WEBVTT

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 Good morning, everyone.

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 It's always such a joy to be able to worship with you guys on Sundays like this.

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 Yeah, I'm always just so blessed by the loud voices that we sing our worship in.

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 Yeah, truly just an honor to be with you.

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 Please turn with me to Revelation chapter 11, verse 14 to 19.

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 Since the fall, our church has been going through a series in Revelation.

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 And this week we have reached, finally, the midpoint of the book.

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 And so we find ourselves, once again, Revelation chapter 11, verse 14 to 19.

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 Please, I want you to pray with me for the reading and the preaching of God's word.

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 Heavenly Father, we just thank you so much for your word,

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 which is breathed out by you, which seeks to instruct us, to guide us,

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 to rebuke us and encourage us, and to fill us with hope of your coming kingdom.

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 Lord, we thank you so much for your Holy Spirit, which illuminates scripture in our lives,

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 that guides us in how to live out the gospel faithfully, even unto death.

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 And Lord, we thank you for your Son, Jesus, whose name is above all names,

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 whose name is sweeter than honey on our lips,

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 whose name is like refreshing waters to our soul.

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 Lord, we ask that your word speak to us this morning and remind us of your coming kingdom

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 and all the implications behind that, both on this physical world

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 and in terms of the eternal consequences, Lord.

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 Be with us.

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 I want your Spirit to speak to our hearts.

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 We thank you.

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 We love you.

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 And we pray all of us in Jesus' name.

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 Amen.

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 If you are willing and able, please stand for the reading of God's word.

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 Revelation chapter 11, verse 14 to 19.

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 The second woe has passed.

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 Behold, the third woe is soon to come.

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 Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying,

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 The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ,

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 and he shall reign forever and ever.

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 And the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God

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 fell on their faces and worshipped God, saying,

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 We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was,

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 for you have taken your great power and begun to reign.

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 The nations raged when your wrath came, and the time for the dead to be judged,

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 and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints, and those who fear your name,

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 both small and great, and for destroying the destroyers of the earth.

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 Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple.

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 There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail.

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 This is God's holy and authoritative word.

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 You may be seated.

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 When I first read this Revelation passage,

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 a certain scene came to my mind from the movie Avengers Endgame.

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 I thought of, specifically, the final battle,

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 with that epic scene where all of the Marvel superheroes,

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 they gather together to fight against the evil villain, Thanos.

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 Captain America, he holds his hand down,

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 Thor's hair comes rushing into his hand,

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 and he calls out,

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 Avengers!

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 Assemble!

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 I remember watching this movie at the theater,

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 and as Captain America cried out this battle cry,

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 chills went down my spine.

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 And I wasn't alone.

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 The entire theater was clapping and whistling and whooping,

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 like, yeah!

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 The Avengers are here!

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 They're gonna win!

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 And how can they not lose when they have all the heroes gathered together in one battlefield?

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 But even with such an epic scene,

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 there still is no guarantee that the Avengers would win.

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 For another 30 minutes in the movie,

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 the Avengers continue to struggle against Thanos,

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 and we're still left in unsureness of the Avengers victory,

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 until finally,

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 Iron Man takes possession of the Infinity Stones

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 and snaps his fingers to defeat Thanos

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 and restore the world from the destroyer.

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 This movie is five years old.

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 If I'm spoiling anything,

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 I'm not sorry.

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 Going back to our Revelation passage,

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 in John's vision here,

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 God's triumphant kingdom and reign has come to the world.

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 And without delay,

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 the destroyers of the earth are destroyed,

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 and those who have been faithful to the Lord are rewarded.

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 And God's temple and His ark of His covenant,

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 His presence is revealed for all to see.

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 Unlike in Avengers Endgame,

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 we have absolute confidence in the end of our story.

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 That God will rule over the world.

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 That He will avenge those who have been persecuted and killed in His name.

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 And that He will judge with absolute justice

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 those who deserve eternal life

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 and those who deserve eternal death.

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 There's no unsureness or insecurity about this.

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 When the Lord's kingdom comes to earth,

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 His victory and His reign is guaranteed.

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 And so with this in mind,

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 our main point of this passage is this.

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 We should join in the worship of the Lord,

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 knowing that He will destroy our destroyers

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 and reward the faithful,

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 and that His kingdom will come with His very presence.

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 I'll be covering four points in this sermon.

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 First, the third woe.

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 Second, the worship of God and His Christ reign.

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 Third, the wrath and reward of God.

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 And fourth, God with us.

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 Before I get into these four points,

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 I wanted to do a recap of where we are in the book of Revelation.

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 And so we're at the end of the seven trumpet judgments,

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 which are a series of end-time judgments from God

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 onto our wicked and idolatrous world.

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 The fifth, sixth, and seventh trumpet blasts

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 have been called the three woe judgments,

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 as we see proclaimed by the eagle

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 in Revelation 8, verse 13.

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 It says,

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 Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth

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 at the blast of the other trumpets

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 that the three angels are about to blow.

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 Woe, woe, woe.

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 Doom, doom, doom.

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 These three final woes accentuate

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 the increased intensity and severity of the judgments,

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 leading to the climactic final judgment

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 of God at the seventh trumpet.

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 At the first woe, the fifth trumpet,

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 a fallen star, presumably an evil angel or Satan,

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 was given a key to the bottomless pit,

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 from which demonic locusts flew out

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 and tormented mankind for five months,

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 to the point that men desired to die.

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 But death continued to evade them.

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 And then we see something even more intense.

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 At the second woe, the sixth trumpet,

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 four angels and their armies killed

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 one-third of mankind,

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 while the rest of mankind

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 continued to be unrepentant of their sins.

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 For 42 months, the wicked nations

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 trampled over the courts outside of the city temple,

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 and the two witnesses were killed

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 for proclaiming the gospel,

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 only to be resurrected by God

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 three and a half days later.

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 Then a great earthquake shook the city,

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 killing 7,000 wicked people,

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 and while the remaining survivors

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 could do nothing but acknowledge God's power

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 and be in awe of his judgment.

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 All these events of the fifth and sixth trumpets

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 lead to the blowing of the seventh and final trumpet,

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 the third and final woe.

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 If we look at the outline of Revelation

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 that John had shared with us before,

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 our passage of the seventh trumpet

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 is right at the center of Revelation.

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 We've reached the midpoint.

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 John's vision in this passage

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 will represent, as I said before,

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 the climactic conclusion of God's judgment,

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 in which God's kingdom comes down to earth

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 and overtakes the kingdom of the world.

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 And this leads to my first point,

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 the third woe.

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 Verse 14,

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 The second woe has passed.

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 Behold, the third woe is soon to come.

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 While the fifth and sixth trumpet judgments

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 had verses that signaled the first two woes

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 in Revelation 9 and Revelation 11,

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 there is no explicit mention in Scripture

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 of the seventh trumpet being the third woe.

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 Still, I think that there's strong evidence in the text

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 that Revelation 11, chapter 14,

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 I've heard verse 14 to 19,

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 is indeed the third woe.

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 For one thing, we have in verse 14,

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 Behold, the third woe is soon to come.

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 It's soon to come.

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 Revelation 8 and Revelation 10

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 also say that the woe judgments

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 would occur at the final three blasts

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 of the angels' trumpets,

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 and that in the days of the trumpet call

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 to be sounded by the seventh angel,

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 the mystery of God would be fulfilled.

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 The mystery of God from Revelation 10

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 is God's kingdom being fully established on earth.

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 The short and brief description

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 of the seventh trumpet and the third woe

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 compared to the other two woes

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 should not undermine the ultimate severity

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 of this passage.

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 The seventh trumpet,

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 which is supposed to be the most intense judgment

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 that we have seen so far in Revelation,

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 signifies the end of the end,

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 the eschaton.

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 This is the final judgment

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 where the Lord brings his kingdom onto earth

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 and immediately the living and the dead

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 are judged for eternal reward

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 or eternal death.

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 This is final.

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 And so what John sees

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 in this vision of the seventh trumpet

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 and the third woe judgment

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 must have been both so glorious

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 but also so terrifying

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 that John cannot even describe in words

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 what happens at the final judgment.

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 This vision of judgment

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 is far more intense

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 than that of demonic locusts

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 or the death of our two witnesses

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 or the earthquake that killed 7,000 people.

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 It's unspeakable.

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 Church,

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 the third woe

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 is a reminder

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 that we need to be considering

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 the eternal consequences

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 of how we live here in the present.

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 There will come a day

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 where we face

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 either eternal joy

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 and life

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 that is beyond

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 our ability to explain in words

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 or eternal death

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 and suffering

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 that will render us speechless.

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 But God is so gracious to us

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 that he shows us

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 through scripture

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 how to follow

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 the way to eternal joy

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 and life in him.

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 And that is through believing

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 in Jesus Christ

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 as our Lord

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 and Savior.

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 until the day

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 that we are left

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 awestruck

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 and without words

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 by God's glorious presence

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 among us.

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 Let's proclaim the gospel

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 with our voices

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 and with our lives

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 to those around us

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 being cognizant

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 of the eternal consequences

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 of the coming Lord

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 and of his kingdom.

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 This leads to my second point,

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 the worship of God

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 and his Christ frame.

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 Verse 15,

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 Then the seventh angel

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 blew his trumpet

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 and there were loud voices

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 in heaven saying,

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 The kingdom of the world

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 has become the kingdom

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 of our Lord

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 and of his Christ

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 and he shall reign

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 forever and ever.

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 The loud voices in heaven

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 are most likely

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 the same voices

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 that cried out

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 in Revelation chapter 7.

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 Salvation belongs

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 to our God

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 who sits on the throne

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 and to the Lamb.

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 The heavenly voice

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 of the declaration,

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 it refers to

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 the prophet Daniel

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 vision in Daniel chapter 7.

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 Behold,

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 with the clouds of heaven

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 there came one

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 like a son of man

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 and he came

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 to the ancient of days

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 and was presented

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 before him.

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 And to him

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 was given dominion

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 and glory

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 and a kingdom

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 that all peoples,

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 nations,

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 and languages

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 should serve him.

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 His dominion

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 is an everlasting dominion

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 which will not pass away

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 and his kingdom

00:13:20.679 --> 00:13:22.299
 one that shall not

00:13:22.299 --> 00:13:23.099
 be destroyed.

00:13:23.100 --> 00:13:25.540
 this one

00:13:25.540 --> 00:13:27.580
 like a son of man

00:13:27.580 --> 00:13:28.800
 is Jesus Christ,

00:13:29.139 --> 00:13:30.040
 the son of God

00:13:30.040 --> 00:13:31.279
 and the promised king.

00:13:32.240 --> 00:13:33.040
 During his life

00:13:33.040 --> 00:13:33.519
 and ministry,

00:13:33.920 --> 00:13:34.800
 Jesus proclaimed

00:13:34.800 --> 00:13:35.720
 that the kingdom

00:13:35.720 --> 00:13:36.519
 of God

00:13:36.519 --> 00:13:37.159
 is near,

00:13:37.399 --> 00:13:38.340
 is at hand.

00:13:38.980 --> 00:13:39.540
 It was Jesus

00:13:39.540 --> 00:13:40.600
 who inaugurated

00:13:40.600 --> 00:13:41.899
 the kingdom of God

00:13:41.899 --> 00:13:43.240
 and invited us

00:13:43.240 --> 00:13:44.080
 into that kingdom

00:13:44.080 --> 00:13:45.320
 by dying for us

00:13:45.320 --> 00:13:45.840
 on the cross

00:13:45.840 --> 00:13:46.800
 and resurrecting

00:13:46.800 --> 00:13:47.440
 from the grave,

00:13:48.040 --> 00:13:48.759
 thereby defeating

00:13:48.759 --> 00:13:49.259
 Satan,

00:13:49.879 --> 00:13:50.180
 sin,

00:13:50.179 --> 00:13:50.919
 and death

00:13:50.919 --> 00:13:52.099
 and adopting us

00:13:52.099 --> 00:13:53.239
 into his kingdom.

