[0:00] So, let's see in a minute where I send you in your Bible verse. Today, you can see on the sheet, if everybody got a sheet, we're talking about Jesus will judge.
[0:12] This morning we finished up, Jesus will reward. Jesus will also judge. And, you know, the last few weeks we've talked about the fact that we serve God and we're going to receive crowns at the judgment seat of Christ.
[0:25] Today, we'll start focusing a little bit more on the other side of things. Is that better, Bunny?
[0:37] Okay. It's the other side of things where we look at what's going to happen to those who are not saved, to those who don't know the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior.
[0:49] And we're going to cover things concerning the condemnation that comes to the lost, you know, at the great white throne judgment. And we need to stop and think about the serious nature of what is going to happen in times to come.
[1:11] You know, the church gets to go to heaven and receive the rewards, but the lost, what is going to happen to them. And we can't really ignore or avoid the reality of the tribulation and the things that are going to take place there.
[1:30] We can't avoid the eternal nature. I've always been one. I don't need to study Revelation. I don't need to study all of those things because I'm not going to be here for any of that.
[1:42] You know, I'm going up in the rapture, and so all that other stuff doesn't concern me. But in a way it does because we have to think about those who are out there who don't know the Lord.
[1:55] And we need to be ready to be a testimony to them, a witness, and we need to consider the wrath of God. It's going to come down on this world.
[2:06] And we need to think of it in terms of I need to be sharing the gospel because there are people who are going to be facing these things. So first on your sheet there, God's judgment during the tribulation.
[2:20] God's judgment during the tribulation. And think about what's going to happen during those times. Actually, take your Bible.
[2:32] It's going to take me a minute to get there. Go to Isaiah 26. Isaiah 26. Sounds like an unusual place to go when talking about these things, but there's a verse there I want you to see.
[2:46] Isaiah 26. Let's have a word of prayer.
[2:57] Father, I pray that you would help us this afternoon, Lord, as we begin looking at these things concerning the tribulation and the judgment that is coming. Lord, I pray that you would help us to understand the severity.
[3:10] Lord, we'd understand the necessity of being a testimony and witness to those in the world because of the things that they're going to face if they do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior. Lord, I pray that you would help us to have a heart that loves them, a heart that's concerned about them.
[3:28] Lord, as we think of relatives and friends and different ones who don't know, Lord, give us a heart for them because we know what they're facing. Lord, use this time to give us a heart for souls.
[3:42] We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen. So, churches in heaven receiving their crowns. Those who are not part of the church are on earth, and they're facing judgment, the beginning of judgment, actually.
[3:59] God is judging humanity, and he's doing it because of their lack of respect for him, lack of loving him.
[4:10] He's also doing it to try to draw Israel back to himself. And I won't take the time, but if you can read through Jeremiah 30, it talks about that. It talks about the fact that he's going to pour out his wrath on the world.
[4:23] In Isaiah 26, look at verse 21. Isaiah 26, 1, the last verse. For behold, the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity.
[4:36] The earth also shall disclose her blood and shall no more cover her slain. He's coming, and he's going to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity.
[4:49] We have been saved from our sin. We have had forgiveness from God for our sin because of Jesus Christ and our belief in him and our acceptance of the gift that he has given to us. But the world that does not accept Jesus Christ, he says he's coming out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth.
[5:12] You know, it's only by God's grace that he allows anyone to have enjoyment in this life as it is. And we go through life, and even the unsaved go through life saying, oh, life's not too bad, it's pretty good.
[5:26] I don't need Jesus because life is good. It's only because of God taking care of us now and showing us grace now that we can actually think that.
[5:37] No one would survive the wrath of God if we actually got what we deserved, if we were to face what we actually know that we deserve.
[5:50] And God's wrath is going to be poured out on the earth during the tribulation. And it begins after the rapture. It begins when the Antichrist signs a peace treaty with Israel.
[6:05] Turn over to Daniel chapter 9. Daniel chapter 9. And look at verse 27.
[6:20] Daniel 9, 27. And he shall confirm the covenant with many. Daniel 9, 27. He shall confirm the covenant with many for one week.
