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Well, good morning everybody if this is your first time joining us here in hosanna in our building here

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Or if you're joining us online, we want to say welcome to all of you

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If for those of you in our building if you're watching online you're not getting the the joy of this moment

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But for those of you in the room, you may have noticed some differences here in our sanctuary and the reasons for that

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You know over the years we've been praying about remodeling the sanctuary a little bit and you know, but budgets are tight

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So, what do you think?

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No, actually this is all for our vacation Bible school which starts tomorrow

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We're so excited about that and we do want to say that for those of you that are sitting under the the pennants and flags there

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That means you're all volunteered to serve at VBS. So congratulations. Yeah, no, that's not true either

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No, we're just very excited about what is going on for VBS this week

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And so I do understand that if you're towards the back of the room

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The flags there that are going across are kind of blocking the screen and so it's for one Sunday

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So I'm just to ask you to kind of bear with us for the moment or or a crazy thought move forward, right?

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You could do that as well

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So but I made sure that I could see all your eyes in the back row so that wouldn't infect the teaching too much here

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So so bear with us today, but we're really blessed for VBS this week

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But for those of you that don't know I am pastor Nathan and this morning

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We're gonna be looking at Revelation chapter 11 the sounding of the seventh trumpet

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Now this section of Revelation that we find ourselves in

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We are right around the middle of the great tribulation period the middle of this

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Seven year period called the tribulation that we refer to as the day of the Lord

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That's what this entire time period is referred to

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Scripturally now the sounding of the seventh trumpet judgment opens with a proclamation

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and it's a proclamation of comfort and

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Encouragement to those who were in the midst of the tribulation period

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some very very

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Devastating things are and have been taking place as we've been looking at this time period

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And so in this moment as the seventh trumpet sounds this encouragement comes out to encourage those who have trusted in

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God for their salvation during this time and those that are then frightened by God's judgments on sin falling on around them

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Because you see although salvation is available to those who haven't confessed Christ

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Before tribulation during the tribulation period people are still able to get saved

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But unfortunately during that time the age of grace is over and the age of God's judgments are pouring up upon the earth

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And so there's some very scary and devastating things happening

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But this proclamation that the seventh trumpet opens with is is really the picture of hope for them

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It's the picture of hope it's the promise of what's to come in their future

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Now we know as I said this tribulation period also referred to as the 70th week of Daniel will last seven years

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The Bible teaches that in multiple different places the first three and a half years of this tribulation period or are an apparent

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Time of peace if you will as a world leader comes on the scene called the Antichrist and he seems to solve all the world's problems

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most most significantly he seems to solve the problems in the Middle East as he

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appears to bring peace between the Jews and and the Muslims and

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And allows the Jews to rebuild their temple there on the temple Mount but even so during this time

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God's judgments have begun to fall upon the earth the second three and a half years of this seven year period are called the great

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tribulation and as everything escalates during this time as

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Literally all hell starts to break loose upon earth God's judgments are

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Increasing in severity getting worse and worse and worse as each one falls and during this time all who confess the name of Christ

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All who confess the name of Jesus both do Jew and Gentile are under incredibly heavy persecution

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Many are even martyred for their faith as we'd seen earlier in Revelation and so these days

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These these last times of the tribulation period this last three and a half years although it is only three and a half years long

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For those that are in it for those that are falling under these judgments

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Even though they have given their life to Christ at that time these judgments are still falling upon the earth

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It is a time for them that is a very very difficult and it seems like an eternity. I would imagine it seems like a forever

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It seems like a forever and so this seventh trumpet opens with this proclamation of not only what is happening

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What this is all about?

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But what is to come it's a future look at the end of all of it and

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God declares this look at the end of all of it in the past tense

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Because we know God is timeless God is outside of time God sees the beginning from the end

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And so he gives this proclamation in the tense that it's already happened. And so for us today, there's hope there's always hope and there's continued

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Hope that that in the face of the dark direction of human history

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God's kingdom will come

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And I thought it was pretty cool yesterday as we were setting up here for VBS and setting up this castle prop behind us

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Because the whole theme of our VBS this year is keepers of the kingdom

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Without really having paid attention to that the title of this morning study is your kingdom come and I just thought Lord

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That's really neat. I really appreciate you doing little things like that and we know that God's kingdom will come

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Human history is heading somewhere. We know human history is moving in a direction and from God's perspective

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Everything is right on schedule. It's exactly as it should be and how it should be and you know as God's people if we know

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That the future is coming and we know what the future is because we have it revealed in God's Word

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We should be people investing in that future and getting ready for that future

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For the Christian our future our hope is heaven

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Is eternity with our Creator and that is the future that we should be investing in above all

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And so the forecast here in Revelation chapter 11 in the midst of the growing story

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Of the growing storms of tribulation is that it's all going to be fine soon

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It's all going to be fine soon. Hang on a little bit longer as the one who knows the future reveals exactly what it will be

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And so that's what we need to hear at times

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We need to hear that it's going to be over soon. It's going to get better

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That's what we need to hear at times of difficult difficulty and it's what those suffering and tribulation will need to hear at that time

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And so that's what we're going to be looking at this morning

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But first we're going to spend some time in worship praising God because he is worthy

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He is almighty and again as I said if you're in the back and you're like those flags are blocking my view of the screen

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Feel free to move forward. There's plenty of seats up front. Let's pray. God we love you

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Lord we're so excited for you and what you're doing Lord and that's a strange thing to say in the view of tribulation Lord as we see

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In your word these devastating judgments fallen upon the earth Lord

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But God for those that have put their trust in you as our Lord and Savior God we know that all of this means that your kingdom is coming

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That your kingdom is almost here

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And Lord we look forward to that

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God you taught us to pray your kingdom come your will be done on earth as it is in heaven

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Lord we desire that so much

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We desire for your name to be glorified by your creation God as it should be

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And yet Lord we know we live in a world today that that doesn't do that in in most ways

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But God we as your people are here in this world today Lord

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Lights on a hill to take the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ to share the hope of heaven to share the truth of the coming kingdom of God

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With people who don't yet know you Lord that they would too have salvation as we have found salvation

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And so God I pray Lord as we study your word today that you would encourage us about your kingdom come

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That Lord we would draw the same encouragement from the words now

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As it is intended to be for those that are going to read it then in the midst of tribulation

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And that Lord we would find our hope

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We would find our peace

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We would find our everything in the truth

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That your kingdom is coming

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That righteousness will come

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That your kingdom is coming that righteousness will be restored

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That sin will be fully and finally dealt with one day

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And that God we will be in perfect righteousness and peace and perfection and joy and all that it is with you Lord

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So God encourage us to be people about your work today

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as we are not only

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Living life here on this earth, but Lord investing in the true future the real future the most important future to come Lord

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And that is the heavenly kingdom. That is yours

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We love you so much and we thank you. It's in Jesus name. We pray

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Amen. All right. We are in revelation chapter 11 starting in verse 15. And so if you will read with me

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It says the seventh angel blew his trumpet

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And there were loud voices in heaven

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Saying the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ

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And he will reign forever and ever

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What a glorious thing

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You know, we have been looking forward to

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God's coming kingdom for a long time. I think all of us since we got saved

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Right and as we've been studying through revelation, we have finally arrived here at the seventh

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Trumpet we've been waiting for it ever since chapter 8

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So far what we've seen is four trumpets sounded after which a messenger in the sky came

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In uh, it says it was an eagle or in the form of an eagle and it said whoa