00:13:54.439 --> 00:13:55.139
 Now in this

00:13:55.139 --> 00:13:56.079
 revelation vision,

00:13:56.439 --> 00:13:57.819
 Christ has returned

00:13:57.819 --> 00:13:58.359
 and the kingdom

00:13:58.359 --> 00:13:58.859
 of God

00:13:58.859 --> 00:14:00.319
 has been fully established

00:14:00.319 --> 00:14:01.339
 here on earth

00:14:01.339 --> 00:14:02.539
 just as Jesus

00:14:02.539 --> 00:14:03.500
 had prophesied.

00:14:04.919 --> 00:14:05.620
 The kingdom

00:14:05.620 --> 00:14:06.279
 of the world

00:14:06.279 --> 00:14:07.179
 which Satan

00:14:07.179 --> 00:14:08.239
 had authority

00:14:08.239 --> 00:14:08.959
 over for a time

00:14:08.959 --> 00:14:09.959
 is now fully

00:14:09.959 --> 00:14:10.879
 taken away

00:14:10.879 --> 00:14:11.419
 from him.

00:14:12.219 --> 00:14:12.719
 The kingdom

00:14:12.719 --> 00:14:13.120
 of the world

00:14:13.120 --> 00:14:13.739
 has become

00:14:13.739 --> 00:14:14.319
 the kingdom

00:14:14.319 --> 00:14:15.359
 of the Lord God

00:14:15.359 --> 00:14:16.579
 and his Christ.

00:14:17.000 --> 00:14:17.839
 While Satan's rule

00:14:17.839 --> 00:14:18.899
 was only temporary

00:14:18.899 --> 00:14:19.919
 for a time,

00:14:20.179 --> 00:14:22.079
 God and Christ's rule

00:14:22.079 --> 00:14:23.399
 will be forever

00:14:23.399 --> 00:14:24.459
 and ever,

00:14:24.939 --> 00:14:26.339
 marking the end

00:14:26.339 --> 00:14:27.059
 of the age.

00:14:30.419 --> 00:14:31.819
 Verse 16 and 17,

00:14:31.919 --> 00:14:32.959
 And the 24 elders

00:14:32.959 --> 00:14:34.079
 who sit on their thrones

00:14:34.079 --> 00:14:34.719
 before God

00:14:34.719 --> 00:14:36.539
 fell on their faces

00:14:36.539 --> 00:14:38.079
 and worshipped God,

00:14:38.219 --> 00:14:38.459
 saying,

00:14:38.959 --> 00:14:39.819
 We give thanks to you,

00:14:39.839 --> 00:14:40.479
 Lord God Almighty,

00:14:40.799 --> 00:14:41.939
 who is and who was,

00:14:42.259 --> 00:14:42.939
 for you have taken

00:14:42.939 --> 00:14:43.799
 your great power

00:14:43.799 --> 00:14:44.799
 and begun to reign.

00:14:45.839 --> 00:14:47.059
 The 24 elders,

00:14:47.579 --> 00:14:48.699
 as we see in Revelation

00:14:48.699 --> 00:14:49.359
 chapter 4,

00:14:49.360 --> 00:14:50.360
 could be referring

00:14:50.360 --> 00:14:51.800
 to the 12 tribes

00:14:51.800 --> 00:14:52.659
 of Israel

00:14:52.659 --> 00:14:53.740
 in the Old Testament

00:14:53.740 --> 00:14:55.580
 and the 12 apostles

00:14:55.580 --> 00:14:56.940
 in the New Testament.

00:14:57.879 --> 00:14:58.639
 Altogether,

00:14:58.899 --> 00:15:00.080
 all 24 elders

00:15:00.080 --> 00:15:00.800
 represent

00:15:00.800 --> 00:15:02.000
 the complete

00:15:02.000 --> 00:15:03.700
 people of God,

00:15:04.200 --> 00:15:04.919
 his community

00:15:04.919 --> 00:15:06.120
 of believers.

00:15:06.120 --> 00:15:06.259
 believers.

00:15:07.720 --> 00:15:08.600
 The elders,

00:15:08.799 --> 00:15:10.240
 having heard the proclamation

00:15:10.240 --> 00:15:11.299
 from the voices in heaven,

00:15:11.679 --> 00:15:13.500
 they fall from their thrones

00:15:13.500 --> 00:15:14.700
 onto their faces

00:15:14.700 --> 00:15:16.440
 and worship God,

00:15:16.960 --> 00:15:17.720
 thanking him

00:15:17.720 --> 00:15:20.159
 for consummating the kingdom,

00:15:20.600 --> 00:15:21.840
 taking his great power

00:15:21.840 --> 00:15:23.259
 and beginning to reign.

00:15:24.179 --> 00:15:25.120
 And the elders say,

00:15:25.460 --> 00:15:26.740
 We give thanks to you,

00:15:26.899 --> 00:15:27.820
 Lord God Almighty,

00:15:28.480 --> 00:15:30.879
 who is and who was.

00:15:30.879 --> 00:15:33.639
 For those of us

00:15:33.639 --> 00:15:35.460
 who may have grown up

00:15:35.460 --> 00:15:36.360
 reading scripture,

00:15:36.700 --> 00:15:37.620
 we're typically used

00:15:37.620 --> 00:15:39.299
 to hearing this phrase

00:15:39.299 --> 00:15:40.740
 in a threefold pattern,

00:15:41.379 --> 00:15:42.620
 that God is the one

00:15:42.620 --> 00:15:43.659
 who was,

00:15:44.220 --> 00:15:44.840
 who is,

00:15:45.500 --> 00:15:46.600
 and is to come.

00:15:47.720 --> 00:15:49.059
 The threefold pattern

00:15:49.059 --> 00:15:50.460
 describes God's sovereignty

00:15:50.460 --> 00:15:51.679
 over all history,

00:15:52.480 --> 00:15:53.659
 the past who was,

00:15:53.860 --> 00:15:54.899
 the present who is,

00:15:55.100 --> 00:15:55.940
 and the future

00:15:55.940 --> 00:15:56.960
 who is to come.

00:15:56.960 --> 00:15:58.540
 But in verse 17,

00:15:58.860 --> 00:15:59.700
 the elders worship

00:15:59.700 --> 00:16:00.660
 the Lord God Almighty,

00:16:01.100 --> 00:16:03.120
 who is and who was.

00:16:04.440 --> 00:16:06.120
 Where is who is to come?

00:16:08.019 --> 00:16:08.860
 Well, the phrase

00:16:08.860 --> 00:16:09.639
 who is to come

00:16:09.639 --> 00:16:10.400
 is replaced

00:16:10.400 --> 00:16:11.660
 with a different line.

00:16:12.980 --> 00:16:14.100
 For you have taken

00:16:14.100 --> 00:16:15.120
 your great power

00:16:15.120 --> 00:16:16.700
 and begun to reign.

00:16:17.420 --> 00:16:18.980
 If we put that entire sentence

00:16:18.980 --> 00:16:19.540
 back together,

00:16:19.660 --> 00:16:20.600
 the elders are thanking

00:16:20.600 --> 00:16:21.580
 the Lord God Almighty,

00:16:22.000 --> 00:16:22.540
 who is,

00:16:22.900 --> 00:16:23.420
 who was,

00:16:23.759 --> 00:16:24.519
 and has taken

00:16:24.519 --> 00:16:25.780
 his great power

00:16:25.780 --> 00:16:26.840
 and begun.

00:16:26.960 --> 00:16:27.400
 to reign.

00:16:29.040 --> 00:16:30.000
 The elders worship

00:16:30.000 --> 00:16:30.879
 is emphasizing

00:16:30.879 --> 00:16:31.840
 that the future,

00:16:32.440 --> 00:16:34.000
 the God who is to come,

00:16:34.800 --> 00:16:35.759
 is now here.

00:16:37.460 --> 00:16:38.920
 God's people's hope

00:16:38.920 --> 00:16:39.660
 of the future

00:16:39.660 --> 00:16:40.280
 has come true

00:16:40.280 --> 00:16:41.180
 because God

00:16:41.180 --> 00:16:42.340
 has come down

00:16:42.340 --> 00:16:43.379
 and he has begun

00:16:43.379 --> 00:16:44.019
 to reign

00:16:44.019 --> 00:16:45.200
 over the entire world.

00:16:45.500 --> 00:16:46.519
 And because God's reign

00:16:46.519 --> 00:16:47.320
 is eternal,

00:16:48.600 --> 00:16:50.680
 there is no more future

00:16:50.680 --> 00:16:52.180
 as we understand it

00:16:52.180 --> 00:16:53.720
 in our human concept

00:16:53.720 --> 00:16:55.379
 of time and history.

00:16:55.379 --> 00:16:58.159
 God will reign forevermore

00:16:58.159 --> 00:16:59.939
 and nothing will change

00:16:59.939 --> 00:17:00.939
 or can change

00:17:00.939 --> 00:17:02.860
 or alter that final reality.

00:17:04.380 --> 00:17:06.359
 The elders have realized

00:17:06.359 --> 00:17:07.259
 this amazing truth

00:17:07.259 --> 00:17:08.500
 and they step off

00:17:08.500 --> 00:17:09.339
 their thrones

00:17:09.339 --> 00:17:11.019
 to bow down

00:17:11.019 --> 00:17:11.839
 before God

00:17:11.839 --> 00:17:12.240
 and worship.

00:17:12.759 --> 00:17:13.380
 The first thing

00:17:13.380 --> 00:17:14.460
 the elders say

00:17:14.460 --> 00:17:14.980
 in their worship

00:17:14.980 --> 00:17:15.859
 is,

00:17:16.140 --> 00:17:16.859
 we give thanks

00:17:16.859 --> 00:17:17.500
 to you, God.

00:17:18.059 --> 00:17:18.880
 They give thanks

00:17:18.880 --> 00:17:19.759
 for God's presence

00:17:19.759 --> 00:17:20.779
 in the past,

00:17:21.119 --> 00:17:21.660
 in the present,

00:17:21.660 --> 00:17:22.960
 and in the future.

00:17:24.200 --> 00:17:24.680
 Church,

00:17:24.820 --> 00:17:25.900
 do we worship God

00:17:25.900 --> 00:17:27.560
 in the same way?

00:17:28.440 --> 00:17:29.660
 Do we think of God

00:17:29.660 --> 00:17:30.860
 as being sovereign

00:17:30.860 --> 00:17:31.940
 over the past,

00:17:32.160 --> 00:17:32.560
 the present,

00:17:32.680 --> 00:17:33.560
 and the future?

00:17:33.980 --> 00:17:34.759
 Do we thank him

00:17:34.759 --> 00:17:35.660
 for his presence

00:17:35.660 --> 00:17:37.700
 in all three times?

00:17:40.640 --> 00:17:41.640
 I'm going to confess

00:17:41.640 --> 00:17:42.380
 this to you guys.

00:17:42.920 --> 00:17:43.279
 Lately,

00:17:43.640 --> 00:17:44.300
 I myself

00:17:44.300 --> 00:17:45.580
 haven't been doing well

00:17:45.580 --> 00:17:47.300
 in being thankful,

00:17:48.259 --> 00:17:49.440
 especially in my own

00:17:49.440 --> 00:17:49.820
 private,

00:17:49.980 --> 00:17:50.680
 individual time.