[6:33] And in the midst of the week, he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease. And for the overspreading of abomination, he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation.
[6:46] And that determined shall be poured out upon the desolate. The Bible talks about 70 weeks. And then there's one week in Daniel.
[6:57] Daniel's the end of the seven years of tribulation. And he says all kinds of things are going to be poured out on the world. That week is a seven-year period.
[7:12] The first 69 weeks happen from the rebuilding of Jerusalem, Daniel and Nehemiah, to Christ's triumphal entry. And then it begins a gap there.
[7:24] And when Daniel's 70th week takes place. So what's going to take place during all this, during what we call the tribulation? Well, let me give you some descriptions of the judgment that are going to take place.
[7:36] In the book of Revelation, it describes God's judgment on the lost during the tribulation. Turn with me to Revelation chapter 6. Revelation chapter 6.
[7:48] The study we're going to have right now, what we're doing right now, is not going to cover all the judgments in detail and everything.
[8:08] I'm just trying to give you an overview of what's going to happen. Enough of a survey so we realize just how bad things are going to be and how bad the judgment is going to be in this coming upon the earth.
[8:21] And first of all, in Revelation chapter 6, it talks about the seal judgment. Look at verse 1. And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.
[8:38] And I saw and beheld a white horse, and he that sat on him had a bow, and a crown was given unto him, and he went forth conquering and to conquer. So then they opened the second seal.
[8:49] There's going to be seven seals. These seal judgments are things that God has done. They're things that, from the throne room of God, are going to happen.
[9:01] And God takes a scroll and gives it to Jesus. And Jesus is the only one who has the right to open the seals on that scroll because he paid the penalty for sin.
[9:15] The scroll is basically title deed to the earth. Here, Jesus, it belongs to you. And as he opens each seal, events unfold here on the earth, and they all have to do with judgments that are going to take place.
[9:29] It says an angel sounded each trumpet, and every time one of those was opened, a different event occurred. The seventh trumpet is going to bring about seven bowls, or vials, that are poured out on the earth.
[9:42] They bring about events that are going to lead to the end of the tribulation. The seals that he's going to open are things that have to do with the coming of the Antichrist, a worldwide war, severe famine, widespread death by war, hunger, wild animals, martyrdom of believers, and cosmic events.
[10:07] Sounds like a lot of fun, doesn't it? It sounds like the way things are starting to go today. Look at chapter 6. Look at me at verse 12. Chapter 6, verse 12.
[10:18] And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
[10:29] And the heaven departed as a scroll, when it was scrolled together, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves, in the dens, and in the rocks of the mountains.
[10:49] This is the sixth seal, when it was opened. Notice the destruction that takes place there. He said, what does he say is going to happen during that sixth seal?
[11:04] What is he talking about that's going to take place there? Well, he's talking about there's going to be a total disruption of normal life. That's for sure. How do you live a normal life when you're running for the hills, asking the mountains to come down on you?
[11:20] It's totally unpredictable. It's frightening. When you think about the things that it talks about there, there's going to be complete mass panic, complete despair.
[11:34] I mean, for you to run under the mountains and say, fall on me. Things have got to be pretty, pretty, pretty bad. And he says, look, this is what's going to happen at that time.
[11:46] Look at verse 15. Verse 15 of chapter six. He says, and the kings of the earth, well, it's actually, I went to, I started that before, the kings of the earth, and all the ones are asking for the things to fall on them.
[12:00] Verse 16. And he said unto the mountains and the rocks, fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth upon the throne and from the wrath of the lamb. For the great day of his wrath is come, and who is able to stand?
[12:13] You know, what are the inhabitants of the earth, including the rich, including the kings, including all these mighty people?
[12:26] What do they realize about the source of all of these things that are taking place? What? The lamb of God, who sits on the throne, is causing all of these things.
[12:41] God's judgment is coming out on them. They think they were mighty. They thought they were rich. They thought they could, they were kings, that they controlled everything. They're learning, no, they did not.
[12:52] Is it a metaphor that they're talking about dens and mountains, or are they actually selling for the dead? I'm thinking they're actually hiding in the mountains and dens and caves. They want the mountains to follow them, but they're also hiding inside the mountains and thinking, okay, if I'm in here, I'll be safe because of all the things that are taking place around them.
