00:31:47,200 --> 00:31:50,840
They exchanged the truth of God for a lie

668
00:31:50,840 --> 00:31:54,400
and worshiped and served what has been created

669
00:31:54,400 --> 00:31:58,320
instead of the creator who is praised forever.

670
00:31:58,320 --> 00:32:01,880
Amen.

671
00:32:01,880 --> 00:32:04,480
You see, the world, the universe,

672
00:32:04,480 --> 00:32:08,960
and all within it was created.

673
00:32:08,960 --> 00:32:09,800
It was created.

674
00:32:09,800 --> 00:32:16,240
It didn't just happen by some evolutionary accident.

675
00:32:16,240 --> 00:32:18,640
It wasn't the right accidental combination

676
00:32:18,640 --> 00:32:20,880
of the right amino acids at the right time

677
00:32:20,880 --> 00:32:22,520
with the right star that exploded,

678
00:32:22,520 --> 00:32:29,120
and you throw it all together and poof, life.

679
00:32:29,120 --> 00:32:32,120
That's silly.

680
00:32:32,120 --> 00:32:35,200
That's just, it's silly thinking.

681
00:32:35,200 --> 00:32:39,680
And yet, very educated people still hold to these truths.

682
00:32:39,680 --> 00:32:42,320
And what does the scripture tell us?

683
00:32:42,320 --> 00:32:47,240
Claiming to be wise, they became fools.

684
00:32:47,240 --> 00:32:51,680
People refused to acknowledge that creation was created.

685
00:32:51,680 --> 00:32:53,240
They still do, and why?

686
00:32:53,240 --> 00:32:54,560
Because they want their sin.

687
00:32:54,560 --> 00:32:56,600
That's what the Bible tells us.

688
00:32:56,600 --> 00:32:59,680
They want choice without consequence.

689
00:32:59,680 --> 00:33:03,160
And the easiest way to remove the consequence from my choice

690
00:33:03,160 --> 00:33:04,920
is to say there is no morality.

691
00:33:04,920 --> 00:33:06,320
There is no right and wrong.

692
00:33:06,320 --> 00:33:09,000
We're just an existence that happened by accident,

693
00:33:09,000 --> 00:33:10,600
and when we die, nothing happens,

694
00:33:10,600 --> 00:33:17,120
and so therefore, there is no standard of righteousness.

695
00:33:17,120 --> 00:33:19,400
And so they exchanged the truth of God,

696
00:33:19,400 --> 00:33:21,240
which is clearly seen in his creation.

697
00:33:21,240 --> 00:33:24,960
Romans tells us, for the lie.

698
00:33:24,960 --> 00:33:29,040
The lie that we're all just random accidents of evolution.

699
00:33:29,040 --> 00:33:30,720
So morality doesn't really exist,

700
00:33:30,720 --> 00:33:32,480
or at least morality is relative.

701
00:33:32,480 --> 00:33:32,720
Right?

702
00:33:32,720 --> 00:33:33,600
Your truth is your truth.

703
00:33:33,600 --> 00:33:34,560
My truth is my truth.

704
00:33:34,560 --> 00:33:37,440
So just do what you want.

705
00:33:37,440 --> 00:33:38,200
Do what you want.

706
00:33:38,200 --> 00:33:39,120
Live however you want.

707
00:33:39,120 --> 00:33:41,240
Indulge.

708
00:33:41,240 --> 00:33:43,400
And what we're seeing in reading in Revelation

709
00:33:43,400 --> 00:33:47,840
is that one day, the judgment for that will come.

710
00:33:47,840 --> 00:33:51,800
It will come, and it will be severe.

711
00:33:51,800 --> 00:33:56,240
But this mighty angel, what he says under oath, verse 6,

712
00:33:56,240 --> 00:33:58,520
there will no longer be a delay.

713
00:33:58,520 --> 00:34:01,440
But in the days when the seventh angel will blow his trumpet,

714
00:34:01,440 --> 00:34:03,440
then the mystery of God will be completed

715
00:34:03,440 --> 00:34:05,920
as he announced to his servants the prophets.

716
00:34:05,920 --> 00:34:09,440
And so the time is coming and will come

717
00:34:09,440 --> 00:34:12,560
where God says, time's up.

718
00:34:12,560 --> 00:34:14,400
I have been patient.

719
00:34:14,400 --> 00:34:16,040
I have delayed.

720
00:34:16,040 --> 00:34:22,800
I had bared, bore what mankind does.

721
00:34:22,800 --> 00:34:24,640
But I'm no longer waiting.

722
00:34:24,640 --> 00:34:25,680
Time has run out.

723
00:34:25,680 --> 00:34:30,120
But today we ask, why the delay?

724
00:34:30,120 --> 00:34:32,960
Why, God, when so much evil is happening,

725
00:34:32,960 --> 00:34:35,200
why don't you do something about the evil?

726
00:34:35,200 --> 00:34:38,800
Why don't you do something about the wicked?

727
00:34:38,800 --> 00:34:42,120
And really, it's a mystery to us, isn't it?

728
00:34:42,120 --> 00:34:43,840
It's a mystery.

729
00:34:43,840 --> 00:34:47,200
We're trying to reconcile holiness with allowing evil,

730
00:34:47,200 --> 00:34:49,600
goodness with allowing bad.

731
00:34:49,600 --> 00:34:50,800
And we don't get it.

732
00:34:50,800 --> 00:34:55,280
And it has been a mystery since the very beginning.

733
00:34:55,280 --> 00:34:57,360
And I believe it's the mystery that is referenced here

734
00:34:57,360 --> 00:35:01,320
in Revelation chapter 10, the mystery that will be complete.

735
00:35:01,320 --> 00:35:04,800
And that word complete means be fulfilled or fully come

736
00:35:04,800 --> 00:35:08,960
to pass in the days of the seventh trumpet.

737
00:35:08,960 --> 00:35:11,600
Now, the days of the seventh trumpet, when we get there,

738
00:35:11,600 --> 00:35:13,680
we're going to see that the seventh trumpet ushers

739
00:35:13,680 --> 00:35:16,080
in the seven bowl judgments.