00:17:53.840 --> 00:17:54.779
 Outside of our

00:17:54.779 --> 00:17:55.900
 Saturday community group

00:17:55.900 --> 00:17:57.039
 or Wednesday night prayers,

00:17:57.600 --> 00:17:58.480
 where we intentionally

00:17:58.480 --> 00:17:59.600
 gathered to spend time

00:17:59.600 --> 00:18:00.460
 to thank God together,

00:18:01.340 --> 00:18:02.420
 I've been so lacking

00:18:02.420 --> 00:18:03.980
 in posturing myself

00:18:03.980 --> 00:18:04.640
 toward Thanksgiving.

00:18:05.779 --> 00:18:06.840
 I've taken God's

00:18:06.840 --> 00:18:07.880
 daily grace and mercy

00:18:07.880 --> 00:18:08.820
 for me,

00:18:08.880 --> 00:18:09.400
 for granted,

00:18:09.900 --> 00:18:11.460
 as if God owed this to me.

00:18:12.320 --> 00:18:13.180
 That's so far

00:18:13.180 --> 00:18:13.860
 from the case

00:18:13.860 --> 00:18:15.140
 because I'm a sinner

00:18:15.140 --> 00:18:15.740
 also,

00:18:15.980 --> 00:18:17.059
 who's indebted to God

00:18:17.059 --> 00:18:18.200
 for saving me

00:18:18.200 --> 00:18:18.759
 through Christ.

00:18:20.360 --> 00:18:20.799
 And so,

00:18:20.880 --> 00:18:21.860
 reading this passage

00:18:21.860 --> 00:18:22.620
 of the elders'

00:18:22.820 --> 00:18:23.660
 worship and thanksgiving

00:18:23.660 --> 00:18:24.039
 to God

00:18:24.039 --> 00:18:25.100
 makes me realize

00:18:25.100 --> 00:18:26.840
 that just like the elders,

00:18:27.160 --> 00:18:28.720
 I need to step off

00:18:28.720 --> 00:18:29.740
 of my throne

00:18:29.740 --> 00:18:30.779
 in humility

00:18:30.779 --> 00:18:31.660
 before God.

00:18:32.620 --> 00:18:33.940
 I want to bow down

00:18:33.940 --> 00:18:34.420
 and worship,

00:18:34.740 --> 00:18:35.360
 thanking God

00:18:35.360 --> 00:18:36.460
 because he saved me.

00:18:37.039 --> 00:18:37.660
 Back when I was

00:18:37.660 --> 00:18:38.519
 15 years old,

00:18:38.700 --> 00:18:40.080
 he helped a self-destructive

00:18:40.080 --> 00:18:41.380
 teenager like me

00:18:41.380 --> 00:18:42.840
 encounter the great

00:18:42.840 --> 00:18:43.820
 love of the Father.

00:18:45.480 --> 00:18:46.759
 I want to thank God

00:18:46.759 --> 00:18:48.000
 for how he continues

00:18:48.000 --> 00:18:48.960
 to sustain me,

00:18:48.960 --> 00:18:50.279
 and sanctify me today

00:18:50.279 --> 00:18:51.640
 that I don't go back

00:18:51.640 --> 00:18:53.039
 to my old ways of sin.

00:18:54.259 --> 00:18:55.299
 And I want to thank God

00:18:55.299 --> 00:18:57.039
 for how he will prevail

00:18:57.039 --> 00:18:57.720
 in the end

00:18:57.720 --> 00:18:59.019
 and bring his people

00:18:59.019 --> 00:19:01.019
 into his eternal kingdom

00:19:01.019 --> 00:19:02.039
 forevermore.

00:19:02.039 --> 00:19:10.299
 God's ultimate reign

00:19:10.299 --> 00:19:11.619
 has not yet come,

00:19:12.359 --> 00:19:13.740
 but it's already

00:19:13.740 --> 00:19:14.619
 been guaranteed

00:19:14.619 --> 00:19:15.339
 to us.

00:19:16.399 --> 00:19:17.680
 There are many of us here

00:19:17.680 --> 00:19:18.559
 who long

00:19:18.559 --> 00:19:20.240
 for this not-yet reality,

00:19:20.960 --> 00:19:22.220
 but we face struggle

00:19:22.220 --> 00:19:22.980
 in our lives

00:19:22.980 --> 00:19:24.680
 because of the evil

00:19:24.680 --> 00:19:25.879
 in our current world.

00:19:25.880 --> 00:19:27.560
 some of us here

00:19:27.560 --> 00:19:28.900
 may be feeling harassed

00:19:28.900 --> 00:19:30.540
 by evildoers around us.

00:19:31.460 --> 00:19:32.000
 Some of us

00:19:32.000 --> 00:19:32.640
 may be weary

00:19:32.640 --> 00:19:33.600
 from fighting

00:19:33.600 --> 00:19:35.480
 our own sinful flesh

00:19:35.480 --> 00:19:36.340
 and the devil.

00:19:37.120 --> 00:19:38.060
 And some of us

00:19:38.060 --> 00:19:38.860
 may be actively

00:19:38.860 --> 00:19:39.680
 persecuted

00:19:39.680 --> 00:19:40.880
 for our faith

00:19:40.880 --> 00:19:42.400
 within our family,

00:19:42.560 --> 00:19:43.560
 within our workplace,

00:19:44.000 --> 00:19:44.860
 for those of us

00:19:44.860 --> 00:19:45.740
 who may be overseas

00:19:45.740 --> 00:19:47.620
 by the government.

00:19:47.619 --> 00:19:50.259
 To those of you

00:19:50.259 --> 00:19:50.839
 who are struggling

00:19:50.839 --> 00:19:51.500
 in this way,

00:19:52.519 --> 00:19:53.519
 God sees,

00:19:54.219 --> 00:19:54.459
 hears,

00:19:54.839 --> 00:19:55.639
 and knows

00:19:55.639 --> 00:19:56.879
 of our hardships.

00:19:58.559 --> 00:19:59.739
 Living in this space

00:19:59.739 --> 00:20:01.019
 of not-yet

00:20:01.019 --> 00:20:02.619
 really is difficult.

00:20:04.000 --> 00:20:05.059
 But for this reason,

00:20:05.319 --> 00:20:06.159
 God promises

00:20:06.159 --> 00:20:07.519
 those who remain

00:20:07.519 --> 00:20:08.759
 steadfast in him

00:20:08.759 --> 00:20:10.479
 that there will be a day

00:20:10.479 --> 00:20:11.439
 when that waiting

00:20:11.439 --> 00:20:12.239
 is over

00:20:12.239 --> 00:20:13.679
 and the long-awaited

00:20:13.679 --> 00:20:15.359
 Christ is now here.

00:20:16.379 --> 00:20:17.599
 This will be the sign

00:20:17.599 --> 00:20:18.500
 and seal

00:20:18.500 --> 00:20:19.279
 that God's kingdom

00:20:19.279 --> 00:20:19.839
 has come

00:20:19.839 --> 00:20:21.359
 to full reign

00:20:21.359 --> 00:20:22.359
 and our trials

00:20:22.359 --> 00:20:23.019
 will be met

00:20:23.019 --> 00:20:24.459
 with great reward

00:20:24.459 --> 00:20:25.480
 from God.

00:20:27.279 --> 00:20:28.740
 So brothers and sisters,

00:20:29.259 --> 00:20:30.259
 let thanksgiving

00:20:30.259 --> 00:20:32.379
 be a daily discipline

00:20:32.379 --> 00:20:34.240
 of how we worship God.

00:20:35.119 --> 00:20:36.980
 Let's count it all joy

00:20:36.980 --> 00:20:38.799
 when we meet trials

00:20:38.799 --> 00:20:39.659
 of various kinds,

00:20:40.079 --> 00:20:40.919
 clinging to Christ

00:20:40.919 --> 00:20:42.039
 with thankful hearts

00:20:42.039 --> 00:20:43.719
 as we wait on him

00:20:43.719 --> 00:20:44.659
 to come.

00:20:46.079 --> 00:20:47.500
 Psalm 107 says

00:20:47.500 --> 00:20:48.259
 to give thanks

00:20:48.259 --> 00:20:48.799
 to the Lord

00:20:48.799 --> 00:20:50.000
 for he is good

00:20:50.000 --> 00:20:51.539
 for his steadfast love

00:20:51.539 --> 00:20:53.740
 endures forever.

00:20:55.339 --> 00:20:56.339
 God's love for us

00:20:56.339 --> 00:20:56.819
 has endured

00:20:56.819 --> 00:20:58.140
 since the very beginning

00:20:58.140 --> 00:20:59.200
 when he created

00:20:59.200 --> 00:20:59.759
 the universe

00:20:59.759 --> 00:21:00.480
 and his love

00:21:00.480 --> 00:21:01.839
 stretches forward

00:21:01.839 --> 00:21:03.240
 to all eternity

00:21:03.240 --> 00:21:04.880
 long after this world

00:21:04.880 --> 00:21:06.220
 has come to pass.

00:21:07.200 --> 00:21:08.359
 Let's give thanks

00:21:08.359 --> 00:21:09.859
 alongside all the saints

00:21:09.859 --> 00:21:10.279
 and elders

00:21:10.279 --> 00:21:11.119
 in worship

00:21:11.119 --> 00:21:12.799
 to the Lord God Almighty

00:21:12.799 --> 00:21:14.220
 who is

00:21:14.220 --> 00:21:15.700
 and who was

00:21:15.700 --> 00:21:17.180
 and who will

00:21:17.180 --> 00:21:18.839
 take his great power

00:21:18.839 --> 00:21:19.720
 and reign

00:21:19.720 --> 00:21:20.639
 for all eternity.

00:21:23.639 --> 00:21:25.059
 The 24 elders

00:21:25.059 --> 00:21:26.159
 thank God

00:21:26.159 --> 00:21:27.079
 and then

00:21:27.079 --> 00:21:27.960
 they proclaim

00:21:27.960 --> 00:21:29.059
 of the wrath

00:21:29.059 --> 00:21:29.799
 and reward

00:21:29.799 --> 00:21:30.419
 of God.

00:21:31.180 --> 00:21:31.839
 Verse 18

00:21:31.839 --> 00:21:32.459
 the nations

00:21:32.459 --> 00:21:32.919
 raged

00:21:32.919 --> 00:21:33.859
 but your wrath

00:21:33.859 --> 00:21:34.240
 came

00:21:34.240 --> 00:21:35.079
 and the time

00:21:35.079 --> 00:21:35.539
 for the dead

00:21:35.539 --> 00:21:36.159
 to be judged

00:21:36.159 --> 00:21:37.139
 and for rewarding

00:21:37.139 --> 00:21:37.639
 your servants

00:21:37.639 --> 00:21:38.099
 the prophets

00:21:38.099 --> 00:21:38.639
 and saints

00:21:38.639 --> 00:21:39.299
 and those

00:21:39.299 --> 00:21:40.019
 who fear your name

00:21:40.019 --> 00:21:40.899
 both small

00:21:40.899 --> 00:21:41.419
 and great

00:21:41.419 --> 00:21:42.599
 and for destroying

00:21:42.599 --> 00:21:43.319
 the destroyers

00:21:43.319 --> 00:21:43.740
 of the earth.

00:21:44.879 --> 00:21:45.779
 Verse 18

00:21:45.779 --> 00:21:47.000
 starts and ends

00:21:47.000 --> 00:21:47.579
 with the judgment

00:21:47.579 --> 00:21:48.459
 of God's enemies

00:21:48.459 --> 00:21:49.559
 as his wrath

00:21:49.559 --> 00:21:50.759
 came upon

00:21:50.759 --> 00:21:51.659
 the raging nations

00:21:51.659 --> 00:21:52.639
 and he destroyed

00:21:52.639 --> 00:21:53.599
 the destroyers

00:21:53.599 --> 00:21:54.159
 of the earth

00:21:54.159 --> 00:21:55.519
 and then in the middle

00:21:55.519 --> 00:21:56.799
 there is an emphasis

00:21:56.799 --> 00:21:57.919
 on the rewarding

00:21:57.919 --> 00:21:59.000
 of the faithful.