[13:11] So they're looking for safety where they can come out of this alive, even though they're saying, you know, it's just so bad. It'd be better off if we were just crushed to death.
[13:22] But they're hiding in the mountain itself to try to... A lot of people are in my... They head for Montana and Colorado and Wyoming and those places.
[13:35] What? My desert island. Yes, we head for Cadillac and hopefully we find a cave in there. It's amazing that they know what it is.
[13:46] Yeah. They know exactly, yeah. They don't bring any kind of... No. They know. No. They know exactly what's going on and they know exactly who's causing it. Do you see them falling on their knees and saying, God, forgive us?
[14:00] No. No. I think a lot of people feel that there's nothing at home. God loves them so much that that's not going to happen. Even though they know they're more of 7,000,000. I got a different time.
[14:11] That is... That's a different time. No. I don't think so much people didn't like that. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. They kill babies, women, and everything. They don't get killed.
[14:22] They'll say... Talk about that too, but say, yes, God is God of love. But He is also God of justice. He's also a holy God. You have to take it in fact that He is God, not just this little piece over here.
[14:38] He is God. That's the thing that God knew. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yes.
[14:52] Yes. Right. Well, remember, during the first half, it's going to be peace, and the Antichrist is going to sign the thing with Israel and everything and all that.
[15:21] but also remember, there's the two witnesses. There's 144,000 who are witnessing, telling people. So those people that are now age as well, they're going to become age and say too young, maybe they were born during the beginning of this thing and they're going to have an opportunity to receive Christ, right?
[15:42] That, I don't know. I mean, people are going to have an opportunity, yes. If they were, if they were, they were born right after the tribulation and they're six or seven, eight years old and they're going to have an opportunity.
[15:57] Yes. And I'm curious as to whether or not there will be these children born right after the rapture because the innocent child that's in the womb even though he's going to be born a sinner.
[16:11] I believe are going to go in the rapture. I don't know. I mean, that's what I always thought that those children would take them out of this mess because they won't have, they won't be to be little, little children other than those who were of an age and they were, you know, who wasn't accountable for what they believed in.
[16:33] And that could be a legitimate thing because I had a pastor who said one of the things that he believes is that all these abortions that have taken place, those babies are in heaven.
[16:46] and he said, the Lord is never going to be outdone by Satan. And he said, you want to kill all those kids? Go right ahead. They're heading to heaven. So. There's some law places that probably would. Yep.
[16:58] Yep. So. Anyways, that's kind of a sidetrack. I knew we'd get sidetracked. I knew we'd get sidetracked on this topic, but okay. Okay. They want the circumstances that they're under to end.
[17:13] That's why they're heading for the mountains and everything and stuff. They're trying to avoid answering to God. They know what's up. They know what's going on. They know what's causing all this.
[17:24] Now, as you read about these things, and I just read a little bit. There's a whole bunch more there. As you read these things, don't you appreciate the salvation that you have? Yeah.
[17:36] The fact that God saw fit to send Jesus Christ so that we have salvation in Him. I would not want to face this.
[17:46] And like I said, times in my life, I just avoid that because that doesn't concern me. But it does because it concerns relatives, friends, different ones who don't know Christ.
[18:00] It gives you extra emphasis to remember them. Number two is the trumpet judgments. The trumpet judgments. Trumpet judgments are going to bring about more destruction.
[18:12] The first four trumpets, these are in verse 8, chapter 8, rather, chapter 8. Those first four trumpets are going to result in hail and fire striking. A third of the vegetation, a third of the sea is going to become blood, a third of the rivers are going to become poisonous, and a third of the heavens is going to be darkened.
[18:33] Look at chapter 8, beginning of verse 7. The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth, and the third part of the trees were burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
[18:47] And the second angel sounded, and there was a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea, and a third part of the sea became blood. And a third part of the creatures that were in the sea and had life died, and a third part of the ships were destroyed.
[19:02] And a third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers and upon the fountains of water.