740
00:35:16,080 --> 00:35:21,640
And these seven bowl judgments are seven severe final

741
00:35:21,640 --> 00:35:25,000
judgments on those who refuse God.

742
00:35:25,000 --> 00:35:27,560
These bowl judgments are understood to take place

743
00:35:27,560 --> 00:35:30,600
at the very tail end of the tribulation period.

744
00:35:30,600 --> 00:35:34,720
Some even suggest that the bowl judgments all take place

745
00:35:34,720 --> 00:35:37,560
within the last 30-day period of history.

746
00:35:37,560 --> 00:35:40,680
And so it's just this rapid succession of judgments.

747
00:35:40,680 --> 00:35:42,360
We'll deal with that when we get there.

748
00:35:42,360 --> 00:35:46,240
But the idea is that in the days of this final pouring out

749
00:35:46,240 --> 00:35:49,240
of judgment, the mystery will be complete.

750
00:35:49,240 --> 00:35:52,160
And so what is the mystery?

751
00:35:52,160 --> 00:35:56,560
What is the mystery of God as it is referred to here?

752
00:35:56,560 --> 00:36:01,040
The mystery that was announced to the prophets.

753
00:36:01,040 --> 00:36:04,600
Well, I believe that the mystery of God is the purpose

754
00:36:04,600 --> 00:36:07,160
of God's silence.

755
00:36:07,160 --> 00:36:09,960
It's the answer to that question, why God delay his

756
00:36:09,960 --> 00:36:13,480
apparent lack of action towards sin and evil.

757
00:36:13,480 --> 00:36:16,600
I believe the mystery of God is the very answer to when we

758
00:36:16,600 --> 00:36:18,720
ask that question, God, why do you delay?

759
00:36:18,720 --> 00:36:21,640
Why do you keep waiting?

760
00:36:21,640 --> 00:36:26,120
You see, the prophets all spoke of God speaking from heaven,

761
00:36:26,120 --> 00:36:29,680
saying one day, roaring from the heavens like a lion,

762
00:36:29,680 --> 00:36:31,640
that God said that there will be a day, a time,

763
00:36:31,640 --> 00:36:35,120
of cataclysmic judgment on sin.

764
00:36:35,120 --> 00:36:37,400
That all the prophets said that God will judge sin.

765
00:36:37,400 --> 00:36:40,320
He's gonna judge the world and the sin in the world.

766
00:36:40,320 --> 00:36:42,800
And they all spoke of it, this time where God would

767
00:36:42,800 --> 00:36:45,120
intervene in human history and judge the earth.

768
00:36:45,120 --> 00:36:47,480
They were all speaking of it and they predicted it over

769
00:36:47,480 --> 00:36:48,680
and over and over.

770
00:36:49,800 --> 00:36:52,960
But since their predictions back in the Old Testament

771
00:36:52,960 --> 00:36:56,840
and the prophets speaking, there's been this long delay.

772
00:36:58,400 --> 00:37:02,480
This long delay where judgment hasn't happened.

773
00:37:02,480 --> 00:37:04,640
Where Satan is apparently just running wild,

774
00:37:04,640 --> 00:37:08,000
carte blanche all over the world.

775
00:37:08,000 --> 00:37:10,600
And God's people in that time have been left wondering,

776
00:37:12,240 --> 00:37:15,320
God, when are you gonna restore your kingdom?

777
00:37:15,320 --> 00:37:16,800
Right, when Jesus rose from the dead,

778
00:37:16,800 --> 00:37:19,240
what did the disciples ask him?

779
00:37:19,240 --> 00:37:23,080
Will you at this time restore the kingdom of Israel?

780
00:37:23,080 --> 00:37:26,360
Is now the time in Jesus, in Acts chapter one, verse seven,

781
00:37:26,360 --> 00:37:29,080
he said to them, it is not for you to know the times

782
00:37:29,080 --> 00:37:32,680
or the periods that the Father has set by his own authority.

783
00:37:32,680 --> 00:37:35,240
Again, God doesn't have to tell you everything.

784
00:37:37,040 --> 00:37:40,920
Walter Scott, who was a poet in England, said this once,

785
00:37:40,920 --> 00:37:43,760
does it not seem strange that Satan has been allowed

786
00:37:43,760 --> 00:37:46,520
for 6,000 years to wrap and twist his coils

787
00:37:46,520 --> 00:37:47,960
around the world and to work evil

788
00:37:47,960 --> 00:37:50,200
and spoil and mar the work of God?

789
00:37:51,120 --> 00:37:53,960
Is it not a mystery why God, the God of righteousness

790
00:37:53,960 --> 00:37:56,320
and holiness allows evil to go unpunished

791
00:37:56,320 --> 00:37:59,960
and his own people to be crushed and broken on every hand?

792
00:37:59,960 --> 00:38:02,600
Truly, this is the mystery of God.

793
00:38:02,600 --> 00:38:06,120
God bears with evil until the hour of judgment arrives

794
00:38:06,120 --> 00:38:08,440
when he will avenge the cry of his elect

795
00:38:08,440 --> 00:38:11,440
and come out of his place to punish the wicked.

796
00:38:11,440 --> 00:38:15,760
Evil, now tolerated and allowed, will be openly punished

797
00:38:15,760 --> 00:38:18,240
and then the mystery will be at the end.

798
00:38:18,240 --> 00:38:20,380
Christ is about to reign.

799
00:38:21,560 --> 00:38:23,840
So today, we live in that delay,

800
00:38:23,840 --> 00:38:26,440
we live in the time of the mystery.

801
00:38:26,440 --> 00:38:32,840
We live in this time that often cause us to ask why God?

802
00:38:32,840 --> 00:38:34,800
And I believe the answer to that question

803
00:38:35,840 --> 00:38:38,460
is sprinkled throughout God's word.

804
00:38:39,520 --> 00:38:41,480
In 1 Timothy chapter two, verse four,

805
00:38:41,480 --> 00:38:44,080
it tells us this about God,

806
00:38:44,080 --> 00:38:45,800
that he wants everyone to be saved

807
00:38:45,800 --> 00:38:48,080
and come to the knowledge of the truth.