00:21:59.000 --> 00:22:01.619
 First I'll talk

00:22:01.619 --> 00:22:02.380
 about the wrath

00:22:02.380 --> 00:22:02.900
 and judgment

00:22:02.900 --> 00:22:03.940
 of God's enemies.

00:22:04.599 --> 00:22:05.339
 The image

00:22:05.339 --> 00:22:06.059
 of the nations

00:22:06.059 --> 00:22:06.700
 raging

00:22:06.700 --> 00:22:07.799
 should again

00:22:07.799 --> 00:22:08.619
 bring to mind

00:22:08.619 --> 00:22:09.859
 the prophetic vision

00:22:09.859 --> 00:22:11.119
 of Daniel chapter 7

00:22:11.119 --> 00:22:12.859
 in which the four

00:22:12.859 --> 00:22:13.880
 terrible beasts

00:22:13.880 --> 00:22:14.920
 each representing

00:22:14.920 --> 00:22:16.180
 a tyrannical nation

00:22:16.180 --> 00:22:18.220
 raged against Israel

00:22:18.220 --> 00:22:19.519
 and God's people.

00:22:21.359 --> 00:22:21.680
 And yet

00:22:21.680 --> 00:22:23.180
 just as these four beasts

00:22:23.180 --> 00:22:24.480
 were subdued

00:22:24.480 --> 00:22:25.960
 by the son of man

00:22:25.960 --> 00:22:26.720
 in Daniel 7

00:22:26.720 --> 00:22:27.740
 the elders

00:22:27.740 --> 00:22:28.660
 in Revelation 11

00:22:28.660 --> 00:22:29.600
 proclaiming

00:22:29.600 --> 00:22:31.340
 that God's wrath

00:22:31.340 --> 00:22:32.140
 came upon

00:22:32.140 --> 00:22:33.360
 these raging nations

00:22:33.360 --> 00:22:34.519
 and he destroyed

00:22:34.519 --> 00:22:35.480
 the destroyers

00:22:35.480 --> 00:22:36.400
 of the earth.

00:22:38.160 --> 00:22:38.820
 One of these

00:22:38.820 --> 00:22:39.779
 raging nations

00:22:39.779 --> 00:22:40.480
 in the Old Testament

00:22:40.480 --> 00:22:41.580
 was Babylon.

00:22:43.340 --> 00:22:44.640
 Jeremiah 51

00:22:44.640 --> 00:22:45.380
 verse 25

00:22:45.380 --> 00:22:46.480
 proclaims a prophecy

00:22:46.480 --> 00:22:47.279
 against Babylon

00:22:47.279 --> 00:22:48.340
 similar to the

00:22:48.340 --> 00:22:49.040
 elders' proclamation

00:22:49.040 --> 00:22:50.200
 here in Revelation 11.

00:22:51.040 --> 00:22:51.560
 Behold,

00:22:51.700 --> 00:22:52.960
 I am against you

00:22:52.960 --> 00:22:54.240
 O destroying mountain

00:22:54.240 --> 00:22:55.060
 declares the Lord

00:22:55.060 --> 00:22:56.500
 which destroys

00:22:56.500 --> 00:22:57.660
 the whole earth.

00:22:57.660 --> 00:22:59.240
 I will stretch

00:22:59.240 --> 00:22:59.880
 out my hand

00:22:59.880 --> 00:23:00.420
 against you

00:23:00.420 --> 00:23:01.140
 and roll you

00:23:01.140 --> 00:23:01.820
 down from the

00:23:01.820 --> 00:23:02.180
 crabs

00:23:02.180 --> 00:23:03.019
 and make you

00:23:03.019 --> 00:23:04.400
 a burnt mountain.

00:23:05.480 --> 00:23:06.560
 God will destroy

00:23:06.560 --> 00:23:07.560
 the destroying

00:23:07.560 --> 00:23:08.040
 mountain

00:23:08.040 --> 00:23:08.820
 that's destroyed

00:23:08.820 --> 00:23:09.420
 up to earth

00:23:09.420 --> 00:23:10.200
 Babylon

00:23:10.200 --> 00:23:11.300
 and all the

00:23:11.300 --> 00:23:12.240
 raging nations.

00:23:13.400 --> 00:23:14.480
 And that's because

00:23:14.480 --> 00:23:15.019
 God

00:23:15.019 --> 00:23:16.320
 is infinitely

00:23:16.320 --> 00:23:16.960
 fair

00:23:16.960 --> 00:23:18.320
 and just.

00:23:19.480 --> 00:23:20.740
 He will exact

00:23:20.740 --> 00:23:21.240
 his judgment

00:23:21.240 --> 00:23:21.900
 on the nations

00:23:21.900 --> 00:23:22.700
 and the destroyers

00:23:22.700 --> 00:23:23.820
 in an eye

00:23:23.819 --> 00:23:24.519
 for an eye

00:23:24.519 --> 00:23:24.859
 better.

00:23:26.359 --> 00:23:26.960
 In last week's

00:23:26.960 --> 00:23:27.159
 sermon,

00:23:27.319 --> 00:23:27.799
 right before

00:23:27.799 --> 00:23:28.179
 the seventh

00:23:28.179 --> 00:23:28.439
 trumpet,

00:23:28.759 --> 00:23:29.259
 a great

00:23:29.259 --> 00:23:29.879
 earthquake

00:23:29.879 --> 00:23:31.759
 killed 7,000

00:23:31.759 --> 00:23:32.519
 wicked people

00:23:32.519 --> 00:23:33.279
 who have killed

00:23:33.279 --> 00:23:34.019
 the two witnesses

00:23:34.019 --> 00:23:34.659
 of the gospel.

00:23:35.619 --> 00:23:36.579
 The 7,000

00:23:36.579 --> 00:23:37.119
 who were killed

00:23:37.119 --> 00:23:37.659
 by the earthquake

00:23:37.659 --> 00:23:38.480
 are equivalent

00:23:38.480 --> 00:23:39.879
 to the 7,000

00:23:39.879 --> 00:23:40.899
 faithful people

00:23:40.899 --> 00:23:41.759
 who God

00:23:41.759 --> 00:23:42.379
 had preserved

00:23:42.379 --> 00:23:43.439
 in 2 Kings

00:23:43.439 --> 00:23:44.099
 chapter 19

00:23:44.099 --> 00:23:45.119
 in the days

00:23:45.119 --> 00:23:45.700
 of Elijah

00:23:45.700 --> 00:23:47.179
 when they refused

00:23:47.179 --> 00:23:48.159
 to bow down

00:23:48.160 --> 00:23:49.700
 to the Babylonian

00:23:49.700 --> 00:23:50.019
 idol.

00:23:52.080 --> 00:23:53.440
 Here in verse 18,

00:23:53.759 --> 00:23:54.200
 God's

00:23:54.200 --> 00:23:55.019
 lex talionis,

00:23:55.279 --> 00:23:56.019
 eye for an eye,

00:23:56.140 --> 00:23:56.980
 judgment is again

00:23:56.980 --> 00:23:57.340
 evident.

00:23:58.779 --> 00:23:59.759
 In the original

00:23:59.759 --> 00:24:00.220
 Greek,

00:24:00.800 --> 00:24:01.680
 the words for

00:24:01.680 --> 00:24:03.420
 rage and wrath

00:24:03.420 --> 00:24:04.320
 come from the

00:24:04.320 --> 00:24:04.820
 same root.

00:24:06.180 --> 00:24:06.779
 And so God

00:24:06.779 --> 00:24:07.720
 punished the raging

00:24:07.720 --> 00:24:09.060
 nations with his

00:24:09.060 --> 00:24:10.060
 own righteous

00:24:10.060 --> 00:24:10.720
 rage.

00:24:11.200 --> 00:24:12.140
 He punished the

00:24:12.140 --> 00:24:13.040
 wrathful nations

00:24:13.040 --> 00:24:13.900
 with his own

00:24:13.900 --> 00:24:14.380
 wrath.

00:24:15.420 --> 00:24:16.060
 The same goes

00:24:16.060 --> 00:24:16.460
 for the word

00:24:16.460 --> 00:24:17.060
 destroyers.

00:24:17.059 --> 00:24:17.980
 God dealt

00:24:17.980 --> 00:24:18.339
 with the

00:24:18.339 --> 00:24:19.200
 destroyers of

00:24:19.200 --> 00:24:19.539
 the earth

00:24:19.539 --> 00:24:20.659
 by destroying

00:24:20.659 --> 00:24:21.099
 them.

00:24:22.139 --> 00:24:22.799
 He gave them

00:24:22.799 --> 00:24:23.419
 a punishment

00:24:23.419 --> 00:24:24.419
 worthy of

00:24:24.419 --> 00:24:25.059
 their crimes.

00:24:28.119 --> 00:24:29.079
 In a way,

00:24:29.440 --> 00:24:30.480
 this is actually

00:24:30.480 --> 00:24:32.119
 a pretty funny

00:24:32.119 --> 00:24:32.940
 and ironic

00:24:32.940 --> 00:24:33.919
 way for God's

00:24:33.919 --> 00:24:34.440
 enemies to be

00:24:34.440 --> 00:24:34.940
 finished off.

00:24:35.879 --> 00:24:36.240
 The raging

00:24:36.240 --> 00:24:37.139
 nations are

00:24:37.139 --> 00:24:38.279
 ended by God's

00:24:38.279 --> 00:24:39.240
 rage.

00:24:39.819 --> 00:24:40.639
 The destroyers

00:24:40.639 --> 00:24:41.079
 of the earth

00:24:41.079 --> 00:24:42.559
 are destroyed.

00:24:43.000 --> 00:24:43.500
 They had one

00:24:43.500 --> 00:24:43.819
 job,

00:24:44.480 --> 00:24:46.059
 and they got

00:24:46.059 --> 00:24:46.460
 it back to

00:24:46.460 --> 00:24:46.599
 them.

00:24:47.059 --> 00:24:47.799
 They were

00:24:47.799 --> 00:24:48.319
 beaten at

00:24:48.319 --> 00:24:48.679
 their own

00:24:48.679 --> 00:24:48.960
 game.

00:24:50.480 --> 00:24:50.779
 It's like

00:24:50.779 --> 00:24:52.000
 watching a

00:24:52.000 --> 00:24:52.419
 pickpocket

00:24:52.419 --> 00:24:53.079
 thief get

00:24:53.079 --> 00:24:53.679
 pickpocketed

00:24:53.679 --> 00:24:54.119
 himself.

00:24:55.259 --> 00:24:55.519
 Or,

00:24:56.099 --> 00:24:56.539
 you guys know

00:24:56.539 --> 00:24:56.839
 of these

00:24:56.839 --> 00:24:57.619
 YouTube videos

00:24:57.619 --> 00:24:58.619
 where the

00:24:58.619 --> 00:24:58.940
 YouTuber

00:24:58.940 --> 00:25:00.359
 scam calls

00:25:00.359 --> 00:25:00.819
 the scam

00:25:00.819 --> 00:25:01.240
 callers?

00:25:03.319 --> 00:25:04.299
 The panic

00:25:04.299 --> 00:25:05.079
 and frustration

00:25:05.079 --> 00:25:05.779
 on the scam

00:25:05.779 --> 00:25:06.500
 callers' faces

00:25:06.500 --> 00:25:07.419
 as they realize,

00:25:07.559 --> 00:25:08.099
 oh my gosh,

00:25:08.359 --> 00:25:08.960
 I'm about to

00:25:08.960 --> 00:25:09.799
 lose $10,000

00:25:09.799 --> 00:25:10.440
 or whatever.