[19:14] And the name of the star called Wormwood, and a third part of the waters became Wormwood, and many men died at the waters because they were made bitter. And a fourth angel sounded, and a third part of the sun was smitten, and a third part of the moon, and a third part of the stars, and a third part of all of them were darkened, and the day shone not for a third part and the night likewise.
[19:38] He says, look, all of these things are going to happen. Oh, verse 13. And I beheld and heard the angel flying through the midst of heaven, crying with a loud voice saying, woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth.
[19:52] By reason of other voices of the trumpet of the three angels which were yet to sound. He says, look, all of these things are going to happen. A third part of all these things are going to be destroyed.
[20:04] Then you come to trumpets five through seven, and they're known as the three woes, and they include things like insects and creatures that are going to torment the lost for five months.
[20:19] There's going to be destruction of mankind led by a demon-led army, and there's going to be a transfer of the nations of the world to Christ's rule at the end of it. All kinds of things are going to happen.
[20:33] Again, when we stop and think of the destruction that's going to take place, that leads to chapter 16. Go to chapter 16 of Revelation.
[20:45] The bold judgments. The bold judgments. It says, bold judgments come near the end of the tribulation. They'll include things like sores.
[20:59] Sores are well up on people. Death of the sea creatures of the sea turning to blood. Rivers turning to blood. The sun scorching mankind. You think there's climate change now?
[21:10] Wait. Darkness and pain. The amassing of armies at Armageddon. Armageddon. In a massive earthquake accompanied by gigantic hailstones. Look at chapter 16 beginning at verse 5.
[21:23] And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord. Thou art and waltzed and shall be because Thou hast judged thus.
[21:34] For they that shed the blood of saints and prophets and Thou hast given them blood to drink for they are worthy. And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Thy judgments.
[21:50] They're going to destroy people. They're going to kill so many people. And then it says, God says, Okay, you want all the blood? And you're going to have it to drink. Can you imagine that?
[22:01] Shedding all that blood and then, now that's the only thing you have to drink. Good question.
[22:16] If you do the numerology thing, probably, and the fact that the six were judgments against mankind, the seventh one, the seventh and the bowls there, are the fact that, well, perfection, the end of all of this is finally coming to fruition and Christ is going to return.
[22:38] You can look at it that way. That's off the top of my head. Let's see. So, okay. So, not only all these people that's been killed or all the time, they still have a time to come again.
[22:56] Right. And that is the same thing on them. Yep. So, some of them are going to be to survive all of that power and then can you be in that army? Be in the army. Yep. Yep.
[23:07] So, yep. All of God's judgments on the world through the tribulation.
[23:20] Notice, it says, he saw one of them say, Lord God, verse 7, Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments. He said, all the things that are happening, all these wicked things that we see happening, all the judgments that are taking place, they are righteous.
[23:40] God is right in pouring out his wrath. And you think, during the tribulation, who's in charge? The devil, the antichrist, the beast, Paul's prophet, all of them, and...
[23:53] Do you think all of those are going to be the same? What? No, I think they'll all be like the others. It's going to be one after the other. I don't think they're all at the same time.
[24:05] I don't know that, but I don't think so. I think they're all going to be one after the other. So the world deserves what's going to happen to them, and that's kind of a scary thought when you think about it.
[24:22] The tribulation is not a time for God to show grace. He's showing grace now. He will show grace later. But during this time, that's not a time for grace. It's a time for his response to the things that people have done and to the antichrist and those with them.
[24:40] What's the responses to the judgment? Well, there are going to be two clear responses. It's not what's going to happen. Some will harden their hearts and reject God. Some will trust Christ as Savior.
[24:54] Look in chapter 16, verse 9. 16, 9 says, And men were scorched with the great heat and blasphemed the name of God, which had power over these plagues, and they repented not of their glory, of his, to give him glory.
[25:10] glory. So, all these things happened, and what's their response? They blasphemed God. Look at verse 11. And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores and repented not of their deeds.
[25:24] Look at verse 21. It says, And there fell upon man a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent. And men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, for the plague thereof was exceeding great.
[25:42] So, all of these things are happening, and what's the response? Blame God. They never think to blame themselves for the sin. They blame God.