808
00:38:50,320 --> 00:38:54,760
Guess what everyone, who everyone includes?

809
00:38:54,760 --> 00:38:55,600
Everyone.

810
00:38:57,040 --> 00:38:58,600
That's tough for us, isn't it?

811
00:38:59,880 --> 00:39:01,880
There are certain crimes people could commit

812
00:39:01,880 --> 00:39:05,800
and we're saying, we, I'm in that boat with you, no, no, no,

813
00:39:05,800 --> 00:39:08,960
you're the one that deserves eternal hell, no salvation.

814
00:39:11,280 --> 00:39:13,920
And yet God includes that person in everyone.

815
00:39:16,200 --> 00:39:17,200
And there are crimes out there

816
00:39:17,200 --> 00:39:18,840
we're all thinking of right now.

817
00:39:18,840 --> 00:39:21,080
Not that person, not that person.

818
00:39:21,080 --> 00:39:26,080
Not that person, even the most evil of sinners God loves.

819
00:39:27,280 --> 00:39:29,320
And he wants to save them and transform them

820
00:39:29,320 --> 00:39:33,720
and redeem them and so he is patient, the Bible tells us.

821
00:39:33,720 --> 00:39:36,520
He is patient and we sometimes can't understand

822
00:39:36,520 --> 00:39:38,960
why he would wait, why he would delay,

823
00:39:38,960 --> 00:39:43,960
but he delayed for you, he delayed for me.

824
00:39:47,620 --> 00:39:49,680
Who are we to dare say, yeah,

825
00:39:49,680 --> 00:39:51,760
but that person doesn't qualify?

826
00:39:53,120 --> 00:39:55,000
That person doesn't qualify.

827
00:39:56,800 --> 00:39:59,440
Well, I didn't do what they did.

828
00:40:01,200 --> 00:40:02,880
God's like, yeah, I knew you were gonna say that

829
00:40:02,880 --> 00:40:05,360
and so guess what, all who fall short,

830
00:40:05,360 --> 00:40:07,600
all who sin and fall short of the glory of God

831
00:40:07,600 --> 00:40:09,760
are worthy of the judgment.

832
00:40:11,760 --> 00:40:12,980
That sin is sin.

833
00:40:14,720 --> 00:40:17,960
And yeah, we see scales in that.

834
00:40:17,960 --> 00:40:20,000
And there are definitely things we might say,

835
00:40:20,000 --> 00:40:23,440
well, that has to be worse than this.

836
00:40:23,440 --> 00:40:26,920
And from man's limited tiny mind perspective,

837
00:40:26,920 --> 00:40:29,240
sure, we can delineate things

838
00:40:29,240 --> 00:40:31,600
and I don't even say that's wrong.

839
00:40:32,800 --> 00:40:37,240
But all of that compared to the holiness of Almighty God,

840
00:40:37,240 --> 00:40:38,800
all of it is sin.

841
00:40:41,040 --> 00:40:43,400
Sin that had to be judged.

842
00:40:43,400 --> 00:40:46,480
Sin that had to be judged.

843
00:40:46,480 --> 00:40:48,720
Sin that was judged at the cross.

844
00:40:51,360 --> 00:40:54,320
And at the cross, that salvation was then offered

845
00:40:54,320 --> 00:40:59,320
to everyone who would call on the name of Jesus Christ.

846
00:41:00,040 --> 00:41:02,160
To say, God, I've sinned against you and you alone.

847
00:41:02,160 --> 00:41:04,480
It doesn't matter what the person next to me did,

848
00:41:04,480 --> 00:41:06,320
I sinned against you.

849
00:41:07,480 --> 00:41:09,400
God, please forgive me.

850
00:41:09,400 --> 00:41:12,400
And God says, I was waiting for that.

851
00:41:13,760 --> 00:41:15,520
And he goes, boom, he offers salvation

852
00:41:15,520 --> 00:41:16,880
through the blood of Jesus Christ.

853
00:41:16,880 --> 00:41:19,440
So our faith in what he's done and what he did

854
00:41:19,440 --> 00:41:21,600
and who he is, we're saved.

855
00:41:25,440 --> 00:41:26,880
And he's still patient.

856
00:41:27,920 --> 00:41:29,080
He is still patient.

857
00:41:29,080 --> 00:41:34,080
So every sinner would have the opportunity

858
00:41:34,080 --> 00:41:35,600
to receive salvation.

859
00:41:35,600 --> 00:41:37,800
That's why I believe that every time a sinner is saved,

860
00:41:37,800 --> 00:41:39,560
we're not immediately caught up to heaven.

861
00:41:40,560 --> 00:41:41,400
Right?

862
00:41:41,400 --> 00:41:43,960
When I was younger in my faith, I used to ask God that.

863
00:41:43,960 --> 00:41:45,680
Lord, I don't understand.

864
00:41:45,680 --> 00:41:47,480
I believe in you, I'm saved.

865
00:41:47,480 --> 00:41:49,080
I trust in you.

866
00:41:49,080 --> 00:41:50,680
I plead the blood of Jesus Christ.

867
00:41:50,680 --> 00:41:52,120
I'm washed clean.

868
00:41:53,320 --> 00:41:54,720
And you left me here?

869
00:41:56,160 --> 00:41:57,840
Come on.

870
00:41:57,840 --> 00:41:59,840
I'm reading about heaven in your word.

871
00:41:59,840 --> 00:42:01,080
Like, let's go.

872
00:42:01,080 --> 00:42:03,160
Like, can you believe that?

873
00:42:03,160 --> 00:42:05,760
I'm reading about heaven in your word.

874
00:42:05,760 --> 00:42:07,600
Like, let's go.

875
00:42:07,600 --> 00:42:09,400
Like, can I buy a ticket?

876
00:42:09,400 --> 00:42:12,400
I mean, how do I, what do I do?

877
00:42:14,320 --> 00:42:15,920
And the Lord spoke to me over and over.

878
00:42:15,920 --> 00:42:17,960
He goes, yeah, you're saved.