00:25:10.440 --> 00:25:12.100
 they've been

00:25:12.100 --> 00:25:12.700
 bamboozled

00:25:12.700 --> 00:25:13.059
 at their

00:25:13.059 --> 00:25:13.920
 own expertise,

00:25:14.559 --> 00:25:14.880
 and they've

00:25:14.880 --> 00:25:15.759
 received punishment

00:25:15.759 --> 00:25:16.940
 equal to their

00:25:16.940 --> 00:25:17.360
 crimes.

00:25:19.600 --> 00:25:20.200
 Psalm 2

00:25:20.200 --> 00:25:20.580
 asks,

00:25:21.039 --> 00:25:21.559
 why do the

00:25:21.559 --> 00:25:22.400
 nations rage

00:25:22.400 --> 00:25:23.340
 and the people

00:25:23.340 --> 00:25:24.120
 plot in vain?

00:25:24.500 --> 00:25:25.320
 The kings of the

00:25:25.320 --> 00:25:28.000
 earth set

00:25:28.000 --> 00:25:28.420
 themselves,

00:25:28.519 --> 00:25:28.960
 and the rulers

00:25:28.960 --> 00:25:29.559
 take counsel

00:25:29.559 --> 00:25:30.700
 together against

00:25:30.700 --> 00:25:31.779
 the Lord and

00:25:31.779 --> 00:25:32.640
 his anointed.

00:25:32.640 --> 00:25:34.840
 He who sits

00:25:34.840 --> 00:25:36.240
 in the heavens

00:25:36.240 --> 00:25:36.980
 laughs.

00:25:36.980 --> 00:25:38.559
 the Lord

00:25:38.559 --> 00:25:39.380
 holds them

00:25:39.380 --> 00:25:39.920
 in duration.

00:25:41.200 --> 00:25:41.779
 Then he will

00:25:41.779 --> 00:25:42.380
 speak to them

00:25:42.380 --> 00:25:42.839
 in his wrath

00:25:42.839 --> 00:25:43.460
 and terrify

00:25:43.460 --> 00:25:44.480
 them in his

00:25:44.480 --> 00:25:44.779
 fury.

00:25:46.180 --> 00:25:46.539
 It's like

00:25:46.539 --> 00:25:47.120
 watching a

00:25:47.120 --> 00:25:47.759
 colony of

00:25:47.759 --> 00:25:48.720
 ants trying

00:25:48.720 --> 00:25:49.299
 to topple

00:25:49.299 --> 00:25:50.000
 over the

00:25:50.000 --> 00:25:50.620
 empire state

00:25:50.620 --> 00:25:50.980
 building.

00:25:52.059 --> 00:25:52.860
 It's not

00:25:52.860 --> 00:25:53.039
 going to

00:25:53.039 --> 00:25:53.319
 happen.

00:25:53.860 --> 00:25:54.200
 The wicked

00:25:54.200 --> 00:25:54.759
 nations and

00:25:54.759 --> 00:25:55.279
 the destroyers

00:25:55.279 --> 00:25:55.660
 of the earth

00:25:55.660 --> 00:25:56.319
 are doomed

00:25:56.319 --> 00:25:56.940
 to fail.

00:26:00.400 --> 00:26:01.180
 God will

00:26:01.180 --> 00:26:01.680
 punish them

00:26:01.680 --> 00:26:02.140
 accordingly.

00:26:03.559 --> 00:26:04.180
 We too,

00:26:04.299 --> 00:26:04.539
 then,

00:26:04.980 --> 00:26:05.380
 can be

00:26:05.380 --> 00:26:06.339
 reassured and

00:26:06.339 --> 00:26:06.900
 endure

00:26:06.900 --> 00:26:07.680
 when we

00:26:07.680 --> 00:26:08.360
 are wronged,

00:26:08.580 --> 00:26:09.360
 when we

00:26:09.360 --> 00:26:10.160
 are defrauded,

00:26:10.759 --> 00:26:11.180
 when we

00:26:11.180 --> 00:26:11.840
 are unfairly

00:26:11.840 --> 00:26:12.420
 treated by

00:26:12.420 --> 00:26:13.460
 our destroyers

00:26:13.460 --> 00:26:14.180
 because we

00:26:14.180 --> 00:26:14.759
 know that

00:26:14.759 --> 00:26:15.840
 God's justice

00:26:15.840 --> 00:26:16.720
 will come.

00:26:19.060 --> 00:26:19.920
 Verse 18

00:26:19.920 --> 00:26:20.660
 also speaks

00:26:20.660 --> 00:26:21.660
 of the time

00:26:21.660 --> 00:26:22.240
 for the dead

00:26:22.240 --> 00:26:22.880
 to be judged,

00:26:23.380 --> 00:26:24.240
 which arrives

00:26:24.240 --> 00:26:25.060
 as God's

00:26:25.060 --> 00:26:25.860
 wrath comes.

00:26:27.080 --> 00:26:27.840
 Daniel 12

00:26:27.840 --> 00:26:28.360
 and Revelation

00:26:28.360 --> 00:26:29.300
 20 attest

00:26:29.300 --> 00:26:30.200
 to the final

00:26:30.200 --> 00:26:30.940
 judgment in

00:26:30.940 --> 00:26:31.600
 which the dead

00:26:31.600 --> 00:26:32.240
 are judged

00:26:32.240 --> 00:26:33.019
 according to

00:26:33.019 --> 00:26:33.519
 what they

00:26:33.519 --> 00:26:34.140
 have done

00:26:34.140 --> 00:26:34.900
 when they

00:26:34.900 --> 00:26:35.600
 were alive.

00:26:36.900 --> 00:26:38.000
 The destroyers

00:26:38.000 --> 00:26:38.400
 of God's

00:26:38.400 --> 00:26:39.160
 people and

00:26:39.160 --> 00:26:40.019
 the unbelievers

00:26:40.019 --> 00:26:40.800
 of Jesus

00:26:40.800 --> 00:26:41.280
 Christ will

00:26:41.280 --> 00:26:41.860
 be judged

00:26:41.860 --> 00:26:42.460
 in front

00:26:42.460 --> 00:26:42.720
 of the

00:26:42.720 --> 00:26:43.440
 great white

00:26:43.440 --> 00:26:43.880
 throne

00:26:43.880 --> 00:26:45.420
 where the

00:26:45.420 --> 00:26:45.680
 dead,

00:26:45.680 --> 00:26:46.720
 great and

00:26:46.720 --> 00:26:47.000
 small,

00:26:47.120 --> 00:26:47.720
 stood before

00:26:47.720 --> 00:26:48.180
 the throne

00:26:48.180 --> 00:26:49.100
 and books

00:26:49.100 --> 00:26:49.700
 were opened.

00:26:50.620 --> 00:26:51.060
 Then another

00:26:51.060 --> 00:26:51.620
 book was opened

00:26:51.620 --> 00:26:52.080
 which is the

00:26:52.080 --> 00:26:52.680
 book of life

00:26:52.680 --> 00:26:53.340
 and the dead

00:26:53.340 --> 00:26:53.860
 were judged

00:26:53.860 --> 00:26:54.400
 by what was

00:26:54.400 --> 00:26:54.920
 written in the

00:26:54.920 --> 00:26:55.580
 books according

00:26:55.580 --> 00:26:56.220
 to what they

00:26:56.220 --> 00:26:56.759
 had done.

00:26:57.340 --> 00:26:58.100
 If anyone's

00:26:58.100 --> 00:26:58.840
 name was not

00:26:58.840 --> 00:26:59.580
 found written

00:26:59.580 --> 00:27:00.200
 in the book

00:27:00.200 --> 00:27:00.580
 of life,

00:27:01.080 --> 00:27:01.700
 he was thrown

00:27:01.700 --> 00:27:02.400
 into the

00:27:02.400 --> 00:27:03.060
 lake of fire.

00:27:03.680 --> 00:27:04.420
 Revelation 20

00:27:04.420 --> 00:27:07.140
 anyone who

00:27:07.140 --> 00:27:07.840
 is not in

00:27:07.840 --> 00:27:08.240
 Christ,

00:27:08.640 --> 00:27:09.000
 who does

00:27:09.000 --> 00:27:09.580
 not believe

00:27:09.580 --> 00:27:10.120
 in Christ,

00:27:10.680 --> 00:27:12.080
 is an

00:27:12.080 --> 00:27:13.259
 enemy of

00:27:13.259 --> 00:27:14.380
 God and

00:27:14.380 --> 00:27:14.820
 will not

00:27:14.820 --> 00:27:15.340
 find their

00:27:15.340 --> 00:27:16.000
 name written

00:27:16.000 --> 00:27:16.820
 in the book

00:27:16.820 --> 00:27:17.940
 of life and

00:27:17.940 --> 00:27:18.500
 will be cast

00:27:18.500 --> 00:27:18.960
 into the

00:27:18.960 --> 00:27:19.980
 lake of fire.

00:27:21.200 --> 00:27:21.779
 This is the

00:27:21.779 --> 00:27:22.580
 eternal suffering

00:27:22.580 --> 00:27:23.240
 that God's

00:27:23.240 --> 00:27:23.759
 enemies will

00:27:23.759 --> 00:27:24.840
 experience because

00:27:24.840 --> 00:27:25.300
 they were

00:27:25.300 --> 00:27:26.220
 idolatrous against

00:27:26.220 --> 00:27:27.039
 God and

00:27:27.039 --> 00:27:28.019
 his people and

00:27:28.019 --> 00:27:28.500
 they did not

00:27:28.500 --> 00:27:29.740
 believe in

00:27:29.740 --> 00:27:31.160
 Christ according

00:27:31.160 --> 00:27:31.880
 to the books

00:27:31.880 --> 00:27:32.700
 that testified

00:27:32.700 --> 00:27:34.000
 of their

00:27:34.000 --> 00:27:34.360
 action.

00:27:34.420 --> 00:27:38.300
 On the

00:27:38.300 --> 00:27:38.800
 other hand,

00:27:38.980 --> 00:27:40.259
 Revelation 11

00:27:40.259 --> 00:27:41.240
 verse 18 also

00:27:41.240 --> 00:27:42.940
 speaks of the

00:27:42.940 --> 00:27:43.680
 time in which

00:27:43.680 --> 00:27:44.480
 the faithful are

00:27:44.480 --> 00:27:45.120
 reborned,

00:27:45.820 --> 00:27:46.279
 servants,

00:27:46.480 --> 00:27:46.720
 prophets,

00:27:46.900 --> 00:27:47.279
 and saints,

00:27:47.460 --> 00:27:48.200
 and those who

00:27:48.200 --> 00:27:48.820
 fear God's

00:27:48.820 --> 00:27:49.620
 name, both

00:27:49.620 --> 00:27:51.039
 small and

00:27:51.039 --> 00:27:51.360
 brave.

00:27:53.120 --> 00:27:54.080
 I believe that

00:27:54.080 --> 00:27:54.680
 all of these

00:27:54.680 --> 00:27:55.700
 categories, the

00:27:55.700 --> 00:27:56.660
 servants, prophets,

00:27:56.820 --> 00:27:57.360
 saints, and those

00:27:57.360 --> 00:27:58.019
 who fear God's

00:27:58.019 --> 00:27:58.700
 name, are

00:27:58.700 --> 00:27:59.519
 referring to the

00:27:59.519 --> 00:28:00.660
 entire church of

00:28:00.660 --> 00:28:01.960
 God, all

00:28:01.960 --> 00:28:02.360
 believers.

00:28:02.359 --> 00:28:02.500
 believers.

