WEBVTT

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 It's so great to be with you guys for Christmas Eve.

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 A lot of people are traveling in our church

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 because we have a very young church.

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 I think maybe 10 years or so,

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 more people will be traveling back here

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 because you guys will have maybe families and roots here.

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 But for now, a lot of people travel for Christmas.

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 Today is the last day of Advent,

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 and tomorrow is Christmas, as you know.

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 And Advent means arrival or coming.

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 It's a season in the church's calendar

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 where we remember the first coming of Jesus

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 to redeem his people

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 and also anticipate the second coming of Jesus

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 to consummate the kingdom of God

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 and bring his final judgment.

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 So it's appropriate that we're in Revelation 7 this morning.

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 We've been in the book of Revelation for the last couple months,

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 and this passage looks back at the redemption of Christ

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 that accomplishes the first coming,

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 but also looks ahead to the final judgment

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 and the vindication of God's people.

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 So if you have your Bibles,

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 please turn with me to Revelation 7.

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 If you don't have a Bible, please raise your hand.

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 We'd love to give you a copy that you could have

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 and you could use while you're here.

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 We pray for the reading and preaching of God's word.

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 Father, it's a privilege once again to stand in your presence,

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 to be able to worship you

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 as members of a local church together,

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 but also as members of the numberless strong

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 throughout the ages and all over the world

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 who belong to you and worship you.

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 Impress upon us this morning that great privilege

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 and remind us again of the great love that you showed us

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 in sending Jesus to die as the sacrificial lamb

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 so that we might be washed clean by his blood.

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 build us up as your people,

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 as your body, as your church,

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 we ask in Jesus' name.

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 Amen.

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

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 from Revelation 7.

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 After this, I saw four angels

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 standing at the four corners of the earth,

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 holding back the four winds of the earth

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 that no wind might blow on earth or sea or against any tree.

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 Then I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun

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 with the seal of the living God.

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 And he called with a loud voice to the four angels

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 who had been given power to harm earth and sea,

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 saying,

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 Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees

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 until we have sealed the servants of our God

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 on their foreheads.

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 And I heard the number of the sealed,

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 144,000 sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel.

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 12,000 from the tribe of Judah were sealed.

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 12,000 from the tribe of Reuben.

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 12,000 from the tribe of Gad.

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 12,000 from the tribe of Asher.

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 12,000 from the tribe of Naphtali.

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 12,000 from the tribe of Manasseh.

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 12,000 from the tribe of Simeon.

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 12,000 from the tribe of Levi.

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 12,000 from the tribe of Issachar.

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 12,000 from the tribe of Zebulun.

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 12,000 from the tribe of Joseph.

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 12,000 from the tribe of Benjamin were sealed.

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 After this I looked and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb.

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 Clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice,

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 Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne and to the Lamb.

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 And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures,

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 and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshipped God, saying, Amen.

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 Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever. Amen.

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 Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, Who are these?

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 These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation.

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 They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

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 Therefore they are before the throne of God and serve Him day and night in His temple,

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 and He who sits on the throne will shelter them with His presence.

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 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more.

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 The sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat,

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 for the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd.

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 And He will guide them to springs of living water,

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 and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.

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 This is God's holy and authoritative word.

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 You may be seated.

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 Last week, Revelation 6 ended with John's prophetic vision of God's end time judgment,

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 and that which began,

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 inhabitants of the earth, both the great and the small, the kings and the rulers,

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 all of them hiding from the Lord and His judgment,

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 because the great day of the wrath has come, of His wrath has come.

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 And they asked this haunting question at the end of that chapter.

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 Who can stand?

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 In the face of the wrath of God, who can stand?

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 When the holy, holy, holy God brings His judgment to bear upon a sinful world,

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 who can stand?

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 And that's a question that reverberates throughout the Old Testament.

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 Psalm 130, verse 3 asks,

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 If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities.

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 O Lord, who could stand?

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 Nahum chapter 1, verse 6 says,

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 Who can stand before His indignation?

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 Who can endure the heat of His anger?

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 Sometimes people think that the second coming of Jesus will be similar to the Santa Claus coming to town.

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 He's making a list and checking it twice.

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 Gotta find out who's naughty and nice.

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 The nice ones will get prizes, and the naughty ones will get none.

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 The difference is that while it's possible to be nice enough to meet Santa's fictional standards,

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 it is not possible to meet God's real, perfect standards.

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 No creature, it says in Hebrews 4.13, is hidden from God's sight.

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 But all are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

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 How would you like being utterly naked and exposed before the all-seeing eyes of God?

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 It's a terrifying prospect.

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 The things that you browse on the internet with the incognito window.

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 The things that you mutter under your breath when no one is listening.

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 The things that you do in secret when no one else is watching.

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 Even the hidden thoughts of your mind.

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 They're all out in the open to the all-seeing eyes of God.

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 That's why the psalmist despairs in Psalm 130, verse 3.

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 If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who can stand?

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 No one can stand.

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 But thankfully, it's followed by verse 4, which says,

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 But with you there is forgiveness that you may be feared.

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 If God should mark our iniquities, none of us could stand in the presence of God.

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 But it's because there is forgiveness in God through Jesus Christ that we can have hope.

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 That's the main point of this chapter in Revelation 7.

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 It answers that question posed at the end of Revelation 6.

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 Who can stand?

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 And it answers that by saying that we can stand before the throne of God and before the Lamb

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 because we have been sealed by God and because we have washed our robes in the blood of the Lamb.

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 This passage describes the people of God in glorious terms.

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 First, it tells us that we are sealed in verses 1 to 8

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 and that we are standing before God's presence in verses 9 to 14.

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 And finally, that we are sheltered and shepherded by God himself in verses 15 to 17.

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 We'll look at those things in turn.

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 First, the people of God are those who are sealed.

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 John begins in verse 1.

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 After this, I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth,

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 holding back the four winds of the earth,

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 that no wind might blow on earth or sea or against any tree.

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 So when you see words like after this in Revelation,

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 you shouldn't think time and like chronological sequence.

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 Rather, you should just think of it as different scenes and different visions

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 like you would see in a movie or in a book that you're reading,

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 which can jump from different time and place to give you different angles or perspectives on what's happening.

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 And so this is not chronologically after what happened in chapter 6.

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 There's a repetition of the number 4,

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 and the numbers are very significant in this book because they have symbolic import.

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 And the number 4 consistently represents universality.

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 And so four corners then are referenced to the entire earth.

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 It encompasses the north, the south, and the east, and the west.

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 All four directions of the compass.

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 And then the four angels then standing at the four corners of the earth

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 are those who have rule and superintendence over the earth.

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 And they are holding back the four winds of the earth so that they don't blow against and harm the earth

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 or the sea or the trees until the servants of God are sealed on their foreheads.

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 Later in Revelation chapter 8, we'll see the first two trumpets blown of judgments,

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 God's judgments, and they will affect precisely those things,

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 the earth, the trees, and the seas.

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 And so this angel is saying you need to hold back until the people of God have been sealed.

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 And that means the sealing here takes place before the judgments of God.

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 And that means this sealing also takes place before the judgments we read about in chapter 6

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 because these judgments are cyclical and not sequential.

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 The four angels who have control over the four winds of the earth

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 likely parallel the four horsemen of divine judgment we saw in chapter 6.

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 The four horsemen in Revelation 6 represent conquest, war, famine, and death.

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 And they're patterned after the four horsemen of the apocalypse we see in Zechariah 6, 1 to 8.

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 And interestingly enough, in that original context in Zechariah 6,

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 the four horsemen are described as going out to the four winds of heaven.

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 So four horsemen and four winds mentioned here in this chapter,

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 so they're parallel.

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 So likely the four angels here are parallel to the four horsemen we saw in chapter 6.

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 But before that, those judgments are unleashed.

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 The servants of God are sealed on their foreheads with the seal of the living God.

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 What is this seal?

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 A seal serves two primary purposes.

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 One is identity, and two is security.

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 It serves to identify something as one's own, to indicate possession and ownership.

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 When a king takes a document and then impresses his seal upon it,

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 it becomes a royal decree that carries his authority wherever it goes.

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 It belongs to him.

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 When we put our own signatures on a check or a contract,

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 we're taking ownership of that and saying,

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 that belongs to me.

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 I stand by this.

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 A seal also serves to secure something, to close it off,

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 like when we seal an envelope so that its contents do not fall out,

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 or when the bank seals off a vault to keep it safe from robbers.