879
00:42:17,960 --> 00:42:18,960
What about your mom?

880
00:42:20,880 --> 00:42:23,080
Well, Lord, she doesn't know you yet.

881
00:42:23,080 --> 00:42:24,920
Well, you got work to do, don't you?

882
00:42:26,800 --> 00:42:29,760
What about the barista?

883
00:42:29,760 --> 00:42:32,520
Checker at the grocery store, what about the coworkers?

884
00:42:32,520 --> 00:42:34,280
What about the, right?

885
00:42:34,280 --> 00:42:37,040
And it just, and then it becomes this like sea of people,

886
00:42:37,040 --> 00:42:38,760
and I'm like, wow.

887
00:42:38,760 --> 00:42:40,840
There's a lot of people that still don't know Jesus Christ

888
00:42:40,840 --> 00:42:42,920
that I have personal connections with.

889
00:42:45,160 --> 00:42:46,920
Well, got work to do, right?

890
00:42:49,080 --> 00:42:50,800
Acts 1-8 says this.

891
00:42:51,920 --> 00:42:54,640
You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you

892
00:42:54,640 --> 00:42:56,680
and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem

893
00:42:56,680 --> 00:42:59,760
and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth.

894
00:43:01,440 --> 00:43:03,720
Disciples to Jesus, hey, Jesus,

895
00:43:03,720 --> 00:43:05,600
are you gonna restore the kingdom now?

896
00:43:05,600 --> 00:43:07,400
It's not for you to know that, but guess what?

897
00:43:07,400 --> 00:43:10,840
You're gonna receive power to be witnesses

898
00:43:10,840 --> 00:43:12,160
into all the earth.

899
00:43:14,640 --> 00:43:18,480
But there is a mighty angel posed somewhere in the heavens

900
00:43:18,480 --> 00:43:22,000
who will one day blow the seventh trumpet

901
00:43:22,000 --> 00:43:24,200
and say, it's over.

902
00:43:24,200 --> 00:43:26,560
The delay, the silence, the waiting,

903
00:43:26,560 --> 00:43:28,080
it's over, it's completed.

904
00:43:28,080 --> 00:43:31,120
The purpose of that is fulfilled.

905
00:43:31,120 --> 00:43:32,560
What do I think that means?

906
00:43:32,560 --> 00:43:36,600
It's everybody that is saved is saved.

907
00:43:36,600 --> 00:43:39,600
The number is complete, the number is fulfilled.

908
00:43:39,600 --> 00:43:41,600
Nobody else is gonna call out to me.

909
00:43:41,600 --> 00:43:42,440
I know that, why?

910
00:43:42,440 --> 00:43:45,480
I'm God, I'm outside of time, I see the end.

911
00:43:46,360 --> 00:43:48,560
And so final judgment is gonna fall.

912
00:43:48,560 --> 00:43:52,080
Severe, brutal final judgment is gonna fall.

913
00:43:52,080 --> 00:43:54,120
It is over, and what will be said to the devil

914
00:43:54,120 --> 00:43:55,400
and the demons at that time?

915
00:43:55,400 --> 00:43:56,360
You're done.

916
00:43:57,600 --> 00:44:00,000
And it says the devil will be cast into the bottomless pit

917
00:44:00,000 --> 00:44:02,440
and bound for a thousand years.

918
00:44:02,440 --> 00:44:04,320
And God will say to the unbelievers,

919
00:44:05,760 --> 00:44:08,240
you had your opportunity, but the time has passed.

920
00:44:09,160 --> 00:44:10,480
And God will say to the believers,

921
00:44:10,480 --> 00:44:12,800
your persecution and your suffering is over.

922
00:44:15,240 --> 00:44:19,200
Let's close real quick on what the angel then says to John.

923
00:44:19,200 --> 00:44:21,760
Then the voice that I heard from heaven spoke to me again

924
00:44:21,760 --> 00:44:23,680
and said, go, take the scroll that lies open

925
00:44:23,680 --> 00:44:25,240
in the hand of the angel who is standing

926
00:44:25,240 --> 00:44:27,040
on the sea and the land.

927
00:44:27,040 --> 00:44:28,600
So I went to the angel and asked him

928
00:44:28,600 --> 00:44:29,840
to give me the little scroll,

929
00:44:29,840 --> 00:44:31,900
and he said to me, take and eat it.

930
00:44:31,900 --> 00:44:33,600
It will be bitter in your stomach,

931
00:44:33,600 --> 00:44:36,440
but it will be sweet as honey in your mouth.

932
00:44:36,440 --> 00:44:38,320
Then I took the little scroll from the angel's hand

933
00:44:38,320 --> 00:44:40,800
and ate it, and it was sweet as honey in my mouth,

934
00:44:40,800 --> 00:44:43,060
but when I ate it, my stomach became bitter.

935
00:44:44,160 --> 00:44:46,160
And they said to me, you must prophesy again

936
00:44:46,160 --> 00:44:49,040
about many peoples, nations, languages, and kings.

937
00:44:49,040 --> 00:44:53,000
And so, remember the mighty angel, right?

938
00:44:53,000 --> 00:44:54,960
He's the one that's been here in this whole chapter,

939
00:44:54,960 --> 00:44:57,000
feet on the land and sea, and verse two told us

940
00:44:57,000 --> 00:45:00,360
that he was a mighty angel with a little scroll in his hand.

941
00:45:00,360 --> 00:45:02,440
And he gives it to John and he says, eat it.

942
00:45:02,440 --> 00:45:04,040
Now that's kind of weird, right?

943
00:45:06,760 --> 00:45:08,520
But what is this little scroll?

944
00:45:09,580 --> 00:45:11,000
Again, many different ideas,

945
00:45:11,000 --> 00:45:13,240
but it's not the scroll that Jesus took,

946
00:45:13,240 --> 00:45:16,320
the scroll that had the seven seals that he opened.

947
00:45:16,320 --> 00:45:17,320
It's not that scroll.

948
00:45:17,320 --> 00:45:18,440
This one is qualified.

949
00:45:18,440 --> 00:45:21,060
It says little scroll, right?