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Whoa, whoa

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To the inhabitants of the earth because of what is about to come

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referencing the fifth

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Sixth and seventh trumpets and so the three woes that were referenced there

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Were referring to these final three trumpet judgments

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And if you remember the trumpet judgment started the first one was really the destruction of the greenery

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Grasses and trees and stuff on the earth the second trumpet

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Was the sea was dealt with the sea was destroyed and devastated the third trumpet all the freshwater sources

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The rivers and things of that nature were destroyed

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The fourth trumpet the sky was struck

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Where we saw that the sun and the moon and the stars and the light was all affected

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And then we came to the first woe

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The fifth trumpet judgment as hordes of demons were released upon the earth

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Allowed to torment people for five months

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The torment was so bad. We read there that people wanted to die

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But somehow some way they were unable to

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They couldn't die during this period and then we came to the second woe

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Which was the sixth trumpet

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Where we read about four fallen angels who had been bound at the euphrates river that were released

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Raising an army of 200 million and being let loose upon the earth to not just torment people

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But to kill people as a part of that judgment and now we come to the seventh

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trumpet

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The final woe

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But what's interesting here is after the devastation of the first and the second woes

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Which are devastating this one opens up with

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loud praise in heaven

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worship

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celebration

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Proclamation. I mean, that's a huge contrast to what we've seen so far

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You remember at the opening after the sixth seal was opened

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And as part of the interlude between the sixth and seventh seal

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We read that there was silence in heaven

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for a half an hour

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a very somber moment

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a very

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Anticipatory moment as people were

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Waiting for the next judgment to pour out

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As the judgments were getting worse and worse, but here after the sixth trumpet

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At the sounding of the seventh trumpet

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Instead of silence, it says we have loud noises and those loud noises are referring to celebratory

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celebratory noises

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It's a celebration that's going on now. Why is everybody so happy?

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It's devastating what's taking place on the earth. Why is there celebration in heaven? Woe isn't a happy word

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Woe means devastation and destruction and this is the third

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Woe means devastation and destruction and this is the third woe

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Why why is heaven celebrating? Why are they rejoicing because?

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It's bad

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But the reason they're rejoicing in heaven is because they see the light at the end of the tunnel

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The end is coming the end is almost there. It's almost done

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And so worship goes up in heaven

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Goes up in heaven

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From a chronological point of view

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This seventh trumpet and in all that happens as a part of the seventh trumpet

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All together collectively it brings us to the very end of the tribulation period

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The seventh trumpet and the events of the seventh trumpet really encompass everything

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Up to the second coming of jesus christ in his reign upon the earth

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And that is why this proclamation is made this announcement is made here the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our lord

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And of his christ and he will reign forever

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and ever

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Now what it's looking at and referring to the the the specific events of the seventh trumpet time period

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Or the specific judgments that that take part that that are poured out as part of the seventh trumpet

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The the judgments that will bring us all the way to the very end the actual judgments themselves are recorded in chapter 15 and 16

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Of revelation and we'll look at those when we get there

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But here what is taking place in revelation 11 is is is almost a look above and past all of that

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It's looking past all of the events to come in the final parts of the great tribulation period

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It's looking above all that to the end

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And what we're seeing is the rejoicing taking place in heaven of that end about to come

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If you remember back in revelation chapter 10 verse 7 it said this

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

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Then the mystery of god will be completed as he announced to his servants the prophets

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And if you remember what that was referring to is is in the time period

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Of the sounding of that seventh trumpet and all that takes place there as a part of that conclusion to the tribulation period

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The mystery of god will be completed

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The mystery of god the the mystery of god's patience the mystery of why does god delay the mystery of

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Of of why hasn't god poured out all of his final judgment on sin like he prophesied

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He would like the prophet spoke of why the waiting all of that will come to its completion its fruition and the mystery of god

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Will be over it'll be fulfilled

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And that whole concept of god's final dealing with sin in his coming reign

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It's about to happen is what it was talking about there in revelation 10 7 well if we fast forward to revelation chapter 15 verse 1

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It says then I saw another great and awe inspiring sign in heaven

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Seven angels with the seven last plagues

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For with them god's wrath will be completed

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And so it's with these seven last plagues that god wraps everything up

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And the introduction of these plagues is a part of the sounding of the seventh trumpet

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Just as the seventh seal ushered in the seven trumpets the seventh trumpet is going to usher in the seven bold judgments

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And the idea is that the seventh trumpet is what is announcing the end it's it's announcing that god is bringing his wrath

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to a completion

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And after that it's over after that it's over so when the seventh trumpet sounds

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What is going to take place as a part of the seventh trumpet is this rapid-fire judgment of bowls being poured out on earth

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at the end of tribulation

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And after those seven bold judgments are poured out it's over

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This age of earth's history is over

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It's done

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And so chapter 11 however what we're looking at here is the anticipatory look

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at that completion

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So here in verse 15 it started with loud voices and a great announcement

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loud voices and a proclamation it's

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It's almost like a victory chant if you read it that way

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It's like a victory chant the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our lord and the kingdom of the earth

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the kingdom of our lord and of our christ

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Now the actual

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Description of that kingdom switch

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That's what we're going to see later on in chapter 19 when we get there

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And so we'll look at it then at the very end of the tribulation period but here in chapter 11 verse 15 we have this

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Anticipatory this this assumptive this this victory declaration, you know, it's kind of like the idea of

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like if you watch sports

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And sometimes when you're like you're still in the last quarter the last inning or whatever you're there's still time left in the game

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But it's obvious you're like we won

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The game's over we won. That's kind of what's taking place here. Yeah, there's there's still five minutes to go, but we won

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Right. That's this declaration god has won and so as a part of this declaration it says in verse 15 that he will reign forever

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and ever

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That his kingdom is about to come his kingdom is is is coming to pass the conclusion of it the final judgment of sin

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The dealing with all of that completely it's here. It's arrived is what's being declared

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As the last final minutes of tribulation are being being looked at

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And he says when his kingdom comes he will reign forever and ever

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Back in daniel

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Um the prophet daniel he tells us that there was a time where king nebuchadnezzar

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Who was at that time the king of babalon and effectively the king of the entire world had a dream

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and

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This man king nebuchadnezzar was a man who who thought i'm invincible nobody can conquer me

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Nobody can defeat me

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He he calls daniel to him and he says daniel I I had this really weird dream

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And I need to tell it to you and and can you tell me what it means and so he says daniel I had this dream

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Of this huge statue this huge statue and the head of the statue was made of gold

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But then the chest of the statue was made of silver

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The abdomen and thigh area of the statue was made of brass the legs were made of iron

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And the feet of this statue and its ten toes were made of iron and clay mixed together and he goes

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Daniel what does it mean?

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And so the lord gave daniel the interpretation of this dream for king nebuchadnezzar the world global leader of that time

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And daniel said god has given you a vision of what is to come after you

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And he said you nebuchadnezzar you're the you're the head of gold right

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But after you there are going to be many more worldwide kingdoms that are going to come upon the earth

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He says you are the head of gold but other kingdoms are going to come and and they're going to be less a little bit less than you all the way down

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But finally at the end of all that at the end of history

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As you see these feet with ten toes he goes at the end of history there's going to be ten nations

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That band together to make one worldwide government that'll be ruled by someone at that time

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And nebuchadnezzar goes well that that's that's cool daniel thanks for that but something bothers me about the dream

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He goes in that dream as I was looking at that statue this big rock came flying out of heaven

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And it hit the statue and it disintegrated the statue

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And then that rock grew to become a huge mountain and nebuchadnezzar said daniel what does that mean?