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 So the seal of the living God in this passage serves both of these functions.

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 The idea of the seal on the forehead comes from Ezekiel 9,

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 where God commands an angel to put a mark on the foreheads of people

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 who have not participated in the idolatry of the Israelites.

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 And so they are sealed as God's own,

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 and they are protected when the angel of judgment passes through

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 and strikes down the idolatrous people.

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 This is in Ezekiel 9.

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 And Ezekiel 9 passage, in turn, is alluding back to Exodus 12,

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 during the Passover, when God's people are marked or sealed on their doorposts

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 with the blood of the lamb,

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 and the angel of death, again, passes over them,

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 and instead goes and strikes down the idolatrous Egyptians.

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 We're given more details about this seal later on in chapter 14, verse 1,

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 and chapter 22, verse 4,

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 where we're told that the 144,000 had the lamb's name

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 and his father's name written on their foreheads.

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 So God is putting his name upon his people,

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 indicating ownership and possession,

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 as it was a common practice back in the day in the ancient world

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 for slaves to be marked on their foreheads

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 to indicate to whom they belong.

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 And so this is confirmed by the fact that these people,

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 the 144,000 are called the servants of God in verse 3.

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 So there's, as God's servants,

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 they're being marked out on their foreheads as belonging to him

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 with the name of God and the name of the lamb.

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 They're the ones who have been purchased or redeemed by God.

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 This is later imitated by Satan and his beast.

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 In Revelation 13, 17,

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 the beast also puts his own mark on his followers,

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 the idolaters.

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 And that mark is called the name of the beast

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 or the number of its name.

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 And so it's a counterfeit seal that the devil uses.

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 So everyone who belongs to Jesus,

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 the lamb of God,

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 has his name on his forehead,

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 and everyone else has the name of the beast on their forehead.

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 There is no middle ground.

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 There's no one in Revelation

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 that has no seal of any kind on their foreheads.

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 As Jesus said in Matthew 12, 30,

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 whoever is not with me is against me,

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 and whoever does not gather with me scatters.

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 If you abstain from making a decision,

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 if you withhold judgment,

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 that means you are not following Jesus Christ

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 as your Lord and Savior.

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 And that is a decision you have made

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 and a choice that you have made.

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 And there is no neutral ground in this cosmic battle

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 between the lamb and the dragon.

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 Whose side are you on?

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 If you have repented of your sins

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 and trust in Jesus for salvation,

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 if you have pledged your allegiance to Jesus,

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 then you have been sealed

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 with the name of God on your forehead.

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 It's not a literal mark.

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 As you can see,

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 I don't have a mark on my forehead.

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 Neither do you.

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 And Christians don't have physical marks.

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 Rather, this is a spiritual seal.

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 And other parts of scripture confirm that.

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 Ephesians 1, 13 to 14 says this,

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 when we heard the word of truth,

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 the gospel of our salvation,

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 and believed in Jesus,

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 we were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,

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 who is the guarantee of our inheritance

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 until God redeems his possession.

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 The Holy Spirit is the seal of God upon our souls

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 that bears witness to our spirit

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 that we are children of God,

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 that we belong to him.

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 I like to tell the story when I speak of this.

00:17:18.060 --> 00:17:19.299
 In Toy Story 3,

00:17:20.000 --> 00:17:23.860
 when 17-year-old Andy is about to leave for college,

00:17:24.560 --> 00:17:27.620
 he puts his toys in a trash bag

00:17:27.620 --> 00:17:28.860
 in hopes that he will,

00:17:29.259 --> 00:17:31.299
 he's planning to bring it up to the attic

00:17:31.299 --> 00:17:33.480
 so that he can keep it in storage

00:17:33.480 --> 00:17:36.720
 and get back to it until it finds a better home

00:17:36.720 --> 00:17:37.980
 or whatnot.

00:17:38.400 --> 00:17:39.980
 But because it's in a trash bag,

00:17:40.079 --> 00:17:41.740
 his mom thinks that it's trash

00:17:41.740 --> 00:17:43.019
 that he forgot to take out,

00:17:43.180 --> 00:17:44.140
 and so she grabs it

00:17:44.140 --> 00:17:46.000
 and then throws it out

00:17:46.000 --> 00:17:49.180
 and puts it in a garbage pickup truck.

00:17:49.839 --> 00:17:53.279
 And the toys are dejected

00:17:53.279 --> 00:17:55.880
 because they think that Andy threw them out.

00:17:56.259 --> 00:17:56.579
 They're like,

00:17:56.720 --> 00:17:57.940
 Andy doesn't want us anymore.

00:17:59.019 --> 00:17:59.900
 He's too old.

00:17:59.900 --> 00:18:02.140
 And so they escape,

00:18:02.480 --> 00:18:02.680
 seeking,

00:18:02.920 --> 00:18:04.000
 trying to find a new home

00:18:04.000 --> 00:18:05.820
 where they can be loved by other children.

00:18:06.580 --> 00:18:08.720
 And they don't know

00:18:08.720 --> 00:18:10.980
 that they weren't meant to be thrown out,

00:18:11.080 --> 00:18:13.500
 and only toy that knows this is Woody,

00:18:13.880 --> 00:18:15.759
 who was left out of the trash bag,

00:18:15.840 --> 00:18:17.200
 and Woody saw everything that happened.

00:18:17.340 --> 00:18:19.920
 And so Woody tracks these toys down,

00:18:20.540 --> 00:18:22.680
 and these toys are despondent.

00:18:22.740 --> 00:18:23.860
 They don't want to go back to Andy.

00:18:23.940 --> 00:18:24.220
 They're like,

00:18:24.280 --> 00:18:25.220
 Andy doesn't want us.

00:18:25.500 --> 00:18:26.700
 And at that point,

00:18:26.820 --> 00:18:27.580
 Woody tells them,

00:18:27.800 --> 00:18:29.440
 hey, look under your bus.

00:18:29.900 --> 00:18:34.480
 Look, Jesse, you too.

00:18:35.440 --> 00:18:37.680
 Whose name is written there?

00:18:39.700 --> 00:18:42.400
 He's trying to remind the other toys.

00:18:43.220 --> 00:18:45.360
 You're not a castaway toy.

00:18:46.259 --> 00:18:48.480
 You're not a piece of trash.

00:18:49.100 --> 00:18:50.280
 You have an owner

00:18:50.280 --> 00:18:52.440
 who cherishes you and loves you

00:18:52.440 --> 00:18:54.560
 and owns you and wants you.

00:18:55.519 --> 00:18:56.960
 We have to go back to him.

00:18:56.960 --> 00:19:01.360
 That's what the Holy Spirit does for us.

00:19:02.600 --> 00:19:05.039
 When we believe in the goodness of Jesus Christ,

00:19:05.180 --> 00:19:07.500
 God seals us with his spirit,

00:19:07.700 --> 00:19:10.539
 and his spirit declares to our spirit,

00:19:11.079 --> 00:19:16.319
 mine, my child, my son, and my daughter.

00:19:17.120 --> 00:19:19.380
 Fear not, for I have redeemed you.

00:19:19.380 --> 00:19:21.500
 I have called you by name,

00:19:21.640 --> 00:19:23.400
 and you are mine.

00:19:23.860 --> 00:19:25.920
 Fear not, for I am with you,

00:19:26.080 --> 00:19:28.540
 everyone who is called by my name.

00:19:29.880 --> 00:19:33.040
 And that seal of God is unbreakable.

00:19:33.500 --> 00:19:34.820
 It's unerasable.

00:19:35.020 --> 00:19:36.780
 It's uncancellable.

00:19:38.520 --> 00:19:40.960
 That's why the Holy Spirit is called our guarantee.

00:19:40.960 --> 00:19:46.140
 That's in the passage I cited earlier,

00:19:47.299 --> 00:19:48.019
 Ephesians 1.

00:19:48.600 --> 00:19:51.140
 That word guarantee literally means down payment.

00:19:51.720 --> 00:19:54.120
 It refers to a deposit that you make,

00:19:54.180 --> 00:19:55.299
 a down payment that you pay

00:19:55.299 --> 00:19:58.279
 to get legal claim over something,

00:19:58.640 --> 00:20:00.940
 and to guarantee that the rest of the payment is coming.

00:20:01.340 --> 00:20:03.759
 So the fact that we have the Holy Spirit now

00:20:03.759 --> 00:20:06.299
 guarantees that the rest of our heavenly inheritance

00:20:06.299 --> 00:20:07.400
 is surely coming.