950
00:45:21,060 --> 00:45:23,520
That's one Greek word, and it's a Greek word

951
00:45:23,520 --> 00:45:25,280
that is different from the Greek word used

952
00:45:25,280 --> 00:45:27,920
to describe the scroll that Jesus took

953
00:45:27,920 --> 00:45:30,340
from the hand of the one who sits on the throne.

954
00:45:30,340 --> 00:45:34,280
The one that Jesus took, the Greek word is biblion.

955
00:45:34,280 --> 00:45:36,100
It means scroll.

956
00:45:36,100 --> 00:45:38,600
The word John used here is bibli-daryon.

957
00:45:38,600 --> 00:45:40,440
It means little scroll.

958
00:45:40,440 --> 00:45:42,960
It's a different piece of writing,

959
00:45:42,960 --> 00:45:44,920
but when we look at what John does with it

960
00:45:44,920 --> 00:45:47,000
and we look at what verse 11 tells us,

961
00:45:47,000 --> 00:45:49,180
we get the idea that the contents of the scroll

962
00:45:49,180 --> 00:45:50,600
is likely the rest of what John

963
00:45:50,600 --> 00:45:52,220
is gonna prophesy in Revelation.

964
00:45:52,220 --> 00:45:54,800
He's getting the final piece of the picture.

965
00:45:54,800 --> 00:45:58,340
The angel says, eat it and then prophesy.

966
00:45:58,340 --> 00:46:00,560
Now we've all read a book.

967
00:46:00,560 --> 00:46:02,120
Hopefully we've all read a book

968
00:46:04,680 --> 00:46:06,520
like we couldn't put it down, right?

969
00:46:06,520 --> 00:46:07,680
You ever read a book and you're just like,

970
00:46:07,680 --> 00:46:10,000
wow, I just devoured that book.

971
00:46:10,000 --> 00:46:11,320
You ate it, right?

972
00:46:11,320 --> 00:46:13,880
The idea is like you took it in.

973
00:46:13,880 --> 00:46:16,400
You consumed it.

974
00:46:16,400 --> 00:46:17,800
That's what the idea of eating means.

975
00:46:17,800 --> 00:46:21,280
It means to fully assimilate or to take something in.

976
00:46:21,280 --> 00:46:23,640
This is language the Bible uses a few different times.

977
00:46:23,640 --> 00:46:25,440
Jeremiah 15, 16.

978
00:46:25,440 --> 00:46:28,200
He says, your words were found and I ate them.

979
00:46:28,200 --> 00:46:30,880
Your words became a delight to me and the joy of my heart,

980
00:46:30,880 --> 00:46:33,680
for I bear your name, Lord God of armies.

981
00:46:33,680 --> 00:46:38,680
Psalms 119, 103 says, how sweet are your words to my taste,

982
00:46:38,760 --> 00:46:40,680
sweeter than honey in my mouth.

983
00:46:41,880 --> 00:46:43,920
This picture of the word of God being something

984
00:46:43,920 --> 00:46:46,840
that we're to consume and assimilate,

985
00:46:46,840 --> 00:46:47,880
it's all over the place.

986
00:46:47,880 --> 00:46:51,320
Jesus himself, he likened scripture to bread, right?

987
00:46:51,320 --> 00:46:53,920
Remember in the wilderness when he was being tempted.

988
00:46:55,000 --> 00:46:57,920
Peter likened scripture to milk.

989
00:46:57,920 --> 00:46:59,800
The idea here is that we see biblically

990
00:46:59,800 --> 00:47:02,920
that we're to feed on the word of God, to feed on it.

991
00:47:02,920 --> 00:47:05,840
Not just to underline a verse here and there.

992
00:47:05,840 --> 00:47:07,800
Not just to log into our Bible app and go,

993
00:47:07,800 --> 00:47:09,120
oh, verse of the day, that's cute,

994
00:47:09,120 --> 00:47:11,320
and to post that on our social media.

995
00:47:11,320 --> 00:47:12,520
I mean, do that, right?

996
00:47:12,520 --> 00:47:15,480
I mean, we're getting the word out, but not only that.

997
00:47:15,480 --> 00:47:17,320
We're to feed on it.

998
00:47:17,320 --> 00:47:19,080
We're to bring it into what we are.

999
00:47:19,080 --> 00:47:20,720
John is saying, don't just read my word,

1000
00:47:20,720 --> 00:47:22,120
but take it into you, eat it.

1001
00:47:22,120 --> 00:47:24,680
Let it become an integral part of your life.

1002
00:47:24,680 --> 00:47:25,880
And that's what the word of God,

1003
00:47:25,880 --> 00:47:28,120
all of God's word should do.

1004
00:47:28,120 --> 00:47:30,080
Become an integral part of who we are.

1005
00:47:30,080 --> 00:47:33,400
Not just an outside thing we engage with periodically,

1006
00:47:33,400 --> 00:47:34,920
but an inward thing that is a part

1007
00:47:34,920 --> 00:47:36,520
of the very fabric of who we are.

1008
00:47:36,520 --> 00:47:38,600
And so this is the picture we see here

1009
00:47:38,600 --> 00:47:40,640
when the angel says, John, eat this.

1010
00:47:42,640 --> 00:47:44,840
And so this particular word of God that John eats,

1011
00:47:44,840 --> 00:47:47,440
it's sweet at first and then bitter in his stomach.

1012
00:47:49,280 --> 00:47:52,560
Looking at the prophecy that comes and everything,

1013
00:47:52,560 --> 00:47:54,840
I believe the sweetness is referring to the fact

1014
00:47:54,840 --> 00:47:57,720
of the truth that, oh, we're almost at the end.

1015
00:47:57,720 --> 00:47:59,560
Jesus is about to reign.

1016
00:47:59,560 --> 00:48:04,000
Jesus is about to step up and take over.

1017
00:48:04,000 --> 00:48:05,960
The end of sin is upon mankind.

1018
00:48:05,960 --> 00:48:08,280
Sin and evil will be dealt with.

1019
00:48:08,280 --> 00:48:09,480
Jesus is gonna reign.