[25:53] Think of today. Do you believe in God? No, I don't believe in God. Something happens. Their house catches on fire. Ah, God did this to me.
[26:05] I thought you didn't believe in God. You know, this thing happens. Ah, if God was, like you say, he wouldn't allow these things. But you don't believe in God. You know, so, same thing's going to happen here.
[26:19] They're going to say, no, God, we don't believe in God, but God's, it's all his fault. Huh? Did I make them a liar? Yeah, they're a liar.
[26:30] It's all right. Everybody knows there's a God. Much as they like to say no, they know there is. But, their hearts are wicked, totally depraved. They see God's judgment on them as unwarranted.
[26:43] They weren't so bad. They hadn't done all, you know, these things. And yet, they wind up blaming. And God's going to send witnesses out into the world to share the gospel with them.
[26:58] Which is another sign of God's grace. In the midst of all of this, God's going to send witnesses to them and say, hey, here's an opportunity. First half of the tribulation, it's going to be the two witnesses.
[27:12] Go back to chapter 11. Chapter 11, I'm not going to read all this, but 1 through 14. Verse 3.
[27:26] It says, And I gave power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand, two hundred, and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.
[27:41] And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth and devoureth them. So he's giving these guys power. He's giving these guys ability to protect themselves. 4,300 and whatever days there.
[27:54] Three and a half years. Exactly. So half of the tribulation time, these guys are going to be out there being a testimony and a witness for Christ. God's going to call them to heaven after a deadly earthquake.
[28:09] They're going to be killed, resurrected, and then called back to heaven. But they're going to be a testimony for Christ in everything that they do. Then God's going to choose 144,000 Jews who are going to be witnesses for him during the tribulation.
[28:25] That's back in chapter 7. Look at verse 4. Chapter 7, verse 4 says, And I heard the number of them which were sealed, and they were sealed 144,000 of all the tribes of the children of Judah.
[28:41] So he talks about the fact that he's got other witnesses who are going to be out there. You know, people talk about God's wrath and God's judgment, and it's going to be there and it's going to be severe.
[28:53] But God is still trying to get their attention, still trying to give them a chance if they would just pay attention. You know, there's going to be a great multitude from every tribe, every tongue, every nation, it says, they're going to follow Christ.
[29:12] Chapter 7 there, he talks about all the different ones. And verse 9, he says, After this I beheld in low a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations and kindreds and people and tongues, stood before the throne and before the Lamb clothed in white robes and palm branches in their hand and cried with a loud voice saying, Salvation to our God, which sitteth upon the throne and upon the Lamb.
[29:37] I read that this morning and notice verse 14. And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest, and he said unto me, These are they which came out of great tribulation and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
[29:54] Great multitudes are going to get saved. You think about that. God's grace, you know, it's available. Will you pay attention or not?
[30:15] I'm not sure if they're escaping all the horribleness. It may not touch them, but a lot of them are going to be martyred. Okay, yeah.
[30:27] I don't know if they'll escape all the other stuff either, though. Because they went into the tribulation as unsaved people. And true, he's given them the power to overcome them, the authority to overcome them.
[30:45] But does that mean that the physical things that are taking place or when Satan goes to martyr them, they're like, yep. they're not scared of it.
[30:57] So, I look at it, you know, like I said, they're going into the tribulation without having been saved. We go to the jail.
[31:11] Jared's there. Jared witnesses to us, and we get saved. Do I get it out of jail? Still have to face the consequences. So, I don't know.
[31:26] There's a lot of things we don't know. When you get to heaven, ask God, he knows. So, huh? Not going to care then, that's true.
[31:39] See, now you're thinking like I did. Eh, it doesn't apply to me, I don't care. Or you already know when you get there, that's true, you may already know. Yep. So, anyway. Tribulation, a lot of destruction, a lot of death, a lot of things, but also, you can see the graciousness of God at work even then.
[32:02] You think about it, all these people are going to get saved. The Holy Spirit's not in the world like he had been. So, it's, yeah, it's more like the Old Testament.
[32:15] They have, the Holy Spirit has come upon people. So, it's going to be a really interesting time. And we're going to stop there for today.