00:28:03.439 --> 00:28:04.939
 As Christians, we

00:28:04.939 --> 00:28:05.740
 are called to be

00:28:05.740 --> 00:28:06.839
 servants to God

00:28:06.839 --> 00:28:07.779
 and his will.

00:28:08.779 --> 00:28:09.500
 Just like the two

00:28:09.500 --> 00:28:10.299
 witnesses who are

00:28:10.299 --> 00:28:11.579
 killed, the whole

00:28:11.579 --> 00:28:12.659
 church is called to

00:28:12.659 --> 00:28:13.519
 bear prophetic

00:28:13.519 --> 00:28:14.959
 witness of the

00:28:14.959 --> 00:28:15.599
 gospel to the

00:28:15.599 --> 00:28:17.159
 world, even if the

00:28:17.159 --> 00:28:17.959
 world should kill

00:28:17.959 --> 00:28:19.099
 us for our

00:28:19.099 --> 00:28:19.500
 testimony.

00:28:20.619 --> 00:28:21.439
 And by God's

00:28:21.439 --> 00:28:22.279
 grace, we have

00:28:22.279 --> 00:28:23.299
 been counted as

00:28:23.299 --> 00:28:24.619
 saints or holy

00:28:24.619 --> 00:28:25.419
 ones through

00:28:25.419 --> 00:28:27.159
 Christ's death and

00:28:27.159 --> 00:28:27.619
 resurrection.

00:28:27.619 --> 00:28:27.719
 resurrection.

00:28:28.619 --> 00:28:29.219
 And as followers

00:28:29.219 --> 00:28:30.319
 of Christ, we

00:28:30.319 --> 00:28:32.119
 fear and worship

00:28:32.119 --> 00:28:33.479
 God's name and

00:28:33.479 --> 00:28:34.799
 his name only.

00:28:35.379 --> 00:28:36.000
 There is no

00:28:36.000 --> 00:28:36.579
 other name.

00:28:37.299 --> 00:28:37.699
 Jesus.

00:28:38.859 --> 00:28:39.659
 If we are

00:28:39.659 --> 00:28:40.500
 indeed a church

00:28:40.500 --> 00:28:41.279
 and community of

00:28:41.279 --> 00:28:42.519
 believers, of

00:28:42.519 --> 00:28:43.579
 servants, prophets,

00:28:43.819 --> 00:28:44.699
 saints, and those

00:28:44.699 --> 00:28:45.500
 who fear God's

00:28:45.500 --> 00:28:46.819
 name, we will be

00:28:46.819 --> 00:28:48.219
 rewarded with the

00:28:48.219 --> 00:28:49.099
 eternal rewards of

00:28:49.099 --> 00:28:50.199
 heaven and the

00:28:50.199 --> 00:28:51.019
 eternal fellowship

00:28:51.019 --> 00:28:52.299
 with the Lord God

00:28:52.299 --> 00:28:52.659
 Almighty.

00:28:52.660 --> 00:28:55.019
 And also, as we

00:28:55.019 --> 00:28:55.779
 see here in verse

00:28:55.779 --> 00:28:57.279
 18, surrounding the

00:28:57.279 --> 00:28:58.360
 promise of rewarding

00:28:58.360 --> 00:29:00.380
 the faithful, we'll

00:29:00.380 --> 00:29:01.440
 also receive and

00:29:01.440 --> 00:29:02.600
 witness great

00:29:02.600 --> 00:29:04.940
 vindication for the

00:29:04.940 --> 00:29:05.759
 tribulation and

00:29:05.759 --> 00:29:06.900
 persecution we

00:29:06.900 --> 00:29:08.040
 endured through our

00:29:08.040 --> 00:29:08.920
 witness of the

00:29:08.920 --> 00:29:09.240
 gospel.

00:29:10.440 --> 00:29:11.680
 In Revelation 6,

00:29:11.779 --> 00:29:12.320
 during the fifth

00:29:12.320 --> 00:29:13.620
 seal, the souls of

00:29:13.620 --> 00:29:14.340
 those who were

00:29:14.340 --> 00:29:15.040
 killed for their

00:29:15.040 --> 00:29:15.640
 witness of the

00:29:15.640 --> 00:29:16.759
 gospel cried out,

00:29:17.640 --> 00:29:18.800
 O sovereign Lord,

00:29:19.180 --> 00:29:20.100
 holy and true,

00:29:20.500 --> 00:29:22.400
 how long before you

00:29:22.400 --> 00:29:23.080
 will judge and

00:29:23.080 --> 00:29:24.300
 avenge our blood

00:29:24.300 --> 00:29:25.420
 on those who

00:29:25.420 --> 00:29:26.600
 dwell on the

00:29:26.600 --> 00:29:26.860
 earth.

00:29:27.860 --> 00:29:28.519
 And the Lord

00:29:28.519 --> 00:29:29.660
 responded by

00:29:29.660 --> 00:29:30.900
 clothing them in

00:29:30.900 --> 00:29:31.660
 white robes and

00:29:31.660 --> 00:29:33.740
 assuring them to

00:29:33.740 --> 00:29:34.500
 wait a little

00:29:34.500 --> 00:29:34.900
 longer.

00:29:36.200 --> 00:29:37.440
 God's final judgment

00:29:37.440 --> 00:29:38.980
 on the dead here is

00:29:38.980 --> 00:29:40.200
 the climactic answer

00:29:40.200 --> 00:29:41.240
 to these martyrs'

00:29:41.320 --> 00:29:41.600
 prayers.

00:29:42.200 --> 00:29:42.940
 We as Christians

00:29:42.940 --> 00:29:44.100
 won't simply be

00:29:44.100 --> 00:29:45.300
 taken away by God

00:29:45.300 --> 00:29:46.019
 from the evil

00:29:46.019 --> 00:29:46.500
 things of the

00:29:46.500 --> 00:29:47.820
 world, but we

00:29:47.820 --> 00:29:48.940
 will witness God

00:29:48.940 --> 00:29:50.440
 vanquishing evil

00:29:50.440 --> 00:29:51.700
 through his

00:29:51.700 --> 00:29:52.500
 judgment and

00:29:52.500 --> 00:29:53.600
 firmly establishing

00:29:53.600 --> 00:29:54.400
 his kingdom on

00:29:54.400 --> 00:29:55.740
 earth so that no

00:29:55.740 --> 00:29:57.700
 evil thing can or

00:29:57.700 --> 00:29:58.400
 may remain.

00:30:00.519 --> 00:30:01.480
 And this is my

00:30:01.480 --> 00:30:02.140
 favorite part over

00:30:02.140 --> 00:30:02.360
 here.

00:30:02.500 --> 00:30:03.500
 God will reward the

00:30:03.500 --> 00:30:04.319
 entire community of

00:30:04.319 --> 00:30:05.240
 God, those who

00:30:05.240 --> 00:30:06.240
 fear God's name,

00:30:06.819 --> 00:30:08.779
 both small and

00:30:08.779 --> 00:30:09.120
 great.

00:30:10.799 --> 00:30:11.640
 We have been

00:30:11.640 --> 00:30:12.319
 saved through

00:30:12.319 --> 00:30:13.080
 Jesus Christ,

00:30:13.240 --> 00:30:14.220
 who in obedience

00:30:14.220 --> 00:30:15.580
 to God, bore the

00:30:15.580 --> 00:30:16.360
 weight of our sins

00:30:16.360 --> 00:30:17.100
 on the cross,

00:30:17.940 --> 00:30:18.980
 died and was

00:30:18.980 --> 00:30:19.680
 resurrected from

00:30:19.680 --> 00:30:20.500
 the dead, freeing

00:30:20.500 --> 00:30:21.600
 us from our debt

00:30:21.600 --> 00:30:22.200
 to sin.

00:30:22.680 --> 00:30:23.720
 And whether king

00:30:23.720 --> 00:30:25.640
 or servant, anyone

00:30:25.640 --> 00:30:26.299
 who believes in

00:30:26.299 --> 00:30:27.680
 Jesus is in union

00:30:27.680 --> 00:30:29.340
 with him, and he

00:30:29.340 --> 00:30:30.519
 will receive every

00:30:30.519 --> 00:30:32.060
 spiritual blessing in

00:30:32.060 --> 00:30:33.320
 the heavenly places,

00:30:34.000 --> 00:30:35.180
 including the rewards

00:30:35.180 --> 00:30:36.360
 of eternity that

00:30:36.360 --> 00:30:37.560
 Jesus himself

00:30:37.560 --> 00:30:38.279
 merited.

00:30:39.720 --> 00:30:40.940
 The faithful will be

00:30:40.940 --> 00:30:42.460
 rewarded both small

00:30:42.460 --> 00:30:43.299
 and great.

00:30:43.299 --> 00:30:43.379
 faith.

00:30:45.559 --> 00:30:46.960
 We tend to be in

00:30:46.960 --> 00:30:48.259
 awe of the heroes

00:30:48.259 --> 00:30:49.519
 of the faith throughout

00:30:49.519 --> 00:30:50.480
 the history of the

00:30:50.480 --> 00:30:50.759
 church.

00:30:51.859 --> 00:30:52.359
 The twelve

00:30:52.359 --> 00:30:54.079
 apostles, Paul,

00:30:54.819 --> 00:30:55.399
 Martin Luther,

00:30:56.019 --> 00:30:56.680
 John Calvin,

00:30:57.639 --> 00:30:58.599
 Dietrich Bonhoeffer,

00:30:59.480 --> 00:30:59.960
 Billy Graham,

00:31:00.099 --> 00:31:01.619
 Tim Keller, and so

00:31:01.619 --> 00:31:01.899
 on.

00:31:02.399 --> 00:31:03.460
 And rightfully so,

00:31:04.180 --> 00:31:05.139
 all these people

00:31:05.139 --> 00:31:06.119
 deserve to be honored

00:31:06.119 --> 00:31:07.579
 to a degree because

00:31:07.579 --> 00:31:08.460
 they all played a

00:31:08.460 --> 00:31:10.079
 significant role in

00:31:10.079 --> 00:31:10.919
 faithfully bringing

00:31:10.919 --> 00:31:12.419
 the gospel to the

00:31:12.419 --> 00:31:12.680
 world.

00:31:14.200 --> 00:31:15.779
 But God rewards

00:31:15.779 --> 00:31:17.279
 even the least and

00:31:17.279 --> 00:31:18.519
 the smallest among us

00:31:18.519 --> 00:31:19.799
 for being faithful to

00:31:19.799 --> 00:31:20.059
 him.

00:31:22.059 --> 00:31:23.220
 Personally, I don't

00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:24.180
 think I've done

00:31:24.180 --> 00:31:25.659
 anything spectacular or

00:31:25.659 --> 00:31:26.480
 earth-shattering or

00:31:26.480 --> 00:31:27.379
 world-changing as a

00:31:27.379 --> 00:31:27.680
 Christian.

00:31:28.240 --> 00:31:28.980
 I'm part of the

00:31:28.980 --> 00:31:29.619
 small squad.

00:31:30.619 --> 00:31:31.819
 But even the

00:31:31.819 --> 00:31:33.460
 smallest of us will

00:31:33.460 --> 00:31:34.440
 be rewarded, and

00:31:34.440 --> 00:31:35.779
 not one of our

00:31:35.779 --> 00:31:37.220
 small acts of faith

00:31:37.220 --> 00:31:38.700
 will go unrewarded.

00:31:39.559 --> 00:31:40.519
 Jesus says in

00:31:40.519 --> 00:31:41.359
 Matthew 10,

00:31:41.460 --> 00:31:42.039
 verse 42,

00:31:42.039 --> 00:31:43.519
 and whoever gives

00:31:43.519 --> 00:31:44.359
 one of these little

00:31:44.359 --> 00:31:46.099
 ones even a cup of

00:31:46.099 --> 00:31:47.659
 cold water because he

00:31:47.659 --> 00:31:48.259
 is a disciple.