1020
00:48:09,480 --> 00:48:10,960
How sweet that truth is.

1021
00:48:10,960 --> 00:48:13,560
We look forward to that truth, don't we?

1022
00:48:13,560 --> 00:48:16,360
We're excited for Jesus to come back and him to reign.

1023
00:48:16,360 --> 00:48:18,360
And that's the whole purpose of this book.

1024
00:48:18,360 --> 00:48:21,760
It's the revelation of Jesus Christ.

1025
00:48:21,760 --> 00:48:22,880
That's sweet.

1026
00:48:24,080 --> 00:48:25,320
He's gonna take back the earth.

1027
00:48:25,320 --> 00:48:28,360
He's gonna reassert his lordship over all that,

1028
00:48:28,360 --> 00:48:29,800
his rulership, redeem it all.

1029
00:48:29,800 --> 00:48:31,200
But then it's also bitter

1030
00:48:32,920 --> 00:48:35,680
because of what's still to come upon the earth,

1031
00:48:35,680 --> 00:48:38,360
on the peoples, nations, languages, and kings.

1032
00:48:38,360 --> 00:48:41,360
And the word of God can be that way for us too today.

1033
00:48:41,360 --> 00:48:44,800
It could be both bitter and sweet.

1034
00:48:44,800 --> 00:48:46,840
Right, I mean, not all of the word of God

1035
00:48:46,840 --> 00:48:48,920
is sweet to us in all times.

1036
00:48:48,920 --> 00:48:51,240
I think most of us probably underline highlight

1037
00:48:51,240 --> 00:48:54,000
or social media posts, just the sweet verses.

1038
00:48:55,720 --> 00:48:58,680
Right, I don't see a lot of Instagram posts of like,

1039
00:48:58,680 --> 00:49:00,880
and hellfire and brimstone will fall apart.

1040
00:49:00,880 --> 00:49:04,640
It's like, no, it's the I love yous and stuff like that.

1041
00:49:04,640 --> 00:49:06,840
And those are sweet.

1042
00:49:06,840 --> 00:49:07,680
They're beautiful.

1043
00:49:07,680 --> 00:49:10,680
We read those things and there's joyful assurance

1044
00:49:10,680 --> 00:49:13,000
and promises and stuff and that's part of scripture.

1045
00:49:13,000 --> 00:49:14,280
But other times there's scripture

1046
00:49:14,280 --> 00:49:17,080
which is equally God's word that calls us out

1047
00:49:17,080 --> 00:49:19,840
and rebukes us and rebukes our behavior

1048
00:49:19,840 --> 00:49:22,080
and stirs us to change.

1049
00:49:22,080 --> 00:49:25,120
So the word of God, it's both sweet and bitter.

1050
00:49:25,120 --> 00:49:27,240
Right, the same beautiful gospel message

1051
00:49:27,240 --> 00:49:30,120
that leads some to heaven through accepting Jesus

1052
00:49:30,120 --> 00:49:32,880
will condemn some to hell through the rejection of him.

1053
00:49:34,320 --> 00:49:35,760
But every child of God, all of us,

1054
00:49:35,760 --> 00:49:37,360
we should read all of it.

1055
00:49:37,360 --> 00:49:39,240
We should feed on all of it.

1056
00:49:39,240 --> 00:49:41,560
We should declare all of it and that's why

1057
00:49:41,560 --> 00:49:44,440
we've said many times here at Hosanna, right?

1058
00:49:44,440 --> 00:49:46,320
We study and teach and preach all of it.

1059
00:49:46,320 --> 00:49:48,760
That's why we go verse by verse.

1060
00:49:48,760 --> 00:49:49,640
That's how I was trained.

1061
00:49:49,640 --> 00:49:51,800
That's how Pastor Gary was trained before me, right?

1062
00:49:51,800 --> 00:49:53,120
We start in Genesis 1-1.

1063
00:49:53,120 --> 00:49:55,760
We get to the end of Revelation and then guess what?

1064
00:49:57,000 --> 00:49:59,520
We start over in Genesis 1-1.

1065
00:49:59,520 --> 00:50:00,880
We don't get to the end of Revelation and say,

1066
00:50:00,880 --> 00:50:02,600
well, church is done.

1067
00:50:03,920 --> 00:50:05,960
Have a nice life.

1068
00:50:05,960 --> 00:50:08,000
But we keep going through it.

1069
00:50:08,000 --> 00:50:10,760
And some of it is good as in sweet like candy.

1070
00:50:10,760 --> 00:50:12,520
Oh, that's really just, oh.

1071
00:50:12,520 --> 00:50:16,080
And some of it is good for us like cough syrup.

1072
00:50:16,080 --> 00:50:18,160
It's bitter but it's healthy.

1073
00:50:18,160 --> 00:50:19,400
It's necessary.

1074
00:50:19,400 --> 00:50:22,120
So, you know, in the big picture, you know,

1075
00:50:22,120 --> 00:50:26,120
I don't wanna be a pastor who only comes up with messages

1076
00:50:26,120 --> 00:50:28,040
that make you feel good and warm and fuzzy

1077
00:50:28,040 --> 00:50:29,160
inside all the time.

1078
00:50:30,440 --> 00:50:33,200
As we teach the word and are faithful to the word

1079
00:50:33,200 --> 00:50:35,360
here in our church, you know, I fully understand

1080
00:50:35,360 --> 00:50:37,840
that sometimes you might be mad at me.

1081
00:50:37,840 --> 00:50:40,200
I'm just the messenger, you know.

1082
00:50:40,200 --> 00:50:42,080
But Paul, he said this in Acts chapter 20.

1083
00:50:42,080 --> 00:50:43,800
He goes, therefore I declare to you this day

1084
00:50:43,800 --> 00:50:46,040
that I am innocent of the blood of all of you

1085
00:50:46,040 --> 00:50:47,800
because I did not avoid declaring to you

1086
00:50:47,800 --> 00:50:49,040
the whole plan of God.

1087
00:50:50,200 --> 00:50:51,760
And that's what we do as a church.