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And daniel said in the day that those ten nations come together and have this worldwide kingdom led by this world leader in those days

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God will come and destroy all of them

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And in that destruction god will then set up his kingdom a kingdom that will never be destroyed

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A kingdom that will last last forever a kingdom that won't be left for others because

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You see in that statue every worldwide kingdom and every worldwide leader that has ever lived they eventually die

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And then that kingdom is left for someone else and then more people step in and then it's left and it's left and it's left

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But eventually at the end of history

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God is going to set up a kingdom that'll be forever and ever

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That won't be left to anybody other anybody else to come and rule after because god will be raining there

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forever and ever and this is incidentally what's going to happen at the second coming of jesus christ and we're going to see this in chapter 19 of

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Revelation that all of man's kingdoms

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All of man's governments all all of that is going to come to a screeching halt

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There's going to be no diplomatic negotiations

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There's going to be no summits and conferences

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There's going to be none of that god is going to come and take over completely

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And this was all prophesied

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There is actually a prediction about jesus christ god almighty coming to rule

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When he was born with we read in luke chapter 1 that the angel came and visited mary

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And said this in chapter 1 of luke verse 13

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The angel said now listen you will conceive and give birth to a son and you will name him jesus

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He will be great

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And will be called the son of the most high

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And the lord god will give him the throne of his father david

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He will reign over the house of jacob forever and his kingdom will have no end

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So at the very beginning

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At the very beginning of of jesus's life here on earth if you will at the very beginning this prediction was made that jesus would come

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And he would be the ultimate king of kings

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He would be the lord of lords

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And that's how we refer to him. That's what we know him as is the coming king of kings and lord of lords

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And so over the course of his life, it's interesting you read throughout the gospels in the life of jesus and the life of the king of lords

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And so over the course of his life. It's interesting you read throughout the gospels in the life of jesus

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He loved to speak about his kingdom come

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It was one of his favorite topics a major theme of his ministry

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In fact in his very first message

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He said repent for the kingdom of god is at hand

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In luke chapter 4 when he was talking to his disciples

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He said to them look I must preach the kingdom of god to other cities also and so we need to go to other places

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In matthew chapter 13 you have this whole section of jesus's teaching that are referred to as the kingdom

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Parables as jesus kept saying the kingdom of god is like

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The kingdom of god is like the kingdom of god is like

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Then back in matthew chapter 5 verse 7 you have what is effectively the kingdom manifesto

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As jesus goes through really how life is lived in the kingdom of god as he goes through the beatitudes and all these parables

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At the end of his life ponchus pilate even said to jesus are you a king

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And you remember jesus said you say rightly that I am a king

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But then he added but my kingdom is not of this world

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Because if it was my servants would rise up and fight

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But they don't because it's not

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And then after jesus rose from the dead scripture tells us that he spent 40 days teaching his disciples quote things pertaining to the kingdom of god

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And then as I mentioned in the in the opening jesus even taught his followers how to pray

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You guys remember that right the lord's prayer

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Said our father in heaven your kingdom come your will be done

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Older translations add the on earth as it is in heaven newer translations omit that

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But the idea is that he was teaching his followers to be kingdom minded

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To be kingdom minded to be about the kingdom of god and what all that means

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But if we look around the earth today, that's not what we see. We don't see god's kingdom here on earth

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In the sense of god ruling and reigning and everybody reverencing him as king of kings

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We don't we don't see that on earth today. His kingdom hasn't come yet

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I definitely wouldn't say we see his will being reflected on earth

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We see people servants of his reflecting his will but as a as a global

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Creation as a global entity earth and mankind is not reflecting the will of god

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What god intended when he put man on the earth originally

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His original intent for man on earth. That's it's not what's happening in the earth today

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Where people that are stained by sin were people that are scarred by sin

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Were people that are stained by sin were people that are scarred by rebellion against god were people that are just

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Messed up in so many ways, but guess what church?

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One day that will change

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One day that will change and until then

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We do as jesus commanded his disciples taught them to do and taught us to do we pray

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We pray for the return of jesus christ we pray for his kingdom come we pray for his will be done

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We look forward to that day

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We pray for the for the consummation of of this announcement we are reading about here in revelation chapter 11

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But we don't just pray for it to come in the sense of like it's some far-off thing

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That that we experience in no way here and now

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It's not just a future kingdom because the kingdom of god isn't just something to come

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The kingdom of god in a sense does begin now because the minute the king resides in your own heart

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The second the king of kings and the lord of lords god of glory resides in your own heart through your faith in him

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Through your confession that he is god and then he died for you and your cry to him to say god

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Please forgive me of all of my sins the moment that happened

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The kingdom of god has come to your life

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And you begin to enjoy at least some of the benefits of being a subject of his kingdom

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But in that process we are taught in scripture too that hey look our citizenship is not of this earth we are citizens of heaven

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So while you are a citizen of the kingdom of god and you get to experience some of the benefits of that citizenship right now

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We're in a foreign land. We're in a land that doesn't belong to god that doesn't honor god that doesn't love god

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And so we are here as sojourners carrying a message

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And so yes while we do enjoy some of the benefits of that citizenship now in our individual lives

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There is something so much better to come and it's ultimate fulfillment and that's what we look forward to

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That's what we hang on to in in especially in the church of the kingdom of god

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And that's what we hang on to in especially in difficult times

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That's what we hang on to when things don't make sense

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We hang on to that when we look around the world and we see the evil that is being perpetrated and we say god why?

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We talked about that in a study a couple weeks ago

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That we hang on to the truth and the hope and the promise that god's kingdom is coming

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And that one day god's will will be done

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That it will be a world of righteousness a place of righteousness

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led by god himself

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But now we come to the 24 elders and and we see these 24 elders often in the book of revelation verse 16

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It says the 24 elders who were seated before god on their thrones fell face down and worshiped god

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Now these guys pop up in heavenly scenes

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to give praise to god

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That's what we see them do over and over they they they pop up they appear on the scene

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And and it's like they fall down on their faces and it's not because they have trouble walking or anything like that

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The idea is that they're just overwhelmed with the glory of god and his awesomeness and his holiness and they just

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They they they can't help but to fall down on their faces and worship of him

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Now these 24 elders as we've talked about in the past

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We know they're not angels because angels not a single time in scripture are ever seen seated on thrones

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So these 24 elders are not angels

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They represent the church. They represent the redeemed the glorified church in heaven

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Specifically the the church that has caught up to heaven prior to this tribulation period

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An event we refer to as as the rapture of the church

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As god takes the redeemed and the faithful out of the world before he begins to pour out his judgments

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upon this earth

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This is incidentally the third time we've seen these 24 elders give praise to god the first time was in chapter four

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As john was caught up to heaven and before tribulation happens

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He's given this beautiful picture this scene of the throne room of god

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And all he sees there is worship taking place and worship and he sees these 24 elders are

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Worshiping god and they're in chapter four. They're worshiping god because he's their creator

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And then in chapter five we see the 24 elders again they're worshiping god now because he's their redeemer

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And here we see them now worshiping god

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As the rightful king and judge of all the earth

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And so what do they say in verse 17?

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It says we give you thanks lord god

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the almighty

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Who is and who was?

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Because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign

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The nations were angry, but your wrath has come

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The time has come for the dead to be judged and to give the reward to your servants the prophets to the saints

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And to those who fear you

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Name both small and great and the time has come to destroy those who destroy the earth

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And so these 24 others they fall in their face and worship. What do they say?

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We give you thanks lord god

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That's how they start their worship here and it's just interesting like the sounding of the seventh trump

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There's a lot of commotion going on in heaven here. There's a lot of activity. There's a lot of noise

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You have the trumpet sound

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You have these loud voices you have worship going on and and it's just it's it's this picture at least what I see is it's loud

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Now this may be an unpopular opinion, but I think god likes loud worship

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I think he does

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We see worship loudly multiple times throughout god's word

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And since we see worship loudly

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Multiple times throughout god's word and since we see loud worship in heaven a lot. I

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Think we might get used to it here and now

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Okay

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Um because it's going to be that way for forever

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Now I know loud is a subjective thing to different people and and I think god knows that right and

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You know when we get to heaven whatever loud is for you. It's going to be perfectly that loud

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But the idea here if we are god's people

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And and the kingdom of god has has come to us through our through our

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Acceptance of him as our lord and savior our faith placed in him

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For what he did if if we are god's people and the kingdom of god has come to us because we've received the king

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The idea is that we should then naturally be thankful people

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We should naturally be thankful people

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Giving of thanks should be second nature for us as god's people

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It really should that's that's a that's a function of the holy spirit dwelling within us

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That's a function of our hearts being redeemed and transformed is that we should be thankful people

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Paul said in Philippians chapter 2 verse 14

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Do everything without grumbling and arguing

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Arguing is the csb version you might be more familiar with

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The new king james where it says do everything without grumbling and complaining

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right

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And that idea of complaining is the idea of arguing

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Because when we're complaining we're really arguing against our circumstances

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And when we're complaining against god what we're really doing is arguing with god for what he is allowing in that moment

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We are daring to say god, I think you're wrong. I don't agree with this. This isn't right

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And paul said look do everything without that attitude, you know, I mean if we're honest if we're honest

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I think most of us are probably way better at complaining than we are at giving thanks

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You know, it's like it's like as kids are growing up, you know

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And the first time the kid, you know tries to hide the cookie behind their back that they took off the

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Out of the cookie jar and you're like who taught you how to do that? Right? Nobody had to teach them how to lie

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Nobody had to teach them how to deceive, you know, and and really nobody has to teach us how to complain about things

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It's just it's a part of our fallen nature

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And we're not complaining about things

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It's just it's a part of our fallen nature. It's a part of our fallen nature to complain and to grumble about stuff, you know

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Um, I heard this is some people consider it a maximum a maximum of life

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But the idea is that nobody ever says anything until they want to complain about something

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And you may have seen that you know if you've

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Led something, you know and you're pouring your heart and soul into it, you know

435
00:35:44,720 --> 00:35:49,120
And sometimes it's discouraging nobody ever comes up and says hey great job great job

436
00:35:49,120 --> 00:35:52,080
But the second something goes wrong. Wow, do you hear about it, right?

437
00:35:53,600 --> 00:35:57,440
And and and it's just it's a part of our nature to do that

438
00:36:01,120 --> 00:36:03,120
But right here in the middle of tribulation

439
00:36:04,720 --> 00:36:11,600
In the middle of judgments in the middle of destruction and devastation in the middle of a time

440
00:36:11,600 --> 00:36:16,080
Where I think anybody would go well, I can understand the complaining and the grumbling

441
00:36:17,280 --> 00:36:19,280
We see a song of thanksgiving

442
00:36:19,680 --> 00:36:23,520
We see a song of praise. Why well it tells us right there while they're praising him

443
00:36:24,240 --> 00:36:27,600
Because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign

444
00:36:29,280 --> 00:36:34,960
We give you thanks lord god almighty who is and who was because you have taken your great power

445
00:36:34,960 --> 00:36:39,920
And have begun to reign that's what they're praising him for as they're watching they're observing from heaven

446
00:36:39,920 --> 00:36:43,760
All this stuff take place as they're going wow, look at look at the judgments falling

447
00:36:43,760 --> 00:36:47,520
That's tragic and that's terrible and the earth is being judged and the people are being judged

448
00:36:47,520 --> 00:36:53,280
And ultimately it's sin and wickedness that is being judged. They give this praise to god

449
00:36:53,280 --> 00:36:56,400
They give this thanks to god because what they're seeing

450
00:36:57,440 --> 00:37:04,800
What they're observing they're watching they're thanking god for his sovereign power and the fact that he is exercising it

451
00:37:04,800 --> 00:37:06,800
This is the moment

452
00:37:08,160 --> 00:37:13,280
That many of us are waiting for when we ask that question why god do you allow this

453
00:37:14,480 --> 00:37:19,760
Why god won't you punish that why god won't you judge them?

454
00:37:21,920 --> 00:37:23,920
Right now god is waiting for all

455
00:37:25,440 --> 00:37:28,720
For all who would hear the gospel of jesus christ

456
00:37:28,720 --> 00:37:36,000
To accept it but the time is coming the time is coming where he will exercise his sovereign power

457
00:37:36,000 --> 00:37:43,120
Where he will exercise his judgment and in that exercising of his judgment and in that final judgment upon sin then he is able

458
00:37:44,160 --> 00:37:48,160
To finally reign and fully exert his authority no more holding back

459
00:37:48,720 --> 00:37:52,560
Right as we've been looking at the judgments of ron and the judgment of the world

460
00:37:52,560 --> 00:37:59,120
One of the things I see in there is is god almighty who could just with a thought obliterate everything

461
00:37:59,600 --> 00:38:01,600
Says here's a judgment

462
00:38:02,160 --> 00:38:04,720
And it doesn't obliterate everything and then no

463
00:38:05,280 --> 00:38:10,320
Here's a little bit more of a severe judgment. No, here's a little bit more of a severe right and he's doing it

464
00:38:10,320 --> 00:38:12,320
It's almost like he's holding back

465
00:38:12,880 --> 00:38:16,160
And I think that is an accurate picture because god wants people to get something

466
00:38:16,160 --> 00:38:23,040
Right and he's doing it. It's almost like he's holding back and I think that is an accurate picture because god wants people to get saved

467
00:38:26,240 --> 00:38:28,480
But the time will come where there's no more holding back

468
00:38:29,920 --> 00:38:33,440
And the people in heaven are thanking him for it thanking him for it

469
00:38:35,040 --> 00:38:41,040
And there is place for that and it is a good thing that when righteousness finally prevails it's it's praise god

470
00:38:41,040 --> 00:38:49,760
It's when when wickedness that that fully and completely and finally and thoroughly rejects god completely says okay gets what's coming to it praise god

471
00:38:53,120 --> 00:38:55,280
We don't want anybody to go to hell

472
00:38:55,280 --> 00:38:58,960
God doesn't want anybody to go to hell but many will choose to do so

473
00:38:59,360 --> 00:39:04,160
And when they do it's going to be righteous and it's going to be just and it's going to be right and appropriate

474
00:39:05,920 --> 00:39:08,240
And what we see here is i'm thanking god for that

475
00:39:08,240 --> 00:39:10,400
And what we see here is i'm thanking god for that

476
00:39:13,440 --> 00:39:22,160
Thanking god that he followed through thanking god that he he held the line that he that he maintained and enforced his standard

477
00:39:22,240 --> 00:39:24,240
thanking god for that

478
00:39:25,520 --> 00:39:27,520
Verse 18

479
00:39:27,920 --> 00:39:33,120
Really he goes on to say the nations were angry and your wrath has come and the time has come for the dead to be

480
00:39:33,120 --> 00:39:38,800
Judged and to give the reward to your servants the prophets the saints and to those who fear your name both small and great

481
00:39:39,200 --> 00:39:42,080
And the time has come to destroy those who destroy the earth. This is

482
00:39:44,160 --> 00:39:46,160
Really encompassing

483
00:39:46,480 --> 00:39:49,120
The mindset that opening part the nations were angry

484
00:39:49,120 --> 00:39:55,840
It's encompassing the mindset of of really the the world over the entire seven year tribulation period

485
00:39:56,000 --> 00:39:58,000
The nations were angry, right?

486
00:39:58,000 --> 00:40:03,680
What he's mentioning here is national hostility. He's he's mentioning international hostility

487
00:40:03,680 --> 00:40:08,000
He's mentioning the fact that the worlds were angry at god and his people

488
00:40:08,800 --> 00:40:10,800
And we see that today

489
00:40:11,520 --> 00:40:16,720
We see that today and it's only going to keep escalating earlier in chapter 11. We read about these two witnesses

490
00:40:16,720 --> 00:40:18,720
That was our last look here

491
00:40:18,880 --> 00:40:25,040
And we read that the world hated them so much and they're witnessing about jesus that when they were murdered by the antichrist the whole

492
00:40:25,040 --> 00:40:28,960
World celebrated it says with joy and gifts gifts

493
00:40:30,560 --> 00:40:35,520
People sent gifts to one another celebrating the murder of these two witnesses who who did what?

494
00:40:37,360 --> 00:40:39,360
Proclaim the gospel of jesus christ

495
00:40:40,720 --> 00:40:44,960
And they were so excited that they were dead that that when they were murdered they didn't even get the bodies

496
00:40:44,960 --> 00:40:47,440
They just left them on the street for three and a half days to rot

497
00:40:47,440 --> 00:40:55,440
They were angry with the 144 000 jewish evangelists who had been on the scene and the multitudes won to jesus because of their evangelism

498
00:40:56,800 --> 00:41:03,600
And that anger starting in the beginning of revelation carries all the way through some of them just hate god so much

499
00:41:04,400 --> 00:41:11,360
And will not repent revelation 16 9 at the fourth bowl judgment. It tells us the people blasphemed the name of god

500
00:41:13,040 --> 00:41:16,160
There's no question whether it's god the god of the world

501
00:41:16,160 --> 00:41:21,280
No question whether it's god pouring these judgments out at this point, but they blaspheme his name instead of repenting

502
00:41:22,140 --> 00:41:27,360
Revelation 16 11 at the fifth bowl judgment. It says again. They blasphemed the god of heavens the god of the heavens

503
00:41:28,140 --> 00:41:33,360
Revelation 16 21 at the seventh bowl judgment it again says they blasphemed god

504
00:41:34,960 --> 00:41:39,120
And then that word blasphemed means to revile or to speak against someone with hate

505
00:41:39,120 --> 00:41:45,540
Harmful or injurious intent now?

506
00:41:46,100 --> 00:41:49,140
I I the question comes to my head. Can you imagine someone?

507
00:41:49,700 --> 00:41:57,060
Recognizing god almighty creator of the universe recognizing the judgments falling and then still being in the place to revile his name to speak against him

508
00:41:57,060 --> 00:42:01,780
With hate to speak harm upon him. Can you imagine that and then as I ask that question I go

509
00:42:01,780 --> 00:42:04,820
Yeah, I can because that's exactly what I did before I knew jesus christ

510
00:42:04,820 --> 00:42:10,580
In one breath I'd go there is no god, but if he was real right and then I would just blaspheme

511
00:42:13,300 --> 00:42:16,500
From the very beginning to the very end mankind

512
00:42:18,260 --> 00:42:24,980
Is rebellious against god stubborn against his offer they shake their fist at god instead of repenting of sins

513
00:42:25,940 --> 00:42:27,940
But what does it say here in revelation?

514
00:42:28,500 --> 00:42:30,500
But your wrath has come

515
00:42:30,500 --> 00:42:39,060
But your wrath has come but your wrath has come this speaks of judgment this speaks about what is happening during this time

516
00:42:39,300 --> 00:42:41,540
What is happening up to this point in tribulation?

517
00:42:41,540 --> 00:42:48,980
And then what is looked at in in in what's to come as the tribulation closes through the bowl judgments your wrath has come

518
00:42:49,140 --> 00:42:56,740
heaven is rejoicing at this the 24 elders fall down in worship and and and are giving thanks for the

519
00:42:57,200 --> 00:42:59,200
judgment that is falling and

520
00:42:59,200 --> 00:43:03,840
And again, you go. Why would the church get so excited about a god who would judge the earth?

521
00:43:03,840 --> 00:43:05,840
That's one of the critiques people have

522
00:43:06,240 --> 00:43:08,000
against that right

523
00:43:08,000 --> 00:43:10,000
You you you share judgment with them, right?

524
00:43:10,000 --> 00:43:14,640
This is this is instantly why some of us in our evangelism get afraid to to

525
00:43:16,400 --> 00:43:20,880
Share that part of the gospel and all we want to do is god loves you so much. That's all we want to say

526
00:43:21,760 --> 00:43:22,800
right

527
00:43:22,800 --> 00:43:28,720
God loves you so much. Oh just oh, please please god loves you so much and then and then sometimes we wonder

528
00:43:28,720 --> 00:43:30,960
Why why won't people respond to that we get it?

529
00:43:33,920 --> 00:43:37,680
And one of the foundational things about ray comfort in his ministry

530
00:43:38,720 --> 00:43:43,920
Was the idea that if you don't warn people what they need to be saved from they're not going to see any value in the saving

531
00:43:46,560 --> 00:43:48,560
Right

532
00:43:49,680 --> 00:43:54,240
You know he uses an illustration of being on an airplane the airplanes flying fine everything is good and you run up to him

533
00:43:54,240 --> 00:43:56,400
Go you need to put on the parachute and they're like why?

534
00:43:56,400 --> 00:43:58,400
planes fine

535
00:43:58,720 --> 00:44:04,320
But pop out a few windows have a door open nose dive that thing see how fast they'll put the parachute on

536
00:44:06,800 --> 00:44:10,320
And the idea is that that that that people are gonna gonna

537
00:44:11,280 --> 00:44:12,560
just

538
00:44:12,560 --> 00:44:13,760
revile

539
00:44:13,760 --> 00:44:17,600
God and and we're like how can how can they think that and then?

540
00:44:17,840 --> 00:44:20,720
God says my wrath is gonna come my wrath is gonna be poured out

541
00:44:20,720 --> 00:44:24,720
We think how can he do that and then when we try and share that with people in evangelism first

542
00:44:24,720 --> 00:44:26,720
They'll go oh, there's no god. I don't care if he loves me

543
00:44:26,720 --> 00:44:30,720
And then you share his judgment is coming upon you and what do they say all the time?

544
00:44:30,720 --> 00:44:32,720
How could a god of love judge people?

545
00:44:38,240 --> 00:44:43,040
It's not logic that you're arguing with when you share the gospel with people it's the heart

546
00:44:44,000 --> 00:44:46,000
They're always gonna have a reason to reject

547
00:44:46,000 --> 00:44:51,200
You know your logic you got to get to the heart issue the sin issue right anyways, that's a that's a different study

548
00:44:51,200 --> 00:44:57,520
But but for some it could be hard to consider that god's wrath will ever come upon the earth in in the way

549
00:44:57,520 --> 00:44:59,520
that's being described here in revelation, but

550
00:45:01,040 --> 00:45:06,720
If you if you just think today if you think of places like india and in the philippines in thailand and

551
00:45:07,520 --> 00:45:14,560
places in africa and in many other places where christians today have had their families literally butchered before their eyes simply

552
00:45:15,520 --> 00:45:17,920
For confessing jesus christ is lord and lord

553
00:45:17,920 --> 00:45:21,920
Because it's simply for confessing jesus christ is lord and savior

554
00:45:23,040 --> 00:45:25,040
Because it happens today

555
00:45:26,240 --> 00:45:29,600
When you think of people being beheaded

556
00:45:31,120 --> 00:45:33,120
Simply because they're christians

557
00:45:34,640 --> 00:45:41,520
You think of places where people have been actively persecuted and killed just because the world hates their faith that much

558
00:45:41,520 --> 00:45:48,800
Well thinking of those types of things we might understand why the church would rejoice when god's wrath finally comes

559
00:45:51,120 --> 00:45:56,400
So and and really we saw a glimpse of this under the altar if you remember back when we looked at the tribulation saints

560
00:45:56,400 --> 00:46:01,360
They were under the altar and they're like god how long we let this go on how long you're gonna let your people suffer

561
00:46:01,360 --> 00:46:03,360
How long till you avenge our blood?

562
00:46:04,320 --> 00:46:10,560
Right we lived for you god we we lived for you we loved you we preached the gospel and they hurt us they killed us

563
00:46:10,560 --> 00:46:12,560
They slaughtered us when will you do something?

564
00:46:13,920 --> 00:46:15,920
Well now that announcement comes

565
00:46:15,920 --> 00:46:18,960
And they rejoice and I think they rightly rejoice

566
00:46:19,600 --> 00:46:26,480
The kingdoms of this world are over god is stepping in and the 24 elders which represent the church there in heaven are just

567
00:46:27,200 --> 00:46:32,320
Worshipping at his perfect righteousness and his perfect righteous judgment

568
00:46:34,240 --> 00:46:37,280
It's coming but right now he is still patiently waiting

569
00:46:37,280 --> 00:46:40,560
And if you don't know jesus you need to know him today because his wrath is coming

570
00:46:42,960 --> 00:46:47,360
And if you don't like that message i'm sorry I love you enough to share it with you

571
00:46:51,520 --> 00:46:55,200
But he says the time has come for the dead to be judged and to give the reward

572
00:46:55,200 --> 00:46:59,440
To your servants the prophets to the saints and to those who fear your name both small and great

573
00:46:59,440 --> 00:47:07,200
This may be referring to two events two different events that happen a thousand years apart and what I mean by that is later on in revelation

574
00:47:07,680 --> 00:47:15,920
We're going to read about something called the first resurrection which is the resurrection of the just right the resurrection of believers where it's it's those who believe

575
00:47:16,400 --> 00:47:23,360
In jesus christ are rewarded for their um service and and and then there's this they they're they're raised back

576
00:47:23,360 --> 00:47:29,200
Then jesus comes he reigns on the earth for a thousand years it's called the millennial kingdom and then after that

577
00:47:29,680 --> 00:47:34,800
You have this judgment called the great white throne judgment where the wicked of all time are judged finally

578
00:47:34,800 --> 00:47:39,600
And that's where we're going to read that their names aren't found in the book of life and then they are punished forever

579
00:47:41,600 --> 00:47:48,320
But all of this is is there's a time for the dead to be judged and there's a time for the rewarding of the saints

580
00:47:48,320 --> 00:47:53,040
There are there are two different kind of events here and there is a time coming for all those who serve god now through

581
00:47:53,600 --> 00:47:58,240
Through through everything through all the persecution through all the difficulties through all the hardship and the suffering

582
00:47:58,240 --> 00:48:04,480
There's a time coming where where rewards are going to be given for that service that obedience to christ in this in this life

583
00:48:05,600 --> 00:48:10,320
You know in in i mean revelation 22 12 jesus himself says look i'm coming soon

584
00:48:10,320 --> 00:48:14,720
And my reward is with me to repay each person who has been given to me and who has been given to me

585
00:48:14,720 --> 00:48:19,440
Says look i'm coming soon and my reward is with me to repay each person according to his work

586
00:48:20,240 --> 00:48:25,360
So there is this biblical idea that there's going to be reward from our king for our service to him

587
00:48:26,720 --> 00:48:31,120
And it isn't wrong to consider that it isn't wrong to be motivated by that

588
00:48:31,760 --> 00:48:37,760
I think god knew exactly who we were when he made us and he knew that we were motivated by reward

589
00:48:38,000 --> 00:48:41,280
It was just something that was a part of of of how he made us

590
00:48:41,280 --> 00:48:46,640
It's one of the ways that that that we function right that's why we'll work harder because we know a promotion is at the end

591
00:48:46,640 --> 00:48:53,440
Of the line right we'll we'll push a little harder because there might be more profit in in that that business venture we're doing

592
00:48:53,440 --> 00:48:55,440
And we're motivated by these things

593
00:48:56,320 --> 00:48:59,840
And in second corinthians 5 10 in romans chapter 14 verse 10

594
00:48:59,840 --> 00:49:05,440
There's this phrase that is written there by paul called the judgment seat of god or the judgment seat of christ

595
00:49:05,440 --> 00:49:09,600
It's a very specific phrase he uses in romans 14 says 14 10

596
00:49:09,600 --> 00:49:13,600
He says for we will all stand before the judgment seat of god

597
00:49:14,640 --> 00:49:19,360
And in second corinthians 5 10 he says for we must all appear before the judgment seat of christ

598
00:49:19,920 --> 00:49:22,400
Now in both of those instances he's writing to believers

599
00:49:24,560 --> 00:49:28,720
And so that phrase judgment seat of christ in the original language it's the bema seat

600
00:49:29,760 --> 00:49:35,920
The bema seat and some of you might be familiar with this but the bema seat of christ is is is the reward seat

601
00:49:35,920 --> 00:49:43,520
All right, it's the reward seat if you will so um the idea is this is that if you know jesus christ is your lord and savior

602
00:49:43,840 --> 00:49:45,920
You're not going to stand before god

603
00:49:46,640 --> 00:49:53,280
In in judgment and condemnation you're never that's all been taken care of that was taken care of by the blood of christ at the cross

604
00:49:53,360 --> 00:49:54,480
right

605
00:49:54,480 --> 00:49:59,200
Some people have this idea as christians is like you're gonna die and we're all gonna get to heaven and we're gonna be sitting in

606
00:49:59,200 --> 00:50:02,400
A big auditorium like this and then god's gonna say nathan

607
00:50:02,400 --> 00:50:05,280
And then my video is gonna play on the screen

608
00:50:06,400 --> 00:50:08,720
And it's gonna be embarrassing right you're like, oh no

609
00:50:09,440 --> 00:50:13,280
Right, and then and then your name and then you're in it right and and we think and then it's gonna be like

610
00:50:13,680 --> 00:50:18,800
Come forward for judgment and it's like that's not that's not what's gonna take place for the believer

611
00:50:19,440 --> 00:50:24,080
Because judgment for our sin has all been dealt with at the cross

612
00:50:25,360 --> 00:50:26,960
Jesus died for all of it

613
00:50:26,960 --> 00:50:32,880
He shed his blood for all of it and so the idea is that that the judgment seat of christ for the believer

614
00:50:32,880 --> 00:50:38,240
It's a reward seat. It's a place where we're going to be rewarded to to greater or lesser degrees

615
00:50:38,640 --> 00:50:43,840
Based upon our obedience to god based upon our service the based upon how we lived our life

616
00:50:44,320 --> 00:50:47,920
For him in knowing him here on this earth. That's the idea of all of this

617
00:50:48,400 --> 00:50:52,640
It's not a judgment on sin, but it's a determination of reward based upon how you lived

618
00:50:52,640 --> 00:50:55,440
And so then you go wow, what's the reward?

619
00:50:56,800 --> 00:50:58,800
Right lamborghini

620
00:50:59,040 --> 00:51:00,560
That'd be awesome

621
00:51:00,960 --> 00:51:05,520
I heard there's streets of gold like can you drift, you know through heaven? I mean that would be fun

622
00:51:07,680 --> 00:51:13,600
Well primarily the reward is to inherit the kingdom to rule and reign with christ

623
00:51:14,240 --> 00:51:17,040
And so the first thing you do is you take the first step

624
00:51:17,040 --> 00:51:22,480
So primarily the reward is to inherit the kingdom to rule and reign with christ

625
00:51:22,720 --> 00:51:26,960
We are co-heirs with christ and co-rulers with christ specifically during the millennial kingdom

626
00:51:28,320 --> 00:51:34,640
But the bible references crowns different types of crowns will have and there are these crowns will throw at his feet when we're worshiping him

627
00:51:34,720 --> 00:51:39,200
But but beyond the concept of of being saved and ruling and reigning with him

628
00:51:39,280 --> 00:51:42,320
I don't know exactly what those rewards will look like. Okay

629
00:51:43,200 --> 00:51:45,200
I just know that they're promised

630
00:51:45,200 --> 00:51:50,560
They're promised and so um, I do know this though that most of the rewards that were promised

631
00:51:50,560 --> 00:51:53,040
They're they're not rewards that we're going to be getting here in this life

632
00:51:53,760 --> 00:51:58,960
Um, so if you're the type of person who needs accolades and affirmation and pats on the back here on earth

633
00:51:59,360 --> 00:52:01,680
Uh, you're you're probably going to have a miserable time

634
00:52:03,280 --> 00:52:06,960
Because here on earth serving jesus, although there are blessings to come

635
00:52:06,960 --> 00:52:14,080
Yes serving jesus here on this earth means a lot of misunderstanding and being misjudged and being misinterpreted and difficulty and trouble

636
00:52:14,080 --> 00:52:16,080
It means a whole lot of that. Why?

637
00:52:17,200 --> 00:52:22,080
Because we're sojourners in a foreign land preaching a message at the people that are of this land don't want to hear

638
00:52:24,960 --> 00:52:29,040
And in fact the world is going to hate you because you love god that's what jesus said

639
00:52:29,840 --> 00:52:33,840
The world's going to hate you because you put him first and serve him. You'll catch flak

640
00:52:35,680 --> 00:52:38,960
For telling your employer i'm not available sunday morning because I go to church

641
00:52:38,960 --> 00:52:45,920
You'll be ridiculed for volunteering to serve in the church you're not getting paid for that. What are you some kind of slave?

642
00:52:47,520 --> 00:52:53,200
It happens all the time you'll suffer rejection when you put jesus and others first before yourself, right?

643
00:52:54,720 --> 00:53:00,240
You'll be ridiculed for doing what's right over what's best for you in that sense, but later your rewards will come

644
00:53:01,120 --> 00:53:06,640
That's why jesus said store up for yourselves treasures in heaven where moth and rust do not destroy and thieves don't steal

645
00:53:06,640 --> 00:53:10,400
So then he says the time has come to destroy those who destroy the earth now

646
00:53:11,200 --> 00:53:12,800
You know man

647
00:53:12,800 --> 00:53:14,800
climate change advocates

648
00:53:15,120 --> 00:53:17,120
They love this verse

649
00:53:17,440 --> 00:53:23,120
Right, they just love this verse the time has come to destroy those who destroy the earth

650
00:53:24,240 --> 00:53:28,800
You and your polluting vehicles and your over consumption of energy and and

651
00:53:29,600 --> 00:53:31,600
That's not at all what he's talking about

652
00:53:31,600 --> 00:53:38,000
Okay, he's not talking about pollution. He's not talking about melting icebergs or carbon footprints. He's talking about sin

653
00:53:38,880 --> 00:53:43,200
He's talking about sin the idea is that way back in the beginning satan

654
00:53:44,800 --> 00:53:51,280
Came into the garden and lured mankind into sin and he observed the whole thing and man gave over the title deed to

655
00:53:51,920 --> 00:53:53,840
To satan and in that whole instance

656
00:53:53,840 --> 00:53:58,160
That's when sin and death entered the world and all of those who are aligned with satan

657
00:53:58,160 --> 00:54:02,880
Against god by rejecting christ are the ones who have ruined the earth

658
00:54:04,480 --> 00:54:08,880
Polluted god's creation destroyed his creation because sin destroys the heart of man

659
00:54:09,200 --> 00:54:14,160
That is where it all starts and everything else is a result of the heart of man being destroyed

660
00:54:16,320 --> 00:54:22,080
So verse 19 it says then the temple of god in heaven was opened in the ark of his covenant appeared in the temple

661
00:54:22,960 --> 00:54:25,200
There were flashes of lightning rumbling through the sky

662
00:54:25,200 --> 00:54:30,640
And the temple there were flashes of lightning rumblings and peals of thunder and earthquake and severe

663
00:54:31,360 --> 00:54:33,040
hail

664
00:54:33,040 --> 00:54:35,680
And so this picture again is when the time comes

665
00:54:36,320 --> 00:54:41,360
That that god's house will be fully out fully open to to to all who who are his

666
00:54:42,640 --> 00:54:46,820
The the the opening to the innermost sanctum of his presence will be accessible

667
00:54:47,280 --> 00:54:49,760
No more veil no more block no more anything, you know

668
00:54:49,760 --> 00:54:56,480
Jesus came to to to die to to give us that access to god and and right now we we have access through prayer and worship

669
00:54:56,480 --> 00:55:00,320
But the time is coming where we will be there with him in god's presence now

670
00:55:00,880 --> 00:55:05,520
Um, some look at this. Uh, the language here could be both figurative or literal

671
00:55:06,480 --> 00:55:08,480
Or both. Okay, but literally

672
00:55:09,200 --> 00:55:14,560
Hebrews really hammers the point that the tabernacle on earth was a model of the true temple in heaven, right?

673
00:55:14,800 --> 00:55:17,360
It says it's a model. So there's a literal idea

674
00:55:17,360 --> 00:55:23,760
And of course in revelation we've already seen that john is observing thrones and altars and floor like glass and all kinds of stuff

675
00:55:23,760 --> 00:55:30,240
So it could be literally referring to some actual temple of god there in the heavenlies. That'll be open to us

676
00:55:31,260 --> 00:55:35,280
Figuratively, it could simply be referring to the idea that god's full covenant in heaven

677
00:55:36,080 --> 00:55:41,440
The covenant of salvation will be fully realized and available to us there in heaven

678
00:55:41,440 --> 00:55:47,760
The ark there was in the temple on earth and the ark here on earth contained the ten commandments of god's law

679
00:55:48,560 --> 00:55:56,480
And they were shattered which was a picture that within the ark up under the mercy seat was the broken law because man had broke god's law

680
00:55:58,240 --> 00:56:01,920
But the blood was sprinkled on that seat to say god, please forgive them for that

681
00:56:04,400 --> 00:56:09,360
And that lid be in the mercy seat where the blood was sprinkled it was the picture of god forgiving the sins of his people

682
00:56:09,360 --> 00:56:15,920
And here on earth that room that holy of holies that innermost place where the ark was was only accessible by one guy

683
00:56:15,920 --> 00:56:17,920
The high priest on one day a year

684
00:56:18,400 --> 00:56:23,440
So here the picture of god god's temple being opened and the ark of the covenant appearing there

685
00:56:23,440 --> 00:56:28,400
Just it could be a a figurative picture of of that access

686
00:56:29,360 --> 00:56:34,800
That access to that covenant fully realized fully perfected is is accessible to all at all times

687
00:56:34,800 --> 00:56:41,840
Like god's saying here at the end of all things like in heaven fellowship is going to be perfect and broke unbroken intimate at all times

688
00:56:41,840 --> 00:56:43,840
Based upon the shed blood of jesus christ

689
00:56:44,880 --> 00:56:46,880
Um could go either way there

690
00:56:46,880 --> 00:56:56,880
But as we look around our world today we see many people living as if nothing will ever change that life is just always gonna go on and time is just gonna march forward with no change

691
00:56:56,880 --> 00:57:03,040
That there'll be no catastrophes there'll be no cataclysms everything will continue to be the same

692
00:57:03,040 --> 00:57:05,040
Just as it always has

693
00:57:07,040 --> 00:57:13,040
And some people we talk to you know we try and share the fact that the kingdom is coming and judgment is coming and god offers salvation to you

694
00:57:13,040 --> 00:57:17,040
They say look you know my grandpa said jesus was coming back and he didn't

695
00:57:17,040 --> 00:57:25,040
And my parents told me jesus was coming back and he didn't and now you're saying jesus is coming back and you know what

696
00:57:25,040 --> 00:57:27,040
I don't think he is

697
00:57:27,040 --> 00:57:33,040
I don't think he is but the bible tells us that we cannot count god's long suffering as negligence

698
00:57:35,040 --> 00:57:43,040
We can't count his patience as neglect and we can't buy into the idea that yeah it has been a long time no he's coming back

699
00:57:43,040 --> 00:57:53,040
He is coming back and yes things are getting worse and humanity is getting more and more debauched and yes jesus will return

700
00:57:53,040 --> 00:58:07,040
And his kingdom will come the end of all of it is coming and so for us today as we live today there is still hope in the face of this very dark direction that the history of mankind is marching into

701
00:58:07,040 --> 00:58:11,040
God's kingdom will come his will will be done

702
00:58:11,040 --> 00:58:19,040
Human history is heading somewhere like I said and everything is exactly on god's schedule as we're seeing here in Revelation

703
00:58:19,040 --> 00:58:29,040
God knows and the day is coming when jesus christ god almighty will reign forever and ever and he will be reigning in a kingdom that has no end

704
00:58:29,040 --> 00:58:39,040
So for us today as god's people with that encouragement and that hope if we know that future is coming what are you doing to invest in it

705
00:58:39,040 --> 00:58:47,040
What are you doing to invest in that future to be prepared and ready for that future for the christian our future our hope it's heaven

706
00:58:47,040 --> 00:58:53,040
It's paradise with god and that is what we should be investing in above all

707
00:58:53,040 --> 00:58:59,040
Storing our treasures up in heaven where moth and rust do not destroy where thieves do not break in and steal

708
00:58:59,040 --> 00:59:08,040
The idea is if everything important to you is in this life you're going to be sorely disappointed because you're going to leave this life one day

709
00:59:08,040 --> 00:59:27,040
But what we've stored up in the heavenlies what we've done for god how we've lived for him how we've taken jesus not just into our lives but then shared him to the people we come across all of that work of living an obedient life to him and shining the light of the gospel all of that is storing up our treasures to come

710
00:59:27,040 --> 00:59:42,040
And so the forecast here in the in the midst of this tribulation period that we're reading about through revelation the forecast here in revelation 11 is that it's all going to be fine soon because the one who knows the future said so

711
00:59:42,040 --> 00:59:45,040
His kingdom is coming

712
00:59:45,040 --> 00:59:49,040
So I encourage all of us let's get ready for that kingdom to come

713
00:59:49,040 --> 00:59:55,040
Let's get ready for that kingdom by worshiping and serving the king every day here on earth amen

714
00:59:55,040 --> 01:00:02,040
Let's pray father we love you so much God and we thank you Lord

715
01:00:02,040 --> 01:00:08,040
We believe your word and we know it's true even the hard stuff

716
01:00:08,040 --> 01:00:17,040
God we know that it is not your hope that any would perish but that all would find eternal life

717
01:00:17,040 --> 01:00:31,040
And so God you put the offer out there to all who would hear the gospel of Jesus Christ the reality that they have sinned against you and that as a holy and just and right and perfect God

718
01:00:31,040 --> 01:00:34,040
The Lord you have to judge sin

719
01:00:34,040 --> 01:00:39,040
You just can't turn a blind eye because then you would be unjust

720
01:00:39,040 --> 01:00:54,040
And so God we know that your wrath is coming upon this earth we know that a time is coming where this age of grace will be over God and so Lord we know that we have a mandate is your people to not just live as Christians but to shine as Christians

721
01:00:54,040 --> 01:01:04,040
Yes Lord to be obedient to you in our daily living and obedient to you and our families and our marriages and obedient to you and raising our kids and obedient to you at work and all of that.

722
01:01:04,040 --> 01:01:15,040
But all of that Lord is a function of us being witnesses of who you are in our lives and witnesses of the truth that we believe in

723
01:01:15,040 --> 01:01:19,040
So help us God

724
01:01:19,040 --> 01:01:29,040
The Lord we do hold to the hope that one day you will judge all of it and we thank you for that

725
01:01:29,040 --> 01:01:39,040
God we know that it isn't wrong and inappropriate for us to be thankful that you will one day judge sin finally and completely

726
01:01:39,040 --> 01:01:47,040
But God may we never in that thankfulness God find any joy in anybody perishing without you

727
01:01:47,040 --> 01:01:54,040
So help us Lord to be motivated by what is to come your kingdom come and your will to be done one day

728
01:01:54,040 --> 01:02:01,040
So help us Lord to be motivated Lord to be people who just shine the light of the gospel

729
01:02:01,040 --> 01:02:08,040
Lord we love you so much we thank you for our salvation we thank you for the blessings in our lives

730
01:02:08,040 --> 01:02:16,040
And we even thank you for the difficulties God because we know if the difficulties weren't there we're probably not doing what we should be doing here on this earth Lord

731
01:02:16,040 --> 01:02:25,040
Help us to be lights on the hill Lord fill us with your spirit empower us and equip us to do what you're calling us to do

732
01:02:25,040 --> 01:02:46,040
As we wait for your kingdom to come in Jesus name we pray Amen let's worship guys