00:31:49.220 --> 00:31:50.480
 Truly, I say to you,

00:31:50.879 --> 00:31:52.319
 he will by no means

00:31:52.319 --> 00:31:53.899
 lose his reward.

00:31:54.960 --> 00:31:56.200
 Whether it's Apostle

00:31:56.200 --> 00:31:57.740
 Paul, whether it's

00:31:57.740 --> 00:31:59.399
 Tim Keller, whether it's

00:31:59.399 --> 00:32:02.240
 Sean, Ed, Kathy, me,

00:32:02.240 --> 00:32:04.779
 or you guys, if we

00:32:04.779 --> 00:32:06.319
 believe in Jesus and

00:32:06.319 --> 00:32:06.900
 his death and

00:32:06.900 --> 00:32:08.279
 resurrection, God

00:32:08.279 --> 00:32:09.120
 has sealed the

00:32:09.120 --> 00:32:10.000
 promise that we

00:32:10.000 --> 00:32:11.359
 will prevail and

00:32:11.359 --> 00:32:12.880
 receive his reward at

00:32:12.880 --> 00:32:13.880
 the very end of the

00:32:13.880 --> 00:32:14.220
 age.

00:32:14.759 --> 00:32:16.420
 So let's continue to

00:32:16.420 --> 00:32:17.980
 cling to Christ in the

00:32:17.980 --> 00:32:19.859
 face of persecution and

00:32:19.859 --> 00:32:21.400
 temptation until that

00:32:21.400 --> 00:32:22.599
 time comes.

00:32:22.599 --> 00:32:29.159
 to those of us who are

00:32:29.159 --> 00:32:30.659
 joining this morning who

00:32:30.659 --> 00:32:32.159
 do not believe in

00:32:32.159 --> 00:32:33.599
 Jesus Christ and the

00:32:33.599 --> 00:32:37.939
 gospel, we as a

00:32:37.939 --> 00:32:38.639
 church really do

00:32:38.639 --> 00:32:39.919
 believe in all these

00:32:39.919 --> 00:32:41.279
 things that are said in

00:32:41.279 --> 00:32:42.039
 the book of Revelation

00:32:42.039 --> 00:32:43.839
 and in the Bible.

00:32:44.799 --> 00:32:45.839
 We believe that there

00:32:45.839 --> 00:32:47.039
 will be a final day of

00:32:47.039 --> 00:32:48.119
 judgment, whether we're

00:32:48.119 --> 00:32:49.539
 dead or alive, in which

00:32:49.539 --> 00:32:50.980
 the Lord God Almighty will

00:32:50.980 --> 00:32:53.140
 judge us because he's an

00:32:53.140 --> 00:32:54.440
 infinitely holy and

00:32:54.440 --> 00:32:55.279
 righteous God.

00:32:56.279 --> 00:32:57.700
 There was a time when

00:32:57.700 --> 00:32:59.059
 all of humanity, us

00:32:59.059 --> 00:33:01.220
 included, were doomed to

00:33:01.220 --> 00:33:02.740
 eternal death because no

00:33:02.740 --> 00:33:04.620
 one is perfect and no one

00:33:04.620 --> 00:33:06.120
 has been fully righteous in

00:33:06.120 --> 00:33:07.360
 the eyes of the holy God.

00:33:08.019 --> 00:33:09.839
 But just as God is holy

00:33:09.839 --> 00:33:12.000
 and righteous, he's also

00:33:12.000 --> 00:33:13.519
 gracious and merciful.

00:33:14.819 --> 00:33:16.160
 For God so loved the

00:33:16.160 --> 00:33:18.099
 world that he gave his only

00:33:18.099 --> 00:33:20.279
 son Jesus to die for our

00:33:20.279 --> 00:33:21.700
 sins, to give those who

00:33:21.700 --> 00:33:23.160
 believe in him another

00:33:23.160 --> 00:33:24.740
 chance to be redeemed and

00:33:24.740 --> 00:33:26.180
 share an eternal life with

00:33:26.180 --> 00:33:26.399
 him.

00:33:27.539 --> 00:33:28.759
 Those who believe in Jesus

00:33:28.759 --> 00:33:29.980
 will gain the eternal

00:33:29.980 --> 00:33:30.940
 rewards of heaven.

00:33:31.680 --> 00:33:33.599
 But those who do not will

00:33:33.599 --> 00:33:35.359
 suffer the eternal death

00:33:35.359 --> 00:33:36.879
 and the lake of fire.

00:33:38.619 --> 00:33:40.200
 I don't say all this to

00:33:40.200 --> 00:33:42.119
 condemn, but to plead with

00:33:42.119 --> 00:33:43.859
 you, to consider the

00:33:43.859 --> 00:33:45.399
 eternal consequences beyond

00:33:45.399 --> 00:33:47.119
 our physical life in the

00:33:47.119 --> 00:33:49.500
 now, to turn to Christ and

00:33:49.500 --> 00:33:50.559
 to accept him as your

00:33:50.559 --> 00:33:51.279
 Lord and Savior.

00:33:52.879 --> 00:33:54.039
 After our Sunday services,

00:33:54.219 --> 00:33:55.500
 we usually have people up

00:33:55.500 --> 00:33:56.879
 front praying for those who

00:33:56.879 --> 00:33:57.359
 want prayer.

00:33:58.419 --> 00:33:59.619
 For those of you who feel

00:33:59.619 --> 00:34:01.000
 convicted or even curious,

00:34:01.359 --> 00:34:02.659
 please feel free to come up

00:34:02.659 --> 00:34:04.379
 to talk with us or talk with

00:34:04.379 --> 00:34:06.359
 any of our church members if

00:34:06.359 --> 00:34:07.659
 you'd like to hear more about

00:34:07.659 --> 00:34:09.960
 Jesus or hear more about how

00:34:09.960 --> 00:34:11.639
 you can be saved and be in

00:34:11.639 --> 00:34:13.699
 right relationship with our God

00:34:13.699 --> 00:34:16.119
 because he's so worth living

00:34:16.119 --> 00:34:16.419
 for.

00:34:18.839 --> 00:34:20.480
 This leads to my final point,

00:34:21.079 --> 00:34:22.000
 God with us.

00:34:22.599 --> 00:34:23.960
 Once the elders finished their

00:34:23.960 --> 00:34:26.859
 worship, verse 19, God's

00:34:26.859 --> 00:34:28.519
 temple in heaven was opened

00:34:28.519 --> 00:34:30.719
 and the ark of his covenant was

00:34:30.719 --> 00:34:32.019
 seen within his temple.

00:34:33.059 --> 00:34:34.379
 There were flashes of lightning,

00:34:34.939 --> 00:34:36.239
 rumblings, peals of thunder,

00:34:36.379 --> 00:34:38.199
 an earthquake, and heavy hail.

00:34:40.139 --> 00:34:41.460
 After the judgment of the

00:34:41.460 --> 00:34:42.679
 wicked and the rewarding of the

00:34:42.679 --> 00:34:44.460
 faithful, John sees in his

00:34:44.460 --> 00:34:46.480
 vision, God's temple in heaven

00:34:46.480 --> 00:34:49.460
 opened and the ark of his

00:34:49.460 --> 00:34:52.419
 covenant was seen inside of

00:34:52.419 --> 00:34:52.859
 the temple.

00:34:54.719 --> 00:34:56.119
 In the Old Testament of the

00:34:56.119 --> 00:34:57.519
 Bible, the ark of the covenant

00:34:57.519 --> 00:34:59.859
 was a core part of the

00:34:59.859 --> 00:35:01.500
 Israelites' identity and

00:35:01.500 --> 00:35:03.460
 relationship with their God,

00:35:03.779 --> 00:35:04.159
 Yahweh.

00:35:05.000 --> 00:35:07.039
 The ark was a golden chest

00:35:07.039 --> 00:35:09.159
 located in the innermost room

00:35:09.159 --> 00:35:10.639
 of the great Jerusalem temple,

00:35:10.639 --> 00:35:13.500
 the holy of holies, and it was

00:35:13.500 --> 00:35:15.759
 only accessible to the high

00:35:15.759 --> 00:35:17.179
 priest of Israel.

00:35:18.379 --> 00:35:20.099
 And even the high priest of

00:35:20.099 --> 00:35:21.920
 Israel himself could only enter

00:35:21.920 --> 00:35:24.420
 the holy of holies once a year

00:35:24.420 --> 00:35:26.719
 to offer sacrifice in front of the

00:35:26.719 --> 00:35:29.299
 ark on behalf of the atonement

00:35:29.299 --> 00:35:31.799
 and forgiveness of Israel's sins.

00:35:33.019 --> 00:35:35.440
 In Exodus chapter 25, when God

00:35:35.440 --> 00:35:37.559
 instructs Moses to construct the

00:35:37.559 --> 00:35:39.759
 ark of the covenant, he says that he

00:35:39.760 --> 00:35:41.740
 will meet with Moses on the mercy

00:35:41.740 --> 00:35:44.280
 seat of the ark between the two

00:35:44.280 --> 00:35:46.460
 terebin constructed on the top.

00:35:47.260 --> 00:35:49.240
 This is where God promises his

00:35:49.240 --> 00:35:51.240
 presence will be, where he will

00:35:51.240 --> 00:35:53.920
 grant mercy over his people.

00:35:55.040 --> 00:35:57.160
 The ark, therefore, is a

00:35:57.160 --> 00:35:59.880
 representation of God's presence

00:35:59.880 --> 00:36:00.600
 with his people.

00:36:02.260 --> 00:36:03.660
 In the Old Testament, God's people

00:36:03.660 --> 00:36:06.540
 could only view a representation of

00:36:06.539 --> 00:36:09.079
 God, because as God explains later in

00:36:09.079 --> 00:36:11.880
 Exodus 33, you cannot see my face,

00:36:12.500 --> 00:36:15.619
 for man shall not see me and live.

00:36:17.360 --> 00:36:21.139
 God is an infinitely holy God, that

00:36:21.139 --> 00:36:23.400
 any sinful human in his direct

00:36:23.400 --> 00:36:26.480
 presence cannot be able to stand even

00:36:26.480 --> 00:36:28.599
 a second in front of him without being

00:36:28.599 --> 00:36:31.480
 wiped out by his holiness.

00:36:31.480 --> 00:36:36.460
 But here in Revelation, the ark of

00:36:36.460 --> 00:36:38.840
 God's covenant, and therefore God's

00:36:38.840 --> 00:36:42.000
 actual presence, is on full display.

00:36:42.960 --> 00:36:45.420
 The temple is opened, and the holy of

00:36:45.420 --> 00:36:48.139
 holies, and the ark, which no one could

00:36:48.139 --> 00:36:50.820
 enter into and stand before, is visible

00:36:50.820 --> 00:36:52.420
 for all to see.

00:36:53.780 --> 00:36:55.900
 Church, this is so significant, because

00:36:55.900 --> 00:36:59.260
 it symbolizes God's merciful and gracious

00:36:59.260 --> 00:37:01.580
 presence among his people.

00:37:02.100 --> 00:37:03.900
 The community of believers at the

00:37:03.900 --> 00:37:06.120
 Eschaton, its presence will be enjoyed

00:37:06.120 --> 00:37:08.940
 fully by all the believers for a time

00:37:08.940 --> 00:37:11.700
 infinitely greater than what was

00:37:11.700 --> 00:37:13.100
 possible in the Old Testament.

00:37:14.460 --> 00:37:16.540
 It's no longer that the priest will go

00:37:16.540 --> 00:37:18.700
 and stand before God once a year on

00:37:18.700 --> 00:37:20.160
 behalf of the entire congregation.

00:37:20.700 --> 00:37:23.620
 God has come down from heaven, from his

00:37:23.620 --> 00:37:26.300
 temple and the ark, to live among his

00:37:26.300 --> 00:37:29.120
 entire people as their God.

00:37:29.260 --> 00:37:32.060
 Once the temple is opened, the

00:37:32.060 --> 00:37:33.940
 preceding flashes of lightning, the

00:37:33.940 --> 00:37:35.620
 rumblings, the peals of thunder, the

00:37:35.620 --> 00:37:37.500
 earthquake, and the heavy hail further

00:37:37.500 --> 00:37:39.800
 highlight God's presence on earth.

00:37:40.980 --> 00:37:42.520
 Throughout the Old Testament, these

00:37:42.520 --> 00:37:45.820
 cosmic phenomena were seen as theophanies,

00:37:46.300 --> 00:37:48.520
 symbols of God's presence.

00:37:49.420 --> 00:37:52.840
 In Exodus 19, God's presence at

00:37:52.840 --> 00:37:55.620
 Mount Sinai was signaled by thunder and

00:37:55.620 --> 00:37:56.380
 lightning flashing.

00:37:56.380 --> 00:38:00.000
 In Psalm 18 and Isaiah 30, God is said to

00:38:00.000 --> 00:38:03.660
 bring his judgment with a great storm and

00:38:03.660 --> 00:38:05.420
 hailstones raining down.

00:38:06.960 --> 00:38:09.920
 In Revelation, these cosmic signs consistently

00:38:09.920 --> 00:38:13.079
 appear at the end of the seven seal judgments,

00:38:13.840 --> 00:38:16.300
 the seven trumpet judgments, and the seven

00:38:16.300 --> 00:38:20.920
 bowl judgments, each signifying the very end of the age.

00:38:20.920 --> 00:38:24.300
 While these signs themselves are part of the final judgments,

00:38:24.820 --> 00:38:28.019
 they also signify the presence of God.

00:38:29.099 --> 00:38:32.559
 God is here, and his kingdom is here on earth,

00:38:33.139 --> 00:38:37.300
 no longer hidden within the temple or the ark of the

00:38:37.300 --> 00:38:37.539
 covenant.

00:38:37.539 --> 00:38:44.820
 In fact, in John's vision of New Jerusalem, the new city in

00:38:44.820 --> 00:38:48.860
 Revelation 21, there is no longer a great temple present in the

00:38:48.860 --> 00:38:49.079
 city.

00:38:50.179 --> 00:38:54.559
 New Jerusalem no longer has a temple, for its temple is the

00:38:54.559 --> 00:38:57.420
 Lord God, the Almighty, and the Lamb.

00:38:58.500 --> 00:39:01.820
 The temple is not needed anymore at the Eschaton, the end of the

00:39:01.820 --> 00:39:08.559
 age, because God has come down himself, and he himself is present with his

00:39:08.559 --> 00:39:08.940
 people.

00:39:10.100 --> 00:39:12.380
 God is with us.

00:39:12.380 --> 00:39:42.360
 God is with us.

00:39:42.380 --> 00:39:43.720
 God is with us.

00:39:43.720 --> 00:39:46.039
 God is with us.

00:39:46.119 --> 00:39:48.099
 Good point.

00:39:49.059 --> 00:39:55.820
 All these seemingly artificial and incomplete interactions while being masked

00:39:55.820 --> 00:40:00.680
 with friends and family, it was incredibly difficult and frustrating for me.

00:40:01.800 --> 00:40:06.400
 But I also remember when COVID started to be more under control, when masks

00:40:06.400 --> 00:40:09.860
 regulations were lifting and social gatherings were starting to be allowed

00:40:09.860 --> 00:40:10.260
 again.

00:40:11.080 --> 00:40:14.820
 This was right when I started to attend Trinity Cambridge Church.

00:40:15.440 --> 00:40:19.440
 To be able to take off the masks, to be able to see individual faces,

00:40:19.780 --> 00:40:25.600
 to be able to see unique smiles, and share in direct fellowship with one another in person,

00:40:26.600 --> 00:40:33.120
 even with a new church community for me, was so freeing, was so liberating, and was so joy-giving.

00:40:33.119 --> 00:40:40.679
 Church, the difficulties of seeing each other's face in the age of COVID lasted for a few years.

00:40:42.059 --> 00:40:48.599
 How much greater, how much more joy-giving, and how much more glorious will it be then

00:40:48.599 --> 00:40:56.719
 for us to finally see God face-to-face and dwell with Him forever at the end of the age?

00:40:58.839 --> 00:41:01.460
 1 John 3, verse 2 says this,

00:41:01.460 --> 00:41:05.039
 Beloved, we are God's children.

00:41:05.220 --> 00:41:09.860
 We are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared.

00:41:10.760 --> 00:41:18.900
 But we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is.

00:41:21.119 --> 00:41:27.019
 All our lives, we can't see God's face, and yet we pray to Him.

00:41:27.360 --> 00:41:29.179
 We sing songs of worship to Him.

00:41:29.179 --> 00:41:34.279
 We talk to Him, and we tell Him how much we love Him and trust Him.

00:41:34.539 --> 00:41:40.019
 And we share so many powerful testimonies of God at work in the Bible and in our own lives.

00:41:41.039 --> 00:41:44.859
 Many of us spend so much time, if not the majority of our lives,

00:41:45.119 --> 00:41:48.500
 committing ourselves to someone who we cannot see.

00:41:48.500 --> 00:41:56.719
 How amazing, then, is the glorious reward of meeting with God and finally taking the mask off

00:41:56.719 --> 00:42:03.079
 and seeing God face-to-face and being glorified with Him forever and ever.

00:42:03.079 --> 00:42:09.380
 That's an ending to a story far better than any Avengers movie,

00:42:10.000 --> 00:42:16.000
 far better than any fairy tale, far better than anything this life has to offer for us.

00:42:16.880 --> 00:42:20.079
 Seeing God's face and dwelling with Him forever

00:42:20.079 --> 00:42:26.480
 is the happily ever after worth living and dying for.

00:42:26.480 --> 00:42:36.360
 Church, the seventh trumpet as the third woe is the climax of God's salvation plan for us.

00:42:37.400 --> 00:42:44.019
 Once God's kingdom comes to earth, both great judgment and great vindication will be carried out.

00:42:44.380 --> 00:42:47.840
 As enemies of God are destroyed, evil is undone,

00:42:48.159 --> 00:42:51.400
 and those who are faithful to God are eternally rewarded.

00:42:51.400 --> 00:42:56.460
 And finally, the temple of heaven will be opened.

00:42:57.360 --> 00:43:00.039
 The ark of His covenant will be revealed,

00:43:00.420 --> 00:43:03.519
 and God will reveal His full presence to His people,

00:43:03.760 --> 00:43:07.340
 and He will dwell with them forever and ever.

00:43:09.720 --> 00:43:12.400
 We're not quite at that final day yet.

00:43:13.579 --> 00:43:16.420
 But as God's people, we're called to live,

00:43:16.639 --> 00:43:18.220
 we're called to prepare for His return,

00:43:18.219 --> 00:43:23.399
 and we're called to worship Him with thanksgiving and reality of this future.

00:43:24.659 --> 00:43:28.559
 So let's continue to live for the name of Jesus,

00:43:29.219 --> 00:43:31.699
 proclaiming the good news of the gospel,

00:43:32.480 --> 00:43:36.439
 and clinging to Christ in the midst of trials and tribulation,

00:43:37.899 --> 00:43:41.019
 knowing that when that final day comes,

00:43:42.199 --> 00:43:44.699
 God's kingdom will be established on earth.

00:43:44.699 --> 00:43:48.759
 His victory will be immediate and eternal,

00:43:49.399 --> 00:43:51.159
 and we will see Him face to face

00:43:51.159 --> 00:43:54.219
 and reign with Him in resurrection power

00:43:54.219 --> 00:43:56.099
 for all eternity.

00:43:57.379 --> 00:43:58.179
 Let's pray.

00:43:58.179 --> 00:44:12.059
 Heavenly Father,

00:44:13.059 --> 00:44:15.480
 we worship You,

00:44:16.099 --> 00:44:17.399
 Lord God Almighty,

00:44:18.079 --> 00:44:20.099
 who was and is

00:44:20.099 --> 00:44:21.980
 and is to come

00:44:21.980 --> 00:44:24.019
 with Your kingdom on earth.

00:44:24.019 --> 00:44:27.820
 Lord,

00:44:27.940 --> 00:44:28.619
 we confess

00:44:28.619 --> 00:44:31.719
 that many of the visions that we see in Revelation

00:44:31.719 --> 00:44:35.099
 are terrifying and glorious at the same time.

00:44:37.000 --> 00:44:38.480
 Some of the judgments past

00:44:38.480 --> 00:44:40.039
 are beyond our imagination

00:44:40.039 --> 00:44:43.539
 and leave us

00:44:43.539 --> 00:44:44.480
 speechless

00:44:44.480 --> 00:44:46.780
 and awestruck at our power.

00:44:46.780 --> 00:44:49.940
 Lord,

00:44:50.040 --> 00:44:51.620
 amidst all these fearful visions,

00:44:51.840 --> 00:44:54.240
 amidst all these powerful judgments

00:44:54.240 --> 00:44:55.500
 that You pass over the earth,

00:44:56.300 --> 00:44:58.860
 we ask that You

00:44:58.860 --> 00:45:01.300
 give us hope,

00:45:02.740 --> 00:45:07.019
 that You fill our hearts with thanksgiving,

00:45:07.740 --> 00:45:09.940
 and we're able to come before You

00:45:09.940 --> 00:45:11.540
 and bow down in worship,

00:45:11.539 --> 00:45:14.019
 realizing

00:45:14.019 --> 00:45:15.900
 the great reward

00:45:15.900 --> 00:45:16.880
 and the eternal reward

00:45:16.880 --> 00:45:17.960
 that we have in You

00:45:17.960 --> 00:45:19.219
 on that final day.

00:45:21.519 --> 00:45:22.380
 Lord Jesus,

00:45:22.800 --> 00:45:24.320
 we wait Your coming in glory.

00:45:26.119 --> 00:45:26.639
 Lord,

00:45:26.880 --> 00:45:28.519
 we ask for You to

00:45:28.519 --> 00:45:30.019
 fill us with hope,

00:45:30.800 --> 00:45:32.559
 to help us to persevere,

00:45:32.940 --> 00:45:34.019
 to give us the Spirit,

00:45:34.139 --> 00:45:35.000
 the Holy Spirit,

00:45:35.460 --> 00:45:37.059
 that continues to sanctify us,

00:45:37.259 --> 00:45:38.420
 that continues to guide us,

00:45:38.599 --> 00:45:40.179
 that continues to illuminate Scripture

00:45:40.179 --> 00:45:41.440
 right in front of us.

00:45:41.539 --> 00:45:43.019
 that we're able to live

00:45:43.019 --> 00:45:44.800
 in this physical realm,

00:45:45.599 --> 00:45:47.139
 faithfully stewarding the Gospel

00:45:47.139 --> 00:45:48.179
 unto death.

00:45:51.139 --> 00:45:53.179
 Won't You continue to be with us, Lord?

00:45:53.599 --> 00:45:54.559
 Speak to us

00:45:54.559 --> 00:45:56.639
 and remind us

00:45:56.639 --> 00:45:58.300
 of Your great love for us

00:45:58.300 --> 00:45:59.639
 in the coming of Your Kingdom.

00:46:01.239 --> 00:46:02.259
 We thank You, Lord.

00:46:02.500 --> 00:46:03.019
 We love You.

00:46:03.619 --> 00:46:05.000
 And we pray all of us in Jesus' name.

00:46:05.500 --> 00:46:05.779
 Amen.