1088
00:50:51,760 --> 00:50:54,120
We wanna declare the whole plan of God, right?

1089
00:50:55,160 --> 00:50:57,160
But Spurgeon, Charles Spurgeon said this.

1090
00:50:57,160 --> 00:50:59,240
He goes, many, when hearing a sermon,

1091
00:50:59,240 --> 00:51:01,600
sometimes ask, how did you enjoy it?

1092
00:51:02,920 --> 00:51:05,840
If you always enjoy sermons,

1093
00:51:05,840 --> 00:51:08,480
your minister is not a good steward.

1094
00:51:08,480 --> 00:51:12,080
He is not acting wisely who deals out nothing but sweets.

1095
00:51:12,080 --> 00:51:14,120
God's people need that the word should at times

1096
00:51:14,120 --> 00:51:15,760
be medicine to them.

1097
00:51:16,600 --> 00:51:19,520
So let's end with this question we opened with here.

1098
00:51:19,520 --> 00:51:22,660
Why does God delay and allow sin to reign and abound today?

1099
00:51:23,560 --> 00:51:28,560
It's because God is incredibly patient and longsuffering.

1100
00:51:28,760 --> 00:51:31,120
And God's desire in this age of grace

1101
00:51:31,120 --> 00:51:33,040
is that he doesn't want any to perish,

1102
00:51:33,040 --> 00:51:35,920
but all, everyone to come to repentance.

1103
00:51:35,920 --> 00:51:38,760
That is his heart, that is his desire.

1104
00:51:38,760 --> 00:51:42,160
And yes, God could just with a mere thought

1105
00:51:42,160 --> 00:51:44,460
wipe out every wicked person.

1106
00:51:44,460 --> 00:51:47,020
All who cause suffering, he could do that.

1107
00:51:47,020 --> 00:51:49,300
But then when does he start that?

1108
00:51:50,720 --> 00:51:54,600
You know, most of us will go, well, right after I got saved.

1109
00:51:54,600 --> 00:51:59,600
And no, it's when God decides according to God's calendar.

1110
00:51:59,600 --> 00:52:04,600
And so he waits patiently for even the worst to turn to him.

1111
00:52:04,600 --> 00:52:05,760
And here's the deal.

1112
00:52:05,760 --> 00:52:08,160
God created each one of us with free will.

1113
00:52:08,160 --> 00:52:10,360
He did, he created all of us with a free will,

1114
00:52:10,360 --> 00:52:12,640
the ability to make choices.

1115
00:52:14,320 --> 00:52:16,320
He created us with the ability to choose to say,

1116
00:52:16,320 --> 00:52:17,760
God, I don't believe in you, I hate you,

1117
00:52:17,760 --> 00:52:19,320
I'm gonna live however I want.

1118
00:52:20,320 --> 00:52:23,640
And in God's infinite understanding and wisdom,

1119
00:52:23,640 --> 00:52:27,520
because of that free will that he created within us,

1120
00:52:27,520 --> 00:52:30,120
sometimes if someone is saying, I don't want God,

1121
00:52:31,720 --> 00:52:33,960
if they say that all the way to the end of their life,

1122
00:52:33,960 --> 00:52:35,760
God will honor that choice.

1123
00:52:38,600 --> 00:52:40,920
He won't force them to believe in him.

1124
00:52:40,920 --> 00:52:42,960
That doesn't mean he condones their choice.

1125
00:52:42,960 --> 00:52:45,560
That doesn't mean he's happy about what they're doing,

1126
00:52:45,560 --> 00:52:48,040
but he'll honor their right to choose.

1127
00:52:49,240 --> 00:52:51,800
And that's what's tough for us to deal with.

1128
00:52:52,800 --> 00:52:55,520
As he is waiting, okay, you're still gonna reduce

1129
00:52:55,520 --> 00:52:58,840
me, I'm gonna keep waiting patiently for you to repent.

1130
00:52:58,840 --> 00:53:00,360
You know, the Bible says all have sinned

1131
00:53:00,360 --> 00:53:02,120
and fallen short of the glory of God.

1132
00:53:03,960 --> 00:53:07,920
Unfortunately, the scale of what is bad,

1133
00:53:07,920 --> 00:53:11,160
really bad and not so bad at all,

1134
00:53:11,160 --> 00:53:14,680
that scale, it's not set by us.

1135
00:53:14,680 --> 00:53:16,960
It's not set by us, it's set by God.

1136
00:53:16,960 --> 00:53:19,560
It's his standard of righteousness.

1137
00:53:20,520 --> 00:53:23,000
Even though many of us like to measure ourselves

1138
00:53:23,000 --> 00:53:27,600
against the standard we set, especially when it comes

1139
00:53:27,600 --> 00:53:29,880
to our own determination of who God should

1140
00:53:29,880 --> 00:53:31,920
and shouldn't judge and strike down.

1141
00:53:33,280 --> 00:53:35,880
Now, I don't say any of this to diminish suffering

1142
00:53:35,880 --> 00:53:37,840
and diminish persecution.

1143
00:53:38,680 --> 00:53:41,280
I don't say this to diminish the atrocity

1144
00:53:41,280 --> 00:53:45,800
that is some of the things that we read in our world today.

1145
00:53:46,960 --> 00:53:48,800
But we ultimately have to trust God.

1146
00:53:48,800 --> 00:53:51,960
God who possesses all love, all mercy, all grace,

1147
00:53:51,960 --> 00:53:55,960
all patience, and makes every decision he makes

1148
00:53:55,960 --> 00:54:00,960
in every circumstance based on his perfect capacity

1149
00:54:01,040 --> 00:54:04,840
for all love, all mercy, all grace, and all patience.

1150
00:54:05,880 --> 00:54:07,960
And as we continue as witnesses praying

1151
00:54:07,960 --> 00:54:09,480
and trusting in his perfect will

1152
00:54:09,480 --> 00:54:13,200
and his perfect understanding, even when we don't understand

1153
00:54:13,200 --> 00:54:17,000
why he waits for those who are waiting for him,

1154
00:54:17,000 --> 00:54:20,560
why he waits for those evil sinners,

1155
00:54:21,480 --> 00:54:25,840
we trust in his perfect will that waited for us.