00:20:07.400 --> 00:20:07.500
 Amen.

00:20:10.960 --> 00:20:14.640
 In this way, the Holy Spirit not only identifies us

00:20:14.640 --> 00:20:15.519
 as God's own,

00:20:16.120 --> 00:20:21.160
 he also secures us with himself as a divine seal.

00:20:22.180 --> 00:20:25.700
 But in the same way that the seal is not a physical seal,

00:20:25.779 --> 00:20:26.880
 but a spiritual seal,

00:20:27.720 --> 00:20:31.079
 the protection, the security that the seal brings

00:20:31.079 --> 00:20:33.799
 is not a physical one, but a spiritual one.

00:20:34.620 --> 00:20:37.440
 We know this because in Revelation 6,

00:20:37.440 --> 00:20:40.920
 we saw that many Christians are ordained to be killed

00:20:40.920 --> 00:20:45.779
 on earth by the enemies of God to die as martyrs.

00:20:46.160 --> 00:20:49.300
 We know this because later in Revelation 13, 7,

00:20:50.960 --> 00:20:54.900
 Satan's beast is allowed to make war on the saints

00:20:54.900 --> 00:20:56.519
 and to conquer them.

00:20:57.460 --> 00:21:01.580
 That means Christians die while we bear witness to Jesus.

00:21:02.080 --> 00:21:04.320
 That means Christians get killed because we say,

00:21:04.320 --> 00:21:06.800
 no, I will not take on the mark of the beast

00:21:06.799 --> 00:21:10.000
 because I am sealed with the mark of the living God.

00:21:12.000 --> 00:21:14.759
 So we are not given physical protection,

00:21:15.039 --> 00:21:20.159
 but he does promise here invincible spiritual protection.

00:21:21.299 --> 00:21:24.379
 That God will, by his power, protect and preserve us

00:21:24.379 --> 00:21:26.180
 in saving faith until the end.

00:21:26.859 --> 00:21:28.200
 This is a very important doctrine

00:21:28.200 --> 00:21:30.159
 that I think many of us need to be reminded of.

00:21:30.700 --> 00:21:32.720
 The scripture does teach, on the one hand,

00:21:32.759 --> 00:21:34.559
 the perseverance of the saints,

00:21:34.559 --> 00:21:36.579
 which is an important and biblical doctrine

00:21:36.579 --> 00:21:38.940
 that emphasizes the need for God's people

00:21:38.940 --> 00:21:42.059
 to persevere and endure in faith and obedience

00:21:42.059 --> 00:21:42.700
 till the end.

00:21:43.319 --> 00:21:45.440
 All those of us who truly belong to God

00:21:45.440 --> 00:21:47.079
 will persevere till the end,

00:21:47.339 --> 00:21:50.740
 but it requires hard work and requires effort.

00:21:52.319 --> 00:21:53.940
 And we're reminded over and over again

00:21:53.940 --> 00:21:55.279
 throughout Revelation 2 and 3

00:21:55.279 --> 00:21:58.339
 that we have to conquer by faithfully following Jesus

00:21:58.339 --> 00:22:00.619
 and living in patient endurance

00:22:00.619 --> 00:22:02.500
 and through suffering and tribulations,

00:22:02.500 --> 00:22:05.019
 and then we must hold fast to Christ's name

00:22:05.019 --> 00:22:07.019
 and not deny him his faith.

00:22:07.140 --> 00:22:09.380
 And we have to be faithful even unto death.

00:22:09.519 --> 00:22:12.539
 Yes, we have to persevere on the one hand.

00:22:13.680 --> 00:22:14.799
 But on the other hand,

00:22:15.500 --> 00:22:18.680
 scripture also teaches us of the preservation of the saints,

00:22:19.180 --> 00:22:24.359
 which emphasizes that God will preserve his own people

00:22:24.359 --> 00:22:27.099
 with his power until the end.

00:22:27.099 --> 00:22:30.939
 In Romans 8, 29 to 30,

00:22:31.059 --> 00:22:33.639
 we see a glorious chain of salvation.

00:22:34.419 --> 00:22:35.919
 Those whom God foreknew,

00:22:36.099 --> 00:22:39.379
 he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son.

00:22:39.719 --> 00:22:41.019
 You know that he might be the firstborn,

00:22:41.119 --> 00:22:42.839
 he might be firstborn among the many brothers.

00:22:43.259 --> 00:22:44.839
 And those whom he predestined,

00:22:45.059 --> 00:22:46.099
 he also called,

00:22:46.219 --> 00:22:47.279
 and those whom he called,

00:22:47.579 --> 00:22:48.459
 he also justified,

00:22:48.699 --> 00:22:49.819
 and those whom he justified,

00:22:50.019 --> 00:22:51.339
 he also glorified.

00:22:51.339 --> 00:22:55.559
 From electing for knowledge to predestination,

00:22:55.839 --> 00:22:57.859
 from predestination to effectual calling,

00:22:58.220 --> 00:22:59.619
 from calling to justification,

00:22:59.759 --> 00:23:01.599
 and justification to glorification,

00:23:01.919 --> 00:23:04.379
 there is no broken link

00:23:04.379 --> 00:23:06.740
 in that glorious chain of God's salvation.

00:23:09.240 --> 00:23:11.179
 Salvation belongs to the Lord

00:23:11.179 --> 00:23:12.500
 from the beginning to the end.

00:23:14.319 --> 00:23:16.899
 Jesus says of all those whom he saves

00:23:16.899 --> 00:23:18.639
 in John 6, 37 to 39,

00:23:18.640 --> 00:23:21.180
 all that the Father gives me

00:23:21.180 --> 00:23:22.500
 will come to me,

00:23:22.860 --> 00:23:24.160
 and whoever comes to me

00:23:24.160 --> 00:23:25.740
 I will never cast out.

00:23:26.660 --> 00:23:28.000
 For I have come down from heaven

00:23:28.000 --> 00:23:29.640
 not to do my own will,

00:23:29.700 --> 00:23:30.980
 but the will of him who sent me,

00:23:31.020 --> 00:23:32.800
 and this is the will of him who sent me,

00:23:33.020 --> 00:23:34.720
 that I should lose nothing,

00:23:35.259 --> 00:23:38.220
 no one of all that he has given me,

00:23:39.800 --> 00:23:41.300
 but raise them up on the last day.

00:23:42.540 --> 00:23:45.840
 Note the unbroken sequence of events once again.

00:23:45.839 --> 00:23:48.639
 God the Father gives to the Son,

00:23:49.179 --> 00:23:52.199
 and all that God the Father gives to the Son

00:23:52.199 --> 00:23:54.619
 come to the Son without fail,

00:23:54.939 --> 00:23:58.319
 and all those who come to the Son without fail

00:23:58.319 --> 00:24:00.939
 will be preserved without fail

00:24:00.939 --> 00:24:02.179
 till the resurrection,

00:24:02.839 --> 00:24:04.439
 because Jesus loses none,

00:24:05.199 --> 00:24:08.000
 nothing of those who have been given to him.

00:24:08.000 --> 00:24:12.720
 That's why he says in John 10, 28,

00:24:12.920 --> 00:24:14.880
 I give them eternal life,

00:24:15.140 --> 00:24:16.660
 and they will never perish,

00:24:17.059 --> 00:24:22.539
 and no one will snatch them out of my hand.

00:24:24.539 --> 00:24:25.440
 Who dares,

00:24:25.960 --> 00:24:28.579
 who dares to try to pry open

00:24:28.579 --> 00:24:31.000
 the mighty hand

00:24:31.000 --> 00:24:33.619
 of the conquering line of Judah,

00:24:33.619 --> 00:24:38.739
 in which the saints of God securely rest?

00:24:41.079 --> 00:24:43.059
 The New Testament epistles

00:24:43.059 --> 00:24:45.379
 are filled with assurances like this,

00:24:45.419 --> 00:24:47.539
 that God will sustain us till the end.

00:24:47.579 --> 00:24:48.919
 He will keep us till the end.

00:24:48.939 --> 00:24:51.359
 He will guard us through faith until the end.

00:24:51.479 --> 00:24:53.419
 He will keep us from the tribulation

00:24:53.419 --> 00:24:54.719
 that we face in this world.

00:24:54.720 --> 00:25:02.259
 I'm going to have to digress for a little bit,

00:25:02.440 --> 00:25:03.860
 and this part might be a little bit

00:25:03.860 --> 00:25:05.960
 harder to follow,

00:25:06.039 --> 00:25:07.480
 so I ask you to focus with me,

00:25:07.920 --> 00:25:09.559
 because it's just in the text,

00:25:09.620 --> 00:25:10.519
 I have to explain it,

00:25:10.579 --> 00:25:11.940
 because I've been taking for granted

00:25:11.940 --> 00:25:12.720
 up to this point

00:25:12.720 --> 00:25:15.680
 that the 144,000 represent all of God's people,

00:25:16.000 --> 00:25:17.380
 but that's a debated point,

00:25:17.480 --> 00:25:18.980
 so I'm going to prove that to you

00:25:18.980 --> 00:25:20.400
 over the next few minutes.

00:25:21.559 --> 00:25:22.180
 So for example,

00:25:22.319 --> 00:25:24.140
 Jehovah's Witnesses say

00:25:24.140 --> 00:25:27.000
 that there's a literal 144,000

00:25:27.000 --> 00:25:31.100
 of special anointed class of believers

00:25:31.100 --> 00:25:33.140
 who will reign with Christ

00:25:33.140 --> 00:25:34.220
 in his heavenly kingdom,

00:25:34.360 --> 00:25:35.759
 while the rest of the believers

00:25:35.759 --> 00:25:37.020
 will just get to be a part

00:25:37.020 --> 00:25:38.720
 of the restored paradise on earth.

00:25:40.380 --> 00:25:41.140
 Mormons contend

00:25:41.680 --> 00:25:44.140
 that the 144,000 sealed believers

00:25:44.140 --> 00:25:46.300
 refer only to the Mormon high priests,

00:25:47.140 --> 00:25:49.560
 and not to all believers,

00:25:49.820 --> 00:25:52.120
 but all of these misrepresent the truth,

00:25:52.240 --> 00:25:53.759
 and these are one of the many reasons

00:25:53.759 --> 00:25:55.980
 why they're not considered

00:25:55.980 --> 00:25:58.200
 to be in the mainstream of Christianity,

00:25:58.359 --> 00:26:00.619
 that are considered cults or outliers.

00:26:01.299 --> 00:26:04.240
 It's because all of these misrepresent the truth.

00:26:04.359 --> 00:26:07.079
 The 144,000 are not some special class

00:26:07.079 --> 00:26:07.940
 of elite Christians.

00:26:09.000 --> 00:26:09.759
 How do we know this?

00:26:09.859 --> 00:26:11.220
 They're called servants of God,

00:26:11.619 --> 00:26:12.299
 in verse three.

00:26:13.000 --> 00:26:14.740
 That expression occurs many times

00:26:14.740 --> 00:26:15.839
 throughout the book of Revelation,

00:26:15.839 --> 00:26:18.259
 and it never exclusively refers

00:26:18.259 --> 00:26:19.879
 to an elite group of Christians.

00:26:20.539 --> 00:26:22.619
 Rather, it says in Revelation 11, 18,

00:26:22.720 --> 00:26:23.599
 and 19, 5,

00:26:23.699 --> 00:26:25.439
 it defines the servants of God

00:26:25.439 --> 00:26:28.500
 as all those who fear God's name,

00:26:28.879 --> 00:26:30.859
 both small and great.

00:26:31.839 --> 00:26:33.899
 So it's not an elite group of people.

00:26:34.099 --> 00:26:35.879
 It includes the small and great.

00:26:37.199 --> 00:26:39.459
 And some Christians also argue

00:26:39.459 --> 00:26:42.000
 that 144,000 represent either a literal

00:26:42.000 --> 00:26:45.119
 or figurative number of ethnic Jews

00:26:45.119 --> 00:26:47.960
 who are a physical descendants of Jacob.

00:26:48.599 --> 00:26:50.920
 They think this because it says in verse four

00:26:50.920 --> 00:26:53.180
 that the 144,000 are sealed

00:26:53.180 --> 00:26:55.519
 from every tribe of the sons of Israel,

00:26:55.720 --> 00:26:57.660
 which is a reasonable inference.

00:26:58.480 --> 00:27:00.220
 But I still don't think it's a reference

00:27:00.220 --> 00:27:02.859
 to ethnic Jews or to the nation of Israel

00:27:02.859 --> 00:27:03.880
 for several reasons.

00:27:04.859 --> 00:27:07.400
 Reason number one is that already twice

00:27:07.400 --> 00:27:08.180
 in this book,

00:27:08.339 --> 00:27:09.359
 in chapter two, verse nine,

00:27:09.359 --> 00:27:10.419
 in chapter three, verse seven,

00:27:10.919 --> 00:27:12.439
 Jesus has denounced those

00:27:12.439 --> 00:27:14.179
 who say that they are Jews,

00:27:14.240 --> 00:27:15.039
 but are not,

00:27:15.159 --> 00:27:16.539
 but are a synagogue of Satan.

00:27:17.559 --> 00:27:19.339
 So we have been told in Revelation

00:27:19.339 --> 00:27:20.759
 that it's not Jews

00:27:20.759 --> 00:27:22.259
 who are ethnically Jews

00:27:22.259 --> 00:27:23.179
 who are true Jews,

00:27:23.419 --> 00:27:25.000
 but those who have faith in Jesus

00:27:25.000 --> 00:27:26.019
 who are the true Jews.

00:27:26.099 --> 00:27:29.319
 As Paul says in Romans 2, 27, 28,

00:27:29.439 --> 00:27:30.699
 no one is a Jew

00:27:30.699 --> 00:27:32.259
 who is merely one outwardly,

00:27:32.579 --> 00:27:34.619
 nor is circumcision outward and physical,

00:27:35.039 --> 00:27:36.779
 but a Jew is one inwardly,

00:27:36.839 --> 00:27:38.699
 and circumcision is a matter of the heart

00:27:38.700 --> 00:27:41.460
 by the spirit and not by the letter.

00:27:41.539 --> 00:27:42.980
 That's why throughout the New Testament,

00:27:43.220 --> 00:27:45.420
 James 1, 1, Galatians 6, 16,

00:27:45.980 --> 00:27:47.880
 the Christians, all Christians,

00:27:48.140 --> 00:27:48.900
 Jews and Gentiles,

00:27:49.000 --> 00:27:51.200
 are called the new Israel of God.

00:27:52.720 --> 00:27:53.660
 Reason number two

00:27:53.660 --> 00:27:54.960
 is that the tribal list here

00:27:54.960 --> 00:27:56.019
 in verses five to eight

00:27:56.019 --> 00:27:57.620
 is not a typical list

00:27:57.620 --> 00:27:58.420
 that you expect

00:27:58.420 --> 00:27:59.799
 of the 12 tribes of Israel.

00:28:01.100 --> 00:28:02.660
 One odd thing is that

00:28:02.660 --> 00:28:04.259
 the tribe of Judah is listed first,

00:28:04.720 --> 00:28:05.640
 and usually if you look

00:28:05.640 --> 00:28:06.819
 at the genealogical lists

00:28:06.819 --> 00:28:07.679
 of the sons of Israel,

00:28:07.819 --> 00:28:09.279
 Judah is not listed first

00:28:09.279 --> 00:28:10.299
 for the simple reason

00:28:10.299 --> 00:28:12.139
 that Judah was not the firstborn.

00:28:13.000 --> 00:28:15.200
 But here, Judah is placed at the head

00:28:15.200 --> 00:28:17.099
 because from Judah came,

00:28:17.200 --> 00:28:18.019
 the tribe of Judah came,

00:28:18.099 --> 00:28:19.299
 the lion of Judah,

00:28:19.539 --> 00:28:20.740
 lion from the tribe of Judah,

00:28:20.819 --> 00:28:21.539
 the conquering lion,

00:28:21.639 --> 00:28:22.339
 Jesus Christ,

00:28:22.700 --> 00:28:23.980
 who is the messianic king.

00:28:25.439 --> 00:28:26.259
 And moreover,

00:28:26.299 --> 00:28:27.259
 if it's meant to represent

00:28:27.259 --> 00:28:28.139
 ethnic Israel,

00:28:28.139 --> 00:28:29.819
 it's curious that it omits

00:28:29.819 --> 00:28:32.039
 tribes of Dan and Ephraim,

00:28:32.359 --> 00:28:34.119
 which is usually not the case

00:28:34.119 --> 00:28:34.819
 in these lists.

00:28:35.299 --> 00:28:36.559
 Usually in the lists

00:28:36.559 --> 00:28:37.279
 of the tribes,

00:28:37.419 --> 00:28:38.039
 12 tribes,

00:28:38.219 --> 00:28:39.139
 Levi and Joseph

00:28:39.139 --> 00:28:40.099
 are the two tribes

00:28:40.099 --> 00:28:40.799
 that are omitted.

00:28:41.399 --> 00:28:42.179
 Levi is omitted

00:28:42.179 --> 00:28:43.579
 because that's the priestly tribe,

00:28:43.719 --> 00:28:44.899
 and they don't get an inheritance

00:28:44.899 --> 00:28:46.139
 along with the other tribes

00:28:46.139 --> 00:28:46.599
 of Israel

00:28:46.599 --> 00:28:47.739
 because their inheritance

00:28:47.739 --> 00:28:48.639
 is God himself.

00:28:49.239 --> 00:28:50.339
 And Joseph is omitted

00:28:50.339 --> 00:28:52.199
 because at the end of his life,

00:28:52.379 --> 00:28:56.179
 Jacob adopted Joseph's two sons,

00:28:56.339 --> 00:28:58.719
 Manasseh and Ephraim,

00:28:58.859 --> 00:29:00.119
 as his own sons

00:29:00.119 --> 00:29:02.279
 in Genesis 48, verse five.

00:29:02.279 --> 00:29:03.980
 And so Joseph gets taken out

00:29:03.980 --> 00:29:05.139
 and those Joseph's two sons

00:29:05.139 --> 00:29:06.079
 get added is usually

00:29:06.079 --> 00:29:07.279
 how the list is comprised.

00:29:08.099 --> 00:29:09.720
 But this list instead

00:29:09.720 --> 00:29:12.019
 includes Manasseh

00:29:12.019 --> 00:29:13.379
 and includes Joseph

00:29:13.379 --> 00:29:14.819
 and includes Levi,

00:29:15.119 --> 00:29:17.279
 but it omits Dan and Ephraim.

00:29:18.259 --> 00:29:19.019
 And that's once again

00:29:19.019 --> 00:29:20.119
 for spiritual reasons.

00:29:20.819 --> 00:29:23.579
 In Judges 18 and 1 Kings 12,

00:29:24.819 --> 00:29:26.639
 we see that the tribe of Dan

00:29:26.639 --> 00:29:28.599
 becomes the center of idol worship

00:29:28.599 --> 00:29:29.879
 among the Israelites.

00:29:29.880 --> 00:29:32.640
 And then in Hosea 4.17

00:29:32.640 --> 00:29:34.040
 and Hosea 5.9,

00:29:34.140 --> 00:29:35.300
 God says that Ephraim

00:29:35.300 --> 00:29:36.880
 is joined to idols

00:29:36.880 --> 00:29:38.380
 and that for that reason,

00:29:38.480 --> 00:29:39.360
 Ephraim shall become

00:29:39.360 --> 00:29:40.640
 a desolation in the day

00:29:40.640 --> 00:29:41.340
 of punishment.

00:29:42.780 --> 00:29:43.560
 And so in light

00:29:43.560 --> 00:29:44.660
 of the recurring polemic

00:29:44.660 --> 00:29:45.660
 against idolatry

00:29:45.660 --> 00:29:46.500
 throughout Revelation,

00:29:46.720 --> 00:29:48.620
 this list is not making

00:29:48.620 --> 00:29:50.340
 a physical point,

00:29:50.800 --> 00:29:52.060
 a genealogical point.

00:29:52.260 --> 00:29:54.140
 It's making a spiritual

00:29:54.140 --> 00:29:55.640
 and theological point

00:29:55.640 --> 00:29:57.460
 that this is the purified group

00:29:57.460 --> 00:29:59.519
 of all of God's people,

00:29:59.680 --> 00:30:00.380
 the new Israel,

00:30:00.480 --> 00:30:01.600
 the true worshipers of God.

00:30:03.299 --> 00:30:04.579
 And the final reason

00:30:04.579 --> 00:30:05.620
 why I think this is referring

00:30:05.620 --> 00:30:06.620
 to all of God's people

00:30:06.620 --> 00:30:07.539
 is that we see

00:30:07.539 --> 00:30:09.319
 a surprising juxtaposition

00:30:09.319 --> 00:30:10.720
 between the depiction

00:30:10.720 --> 00:30:12.039
 of Jesus as a lion

00:30:12.039 --> 00:30:13.019
 of the tribe of Judah

00:30:13.019 --> 00:30:15.480
 and the slain lamb of God

00:30:15.480 --> 00:30:16.860
 we saw in chapter 5,

00:30:16.940 --> 00:30:17.960
 5 to 6, right?

00:30:18.000 --> 00:30:18.299
 It said,

00:30:18.940 --> 00:30:21.340
 John heard that there's a lion

00:30:21.340 --> 00:30:22.180
 of the tribe of Judah

00:30:22.180 --> 00:30:22.880
 who has conquered,

00:30:23.420 --> 00:30:24.500
 but then when he turned

00:30:24.500 --> 00:30:25.819
 to look and behold

00:30:25.819 --> 00:30:27.500
 this lion that he has heard about,

00:30:27.779 --> 00:30:29.900
 he saw the slain lamb of God.

00:30:30.339 --> 00:30:32.240
 So John uses this pattern

00:30:32.240 --> 00:30:34.359
 where what John hears

00:30:34.359 --> 00:30:35.599
 is then interpreted

00:30:35.599 --> 00:30:36.940
 and its understanding

00:30:36.940 --> 00:30:37.640
 of what he heard

00:30:37.640 --> 00:30:39.299
 is deepened by the vision

00:30:39.299 --> 00:30:40.539
 that he sees subsequently.

00:30:41.200 --> 00:30:42.279
 And so that surprising

00:30:42.279 --> 00:30:43.420
 juxtaposition is here

00:30:43.420 --> 00:30:45.640
 replicated almost exactly

00:30:45.640 --> 00:30:47.599
 because John heard

00:30:47.599 --> 00:30:48.940
 in verse 4 to 5

00:30:48.940 --> 00:30:50.660
 the number of the seal,

00:30:50.759 --> 00:30:52.880
 144,000 seal from every tribe

00:30:52.880 --> 00:30:53.560
 of the sons of Israel

00:30:53.560 --> 00:30:54.500
 starting with the 12,000

00:30:54.500 --> 00:30:55.720
 from the tribe of Judah

00:30:55.720 --> 00:30:57.120
 like the lion of Judah

00:30:57.120 --> 00:30:58.220
 that he heard.

00:30:58.880 --> 00:31:00.200
 But then he looks

00:31:00.200 --> 00:31:01.800
 and beholds in a vision

00:31:01.800 --> 00:31:03.860
 that the 144,000,

00:31:03.980 --> 00:31:05.820
 this is actually a great multitude

00:31:05.820 --> 00:31:07.080
 that no one could number

00:31:07.080 --> 00:31:08.780
 from every nation

00:31:08.780 --> 00:31:10.100
 and from all tribes

00:31:10.100 --> 00:31:11.300
 and peoples and languages

00:31:11.300 --> 00:31:12.780
 standing before the throne

00:31:12.780 --> 00:31:13.780
 and before the lamb.

00:31:14.500 --> 00:31:15.680
 So what he hears

00:31:15.680 --> 00:31:17.380
 is the 12 tribes of Israel.

00:31:17.620 --> 00:31:18.540
 What he sees

00:31:18.540 --> 00:31:20.860
 is the innumerable throng

00:31:20.859 --> 00:31:21.919
 from all nations

00:31:21.919 --> 00:31:22.500
 and tribes

00:31:22.500 --> 00:31:23.479
 and peoples and tongues.

00:31:24.579 --> 00:31:25.119
 And so again,

00:31:25.219 --> 00:31:26.559
 it's what he hears

00:31:26.559 --> 00:31:27.559
 is interpreted

00:31:27.559 --> 00:31:29.079
 by what he sees.

00:31:29.919 --> 00:31:31.779
 So then the 144,000

00:31:31.779 --> 00:31:33.019
 sealed from every tribe

00:31:33.019 --> 00:31:33.859
 of the sons of Israel

00:31:33.859 --> 00:31:35.399
 is a symbolic representation

00:31:35.399 --> 00:31:36.819
 of all of God's people

00:31:36.819 --> 00:31:38.139
 from all nations,

00:31:38.559 --> 00:31:39.479
 Jews and Gentiles

00:31:39.479 --> 00:31:40.819
 throughout all human history.

00:31:41.779 --> 00:31:43.039
 The number itself

00:31:43.039 --> 00:31:43.619
 is symbolic.

00:31:44.259 --> 00:31:44.979
 The number 12

00:31:44.979 --> 00:31:46.659
 often represents in the Bible

00:31:46.659 --> 00:31:47.859
 the people of God

00:31:47.859 --> 00:31:49.359
 because of the 12 tribes

00:31:49.359 --> 00:31:49.799
 of Israel

00:31:49.799 --> 00:31:51.439
 and the 12 apostles

00:31:51.439 --> 00:31:52.219
 of Christ

00:31:52.219 --> 00:31:53.259
 who are the foundation

00:31:53.259 --> 00:31:53.879
 of the church.

00:31:54.599 --> 00:31:55.439
 Number 1,000

00:31:55.439 --> 00:31:56.639
 is a figurative number

00:31:56.639 --> 00:31:58.240
 that represents a multitude.

00:31:58.919 --> 00:32:00.199
 So when you multiply 12

00:32:00.199 --> 00:32:01.259
 by 1,000

00:32:01.259 --> 00:32:02.299
 you get 12,000

00:32:02.299 --> 00:32:03.519
 and that's the number

00:32:03.519 --> 00:32:06.459
 of each of the sealed people

00:32:06.459 --> 00:32:07.279
 from each tribe.

00:32:08.059 --> 00:32:09.039
 And when you add that up

00:32:09.039 --> 00:32:10.299
 you get 144,000.

00:32:11.039 --> 00:32:11.439
 Likewise,

00:32:11.679 --> 00:32:12.539
 in Revelation 21

00:32:12.539 --> 00:32:13.799
 we see the New Jerusalem

00:32:13.799 --> 00:32:15.039
 which is a reference

00:32:15.039 --> 00:32:15.659
 to the church,

00:32:15.799 --> 00:32:16.679
 the bride of the Lamb.

00:32:16.680 --> 00:32:18.120
 and that New Jerusalem

00:32:18.120 --> 00:32:19.299
 has 12 gates

00:32:19.299 --> 00:32:20.220
 which have the names

00:32:20.220 --> 00:32:22.039
 of the 12 tribes of Israel

00:32:22.039 --> 00:32:22.860
 inscribed on them

00:32:22.860 --> 00:32:24.920
 and then its foundation

00:32:24.920 --> 00:32:26.019
 has the names

00:32:26.019 --> 00:32:26.779
 of the 12 apostles

00:32:26.779 --> 00:32:27.860
 of Jesus Christ

00:32:27.860 --> 00:32:29.320
 inscribed on them.

00:32:29.759 --> 00:32:30.240
 And so then

00:32:30.240 --> 00:32:32.440
 you multiply 12 times 12

00:32:32.440 --> 00:32:33.680
 and get 144.

00:32:34.680 --> 00:32:36.460
 You guys all know this.

00:32:36.740 --> 00:32:37.920
 And you get 1,000.

00:32:38.120 --> 00:32:39.019
 Multiply it by 1,000

00:32:39.019 --> 00:32:39.799
 you get this number.

00:32:40.640 --> 00:32:41.400
 So while the number

00:32:41.400 --> 00:32:42.180
 is symbolic,

00:32:42.660 --> 00:32:43.759
 the specific number

00:32:43.759 --> 00:32:44.720
 still shows us

00:32:44.720 --> 00:32:46.019
 that all of God's

00:32:46.019 --> 00:32:46.720
 sealed people

00:32:46.720 --> 00:32:47.660
 are numbered.

00:32:49.160 --> 00:32:51.079
 As we saw

00:32:51.079 --> 00:32:51.980
 in Revelation 6,

00:32:52.819 --> 00:32:54.099
 God has a specific

00:32:54.099 --> 00:32:55.519
 number of people

00:32:55.519 --> 00:32:57.279
 who will bear witness

00:32:57.279 --> 00:32:58.180
 to the name of Jesus

00:32:58.180 --> 00:32:59.200
 and will be martyred.

00:32:59.879 --> 00:33:01.039
 And until that number

00:33:01.039 --> 00:33:01.960
 is completed

00:33:01.960 --> 00:33:02.799
 and filled,

00:33:03.839 --> 00:33:05.500
 the full final judgment

00:33:05.500 --> 00:33:06.119
 and vindication

00:33:06.119 --> 00:33:06.740
 of God's people

00:33:06.740 --> 00:33:07.440
 will not come.

00:33:08.019 --> 00:33:09.339
 And so God has a number

00:33:09.339 --> 00:33:11.019
 and this should encourage us

00:33:11.019 --> 00:33:12.960
 not only that we are

00:33:12.960 --> 00:33:13.799
 numbered among them

00:33:13.799 --> 00:33:15.559
 but also to go and find

00:33:15.559 --> 00:33:17.539
 the rest of the number

00:33:17.539 --> 00:33:19.099
 among all the nations

00:33:19.099 --> 00:33:20.259
 because there's some people

00:33:20.259 --> 00:33:21.299
 from every tribe

00:33:21.299 --> 00:33:22.379
 and every nation

00:33:22.379 --> 00:33:23.279
 that will come

00:33:23.279 --> 00:33:24.720
 to know Jesus Christ

00:33:24.720 --> 00:33:25.639
 as their Lord and Savior.

00:33:26.519 --> 00:33:27.160
 It's kind of like,

00:33:27.420 --> 00:33:28.460
 I know it's Christmas,

00:33:28.639 --> 00:33:29.259
 not Easter,

00:33:29.420 --> 00:33:30.920
 but imagine an Easter egg hunt

00:33:30.920 --> 00:33:36.559
 and I usually hide the eggs,

00:33:36.700 --> 00:33:37.660
 let's say for my kids

00:33:37.660 --> 00:33:38.980
 and the kids come back,

00:33:39.059 --> 00:33:40.339
 hey, are there any eggs left?

00:33:41.019 --> 00:33:42.019
 And if I know exactly

00:33:42.019 --> 00:33:43.180
 how many eggs I hid,

00:33:43.259 --> 00:33:43.980
 then I can tell them,

00:33:44.160 --> 00:33:44.920
 yeah, keep looking

00:33:44.920 --> 00:33:46.980
 because there's still eggs left.

00:33:47.480 --> 00:33:48.539
 If they don't know,

00:33:48.779 --> 00:33:49.559
 then they'll stop,

00:33:49.660 --> 00:33:50.319
 they'll get discouraged,

00:33:50.460 --> 00:33:52.019
 oh, maybe there's nothing left, right?

00:33:52.579 --> 00:33:53.299
 In the same way,

00:33:53.359 --> 00:33:54.319
 when God tells us

00:33:54.319 --> 00:33:55.420
 that there's a number,

00:33:55.639 --> 00:33:57.319
 144,000,

00:33:57.839 --> 00:33:59.200
 a numberless multitude

00:33:59.200 --> 00:34:00.660
 among all tribes

00:34:00.660 --> 00:34:01.519
 and peoples and nations

00:34:01.519 --> 00:34:02.079
 and tongues

00:34:02.079 --> 00:34:04.000
 who are to come to know Jesus

00:34:04.000 --> 00:34:04.759
 and be saved,

00:34:05.119 --> 00:34:06.900
 that should propel us to go,

00:34:07.379 --> 00:34:08.960
 say, because we have faith

00:34:08.960 --> 00:34:09.579
 and confidence

00:34:09.579 --> 00:34:10.480
 that by God's will,

00:34:10.539 --> 00:34:11.679
 they will come to know Jesus.

00:34:13.599 --> 00:34:14.819
 So the saints of God

00:34:14.819 --> 00:34:15.819
 are sealed,

00:34:16.319 --> 00:34:17.000
 but we also see

00:34:17.000 --> 00:34:17.960
 in verses 9 to 14

00:34:17.960 --> 00:34:19.000
 that they are standing

00:34:19.000 --> 00:34:20.679
 and that's significant

00:34:20.679 --> 00:34:21.819
 because of what I mentioned

00:34:21.819 --> 00:34:22.380
 at the beginning

00:34:22.380 --> 00:34:23.699
 of the message,

00:34:24.679 --> 00:34:25.480
 the chapter 6

00:34:25.480 --> 00:34:27.119
 ended with that despairing question,

00:34:27.579 --> 00:34:29.000
 who can stand?

00:34:30.099 --> 00:34:31.019
 And here's the answer,

00:34:31.139 --> 00:34:31.579
 verse 9,

00:34:31.579 --> 00:34:32.559
 After this I looked

00:34:32.559 --> 00:34:33.019
 and behold,

00:34:33.119 --> 00:34:33.960
 a great multitude

00:34:33.960 --> 00:34:35.199
 that no one could number

00:34:35.199 --> 00:34:36.219
 from every nation,

00:34:36.440 --> 00:34:37.500
 from all tribes

00:34:37.500 --> 00:34:38.019
 and peoples

00:34:38.019 --> 00:34:38.699
 and languages,

00:34:39.199 --> 00:34:41.000
 standing before the throne

00:34:41.000 --> 00:34:42.000
 and before the Lamb,

00:34:42.480 --> 00:34:43.920
 clothed in white robes

00:34:43.920 --> 00:34:44.779
 with palm branches

00:34:44.779 --> 00:34:46.079
 in their hands.

00:34:48.420 --> 00:34:50.539
 Once the last of those

00:34:50.539 --> 00:34:51.920
 who have been sealed

00:34:51.920 --> 00:34:52.539
 come through

00:34:52.539 --> 00:34:53.480
 the great tribulation,

00:34:54.139 --> 00:34:54.619
 they will be

00:34:54.619 --> 00:34:56.079
 this innumerable multitude,

00:34:56.960 --> 00:34:58.000
 which is a fulfillment

00:34:58.000 --> 00:34:58.840
 of the promise

00:34:58.840 --> 00:34:59.559
 that God had given

00:34:59.559 --> 00:35:00.559
 to Abraham

00:35:00.559 --> 00:35:03.340
 to multiply his offspring

00:35:03.340 --> 00:35:04.539
 and through his offspring

00:35:04.539 --> 00:35:05.420
 all nations

00:35:05.420 --> 00:35:06.280
 will be blessed

00:35:06.280 --> 00:35:07.420
 and that's happened

00:35:07.420 --> 00:35:08.380
 through Jesus,

00:35:09.600 --> 00:35:12.460
 the promised messianic

00:35:12.460 --> 00:35:13.440
 offspring from Abraham.

00:35:14.460 --> 00:35:15.440
 This great multitude

00:35:15.440 --> 00:35:16.320
 from every nation

00:35:16.320 --> 00:35:17.800
 is standing before the throne

00:35:17.800 --> 00:35:18.740
 and before the Lamb

00:35:18.740 --> 00:35:20.019
 and that parallels

00:35:20.019 --> 00:35:20.519
 the description

00:35:20.519 --> 00:35:22.120
 of the slain Lamb of God

00:35:22.120 --> 00:35:22.820
 who was described

00:35:22.820 --> 00:35:23.539
 as standing

00:35:23.539 --> 00:35:24.579
 in chapter 5,

00:35:24.680 --> 00:35:25.360
 verse 6.

00:35:26.220 --> 00:35:27.039
 So in the same way

00:35:27.039 --> 00:35:27.660
 that Jesus,

00:35:27.880 --> 00:35:28.460
 the Lamb of God,

00:35:28.460 --> 00:35:29.340
 conquers sin

00:35:29.340 --> 00:35:30.599
 by being slain

00:35:30.599 --> 00:35:32.300
 for our sins

00:35:32.300 --> 00:35:32.960
 on the cross

00:35:32.960 --> 00:35:35.139
 and then being raised

00:35:35.139 --> 00:35:35.720
 from the dead.

00:35:36.579 --> 00:35:37.599
 His people follow

00:35:37.599 --> 00:35:38.659
 in His footsteps

00:35:38.659 --> 00:35:40.099
 and they bear

00:35:40.099 --> 00:35:41.679
 suffering witness

00:35:41.679 --> 00:35:42.240
 to Jesus

00:35:42.240 --> 00:35:43.240
 and are faithful

00:35:43.240 --> 00:35:44.159
 even unto death

00:35:44.159 --> 00:35:45.139
 and it's through that

00:35:45.139 --> 00:35:45.659
 they conquer

00:35:45.659 --> 00:35:46.119
 and come out

00:35:46.119 --> 00:35:47.059
 through the great tribulation

00:35:47.059 --> 00:35:47.920
 and can stand

00:35:47.920 --> 00:35:49.780
 before the presence

00:35:49.780 --> 00:35:50.260
 of God.

00:35:52.679 --> 00:35:54.199
 All of Christian life

00:35:54.199 --> 00:35:56.000
 is full of tribulation

00:35:56.000 --> 00:35:57.320
 and affliction

00:35:57.320 --> 00:35:59.039
 and we see that

00:35:59.039 --> 00:36:00.079
 all throughout the Bible.

00:36:00.780 --> 00:36:01.039
 However,

00:36:01.139 --> 00:36:01.599
 the expression

00:36:01.599 --> 00:36:02.679
 great tribulation

00:36:02.679 --> 00:36:03.599
 occurs only

00:36:03.599 --> 00:36:05.420
 here in Revelation

00:36:05.420 --> 00:36:06.219
 in the New Testament

00:36:06.219 --> 00:36:08.280
 and in Matthew 24, 21

00:36:08.280 --> 00:36:09.099
 which also speaks

00:36:09.099 --> 00:36:10.460
 of the end times,

00:36:10.559 --> 00:36:11.260
 the final end.

00:36:12.000 --> 00:36:12.860
 And so we are,

00:36:13.000 --> 00:36:13.820
 while we are all

00:36:13.820 --> 00:36:14.420
 in the midst

00:36:14.420 --> 00:36:14.900
 of tribulation

00:36:14.900 --> 00:36:15.619
 as Christians,

00:36:16.119 --> 00:36:16.659
 there will be

00:36:16.659 --> 00:36:17.880
 an intensified,

00:36:18.219 --> 00:36:19.300
 severe tribulation

00:36:19.300 --> 00:36:20.099
 that the Bible calls

00:36:20.099 --> 00:36:21.260
 the great tribulation

00:36:21.260 --> 00:36:22.619
 near the end

00:36:22.619 --> 00:36:23.400
 of human history

00:36:23.400 --> 00:36:24.400
 and that's an allusion

00:36:24.400 --> 00:36:25.539
 to Daniel 12,

00:36:25.679 --> 00:36:26.679
 verse 1.

00:36:28.199 --> 00:36:29.099
 There shall be

00:36:29.099 --> 00:36:29.940
 a time of trouble

00:36:29.940 --> 00:36:31.440
 such as never has been

00:36:31.440 --> 00:36:32.480
 since there was a nation

00:36:32.480 --> 00:36:33.139
 till that time.

00:36:33.579 --> 00:36:34.519
 But at that time

00:36:34.519 --> 00:36:35.179
 your people

00:36:35.179 --> 00:36:36.099
 shall be delivered.

00:36:36.659 --> 00:36:37.699
 Everyone whose name

00:36:37.699 --> 00:36:38.440
 shall be found

00:36:38.440 --> 00:36:39.619
 written in the book.

00:36:40.299 --> 00:36:40.920
 Even through

00:36:40.920 --> 00:36:41.880
 that great tribulation,

00:36:42.319 --> 00:36:42.960
 those who have

00:36:42.960 --> 00:36:44.639
 the seal of the living God

00:36:44.639 --> 00:36:45.579
 upon their foreheads

00:36:45.579 --> 00:36:47.000
 will be delivered.

00:36:48.139 --> 00:36:49.420
 Those are the ones

00:36:49.420 --> 00:36:50.019
 who conquer

00:36:50.019 --> 00:36:51.159
 by the blood of the Lamb

00:36:51.159 --> 00:36:51.779
 and the word

00:36:51.779 --> 00:36:52.480
 of their testimony.

00:36:53.480 --> 00:36:54.699
 So this is the answer

00:36:54.699 --> 00:36:55.299
 to that question.

00:36:55.400 --> 00:36:56.319
 Who can stand?

00:36:56.940 --> 00:36:58.500
 They can stand.

00:36:59.679 --> 00:37:00.440
 And that's why

00:37:00.440 --> 00:37:01.179
 they're clothed

00:37:01.179 --> 00:37:02.019
 in white robes

00:37:02.019 --> 00:37:02.920
 with palm branches

00:37:02.920 --> 00:37:03.519
 in their hands.

00:37:03.839 --> 00:37:04.400
 Palm branches

00:37:04.400 --> 00:37:05.420
 are a symbol of victory.

00:37:05.900 --> 00:37:06.980
 But even more significantly

00:37:06.980 --> 00:37:08.039
 for this context,

00:37:08.659 --> 00:37:10.079
 in Leviticus 23, 40,

00:37:10.199 --> 00:37:11.699
 God commanded Israelites

00:37:11.699 --> 00:37:12.400
 to celebrate

00:37:12.400 --> 00:37:14.000
 the Feast of Tabernacles

00:37:14.000 --> 00:37:15.259
 or the Feast of Boots

00:37:15.259 --> 00:37:16.199
 or Feast of Tents

00:37:16.199 --> 00:37:17.599
 known by many names

00:37:17.599 --> 00:37:19.500
 with palm branches.

00:37:20.099 --> 00:37:21.000
 They were to collect

00:37:21.000 --> 00:37:21.619
 palm branches

00:37:21.619 --> 00:37:22.539
 and use it to build

00:37:22.539 --> 00:37:23.679
 these makeshift tents

00:37:23.679 --> 00:37:24.460
 and dwell in them

00:37:24.460 --> 00:37:25.360
 for like six,

00:37:25.460 --> 00:37:26.340
 seven days

00:37:26.340 --> 00:37:27.920
 to commemorate

00:37:27.920 --> 00:37:28.639
 this time

00:37:28.639 --> 00:37:29.119
 that they were

00:37:29.119 --> 00:37:29.880
 in the wilderness

00:37:29.880 --> 00:37:30.980
 where they dwelled

00:37:30.980 --> 00:37:31.519
 in tents

00:37:31.519 --> 00:37:32.320
 as they were journeying

00:37:32.320 --> 00:37:33.239
 to the promised land

00:37:33.239 --> 00:37:34.779
 and they dwelled

00:37:34.779 --> 00:37:35.719
 in tents

00:37:35.719 --> 00:37:36.920
 and God himself

00:37:36.920 --> 00:37:38.279
 dwelled in a tent

00:37:38.279 --> 00:37:39.300
 called the Tabernacle

00:37:39.300 --> 00:37:41.199
 and dwelled among them,

00:37:41.320 --> 00:37:42.460
 among his people.

00:37:42.460 --> 00:37:44.360
 So it's celebrating that

00:37:44.360 --> 00:37:45.119
 and palm branches

00:37:45.119 --> 00:37:46.220
 are reminiscent

00:37:46.220 --> 00:37:47.119
 of that.

00:37:47.119 --> 00:37:48.420
 And this multitude

00:37:48.420 --> 00:37:49.960
 now gets not merely

00:37:49.960 --> 00:37:51.139
 a temporary dwelling

00:37:51.139 --> 00:37:51.720
 with God,

00:37:51.960 --> 00:37:52.920
 they get a permanent

00:37:52.920 --> 00:37:54.260
 and eternal dwelling

00:37:54.260 --> 00:37:55.280
 with God.

00:37:56.139 --> 00:37:57.440
 And how did that

00:37:57.440 --> 00:37:58.019
 come about?

00:37:58.880 --> 00:38:00.300
 Where did this multitude

00:38:00.300 --> 00:38:01.840
 get their white robes

00:38:01.840 --> 00:38:02.860
 of purity

00:38:02.860 --> 00:38:04.139
 and righteousness?

00:38:05.019 --> 00:38:05.960
 How were they

00:38:05.960 --> 00:38:06.840
 made worthy

00:38:06.840 --> 00:38:08.240
 to stand before

00:38:08.240 --> 00:38:09.059
 the throne of God?

00:38:09.059 --> 00:38:09.619
 God,

00:38:09.619 --> 00:38:11.159
 verse 14,

00:38:12.079 --> 00:38:12.559
 tells us,

00:38:12.599 --> 00:38:13.559
 they have washed

00:38:13.559 --> 00:38:14.340
 their robes

00:38:14.340 --> 00:38:16.079
 and made them white

00:38:16.079 --> 00:38:17.199
 in the blood

00:38:17.199 --> 00:38:18.219
 of the Lamb.

00:38:19.400 --> 00:38:20.799
 This is the only way

00:38:20.799 --> 00:38:22.139
 to get our robes

00:38:22.139 --> 00:38:23.420
 clean,

00:38:23.799 --> 00:38:24.440
 made white.

00:38:26.579 --> 00:38:27.900
 Isaiah 64, 6

00:38:27.900 --> 00:38:29.019
 accurately describes

00:38:29.019 --> 00:38:29.460
 the condition

00:38:29.460 --> 00:38:30.519
 of all sinners

00:38:30.519 --> 00:38:31.579
 apart from Christ.

00:38:32.099 --> 00:38:32.420
 It says that

00:38:32.420 --> 00:38:33.380
 we have all become

00:38:33.380 --> 00:38:35.139
 like one who is unclean

00:38:35.139 --> 00:38:37.719
 and all our righteous deeds

00:38:37.719 --> 00:38:38.880
 are like a polluted

00:38:38.880 --> 00:38:39.380
 garment.

00:38:40.960 --> 00:38:42.140
 This is not talking

00:38:42.140 --> 00:38:43.099
 about the righteous deeds

00:38:43.099 --> 00:38:43.760
 of the saints,

00:38:44.300 --> 00:38:44.860
 righteous deeds

00:38:44.860 --> 00:38:45.840
 of those who have

00:38:45.840 --> 00:38:46.400
 given their lives

00:38:46.400 --> 00:38:46.880
 to Christ.

00:38:47.079 --> 00:38:48.059
 It's talking about

00:38:48.059 --> 00:38:49.680
 the so-called

00:38:49.680 --> 00:38:50.539
 righteous deeds

00:38:50.539 --> 00:38:51.700
 or the grandstanding

00:38:51.700 --> 00:38:53.519
 and the virtue signaling

00:38:53.519 --> 00:38:54.940
 of people who have

00:38:54.940 --> 00:38:56.019
 rejected Christ

00:38:56.019 --> 00:38:56.780
 as their Savior.

00:38:58.039 --> 00:38:58.599
 Isaiah says

00:38:58.599 --> 00:39:00.780
 even their righteous deeds

00:39:00.780 --> 00:39:02.380
 are like a polluted garment.

00:39:04.160 --> 00:39:05.579
 This is why sinners

00:39:05.579 --> 00:39:06.619
 cannot save themselves.

00:39:07.559 --> 00:39:08.660
 They can never hope

00:39:08.659 --> 00:39:09.739
 to make their robes

00:39:09.739 --> 00:39:10.199
 white

00:39:10.199 --> 00:39:11.699
 by their own

00:39:11.699 --> 00:39:12.879
 good deeds.

00:39:14.539 --> 00:39:15.799
 I once saw

00:39:15.799 --> 00:39:18.079
 a moving photograph

00:39:18.079 --> 00:39:19.460
 of women

00:39:19.460 --> 00:39:20.559
 in India

00:39:20.559 --> 00:39:22.879
 washing clothes

00:39:22.879 --> 00:39:24.279
 manually

00:39:24.279 --> 00:39:25.920
 in the polluted water

00:39:25.920 --> 00:39:27.039
 of the Yamuna River.

00:39:28.399 --> 00:39:30.299
 That water is brown

00:39:30.299 --> 00:39:31.000
 in the picture.

00:39:31.159 --> 00:39:31.599
 It's brown

00:39:31.599 --> 00:39:32.420
 and it's murky

00:39:32.420 --> 00:39:33.719
 because it's

00:39:33.719 --> 00:39:34.359
 wastewater.

00:39:34.360 --> 00:39:35.900
 Urine

00:39:35.900 --> 00:39:37.079
 and feces

00:39:37.079 --> 00:39:38.400
 invested water

00:39:38.400 --> 00:39:40.420
 from the city

00:39:40.420 --> 00:39:41.000
 of Delhi.

00:39:41.440 --> 00:39:42.420
 The wastewater

00:39:42.420 --> 00:39:42.980
 from the city

00:39:42.980 --> 00:39:43.280
 of Delhi

00:39:43.280 --> 00:39:44.860
 gets directly

00:39:44.860 --> 00:39:45.400
 deposited

00:39:45.400 --> 00:39:46.240
 into the Yamuna.

00:39:47.059 --> 00:39:47.880
 And not only that,

00:39:47.940 --> 00:39:48.320
 in the picture

00:39:48.320 --> 00:39:48.860
 you see

00:39:48.860 --> 00:39:49.860
 the water

00:39:49.860 --> 00:39:50.500