1156
00:54:27,080 --> 00:54:29,600
We trust in his infinite perfect understanding

1157
00:54:29,600 --> 00:54:32,600
that waited for us who are sinners as well to repent.

1158
00:54:33,600 --> 00:54:35,880
And we pray for those who haven't yet repented

1159
00:54:37,360 --> 00:54:41,560
while praying for God to protect and work against evil

1160
00:54:41,560 --> 00:54:44,800
and trust that the day is coming.

1161
00:54:44,800 --> 00:54:48,600
We know the day is coming, that justice will come.

1162
00:54:49,560 --> 00:54:52,200
We know the day is coming where God is gonna say enough

1163
00:54:52,200 --> 00:54:54,600
and pour out wrath upon this earth.

1164
00:54:56,200 --> 00:54:58,000
But like God, we shouldn't look at that

1165
00:54:58,000 --> 00:54:59,840
with eagerness and glee.

1166
00:54:59,840 --> 00:55:01,880
It should break our heart

1167
00:55:01,880 --> 00:55:04,880
that any would perish without Christ.

1168
00:55:04,880 --> 00:55:06,880
And hopefully that heart that God has

1169
00:55:06,880 --> 00:55:08,920
that he would want everyone to come to be saved

1170
00:55:08,920 --> 00:55:11,800
would be a part of us praying passionately

1171
00:55:11,800 --> 00:55:16,800
for those who are doing evil to stop and get saved.

1172
00:55:17,680 --> 00:55:20,200
That somehow, someway, something would come along

1173
00:55:21,200 --> 00:55:23,520
to lead them away from the evil they're doing

1174
00:55:23,520 --> 00:55:26,040
into the salvation that Christ has for them

1175
00:55:26,040 --> 00:55:29,600
and that we would prayerfully, wisely, and lovingly

1176
00:55:30,600 --> 00:55:33,960
pray that God would use us even if need be

1177
00:55:34,960 --> 00:55:37,560
to shine the light into their darkness, amen?

1178
00:55:37,560 --> 00:55:38,400
Let's pray.

1179
00:55:38,400 --> 00:55:40,880
Let's pray.

1180
00:55:40,880 --> 00:55:45,880
Father, Lord, we know it is a difficult topic.

1181
00:55:48,880 --> 00:55:51,760
None of us want to see evil continue.

1182
00:55:54,600 --> 00:55:56,400
But in this time, Lord, it does.

1183
00:55:58,920 --> 00:56:02,320
Lord, none of us wanna see anybody get hurt.

1184
00:56:02,320 --> 00:56:04,320
Some of the things that are happening in our world today

1185
00:56:04,320 --> 00:56:08,040
are just atrociously disgusting.

1186
00:56:08,040 --> 00:56:09,840
And we pray against those things, God.

1187
00:56:09,840 --> 00:56:13,600
We pray, Lord, that you would protect the innocent

1188
00:56:13,600 --> 00:56:16,800
and protect kids who are being forced into trafficking

1189
00:56:16,800 --> 00:56:18,800
and that you would save them, that you would deliver them.

1190
00:56:18,800 --> 00:56:21,280
Lord, we pray for those who are being hurt and abused

1191
00:56:21,280 --> 00:56:23,280
that you would save them and deliver them.

1192
00:56:25,840 --> 00:56:28,160
And Lord, as much as we might not want to sometimes,

1193
00:56:28,160 --> 00:56:29,960
we pray for the perpetrators

1194
00:56:29,960 --> 00:56:32,320
that you would save them and deliver them.

1195
00:56:34,000 --> 00:56:35,800
We pray for the wicked and the evil

1196
00:56:35,800 --> 00:56:38,120
that you would save them and deliver them.

1197
00:56:40,840 --> 00:56:42,640
And that, God, when we come to these times

1198
00:56:42,640 --> 00:56:45,040
where we simply cannot understand,

1199
00:56:46,040 --> 00:56:48,600
that we would still, through the power of the Holy Spirit

1200
00:56:48,600 --> 00:56:51,160
who dwells within us, be able to trust you

1201
00:56:51,160 --> 00:56:53,600
and to have faith in your perfect will

1202
00:56:53,600 --> 00:56:55,960
and to have faith in your perfect understanding

1203
00:56:55,960 --> 00:56:59,040
and to have faith in your perfect way of doing things.

1204
00:57:01,880 --> 00:57:04,400
Help us, Lord, where our faith is weak.

1205
00:57:04,400 --> 00:57:06,520
Help us, Lord, where our faith lacks.

1206
00:57:09,000 --> 00:57:12,920
Lord, we know you don't in any way celebrate evil.

1207
00:57:12,920 --> 00:57:14,240
It breaks your heart.

1208
00:57:15,880 --> 00:57:17,760
But Lord, let us not in our own hearts

1209
00:57:17,760 --> 00:57:20,600
consign people to eternal damnation

1210
00:57:20,600 --> 00:57:22,320
to ever think that they are beyond,

1211
00:57:22,320 --> 00:57:24,560
that they are the ones that cannot possibly be saved

1212
00:57:24,560 --> 00:57:25,880
so that we wouldn't pray for them,

1213
00:57:25,880 --> 00:57:26,920
we wouldn't reach out to them,

1214
00:57:26,920 --> 00:57:30,240
we wouldn't hand them tracks, but quite the opposite, Lord.

1215
00:57:30,240 --> 00:57:32,040
We would do everything in our power

1216
00:57:32,040 --> 00:57:36,000
to see that they would come to know Jesus Christ,

1217
00:57:36,000 --> 00:57:37,760
that they would be transformed and redeemed

1218
00:57:37,760 --> 00:57:39,720
and delivered from the power of evil.

1219
00:57:40,800 --> 00:57:42,840
God, we love you, we thank you.

1220
00:57:42,840 --> 00:57:44,800
It's in Jesus' name we pray.

1221
00:57:44,800 --> 00:57:45,640
Amen.

1222
00:57:45,640 --> 00:58:04,640
God bless you guys, let's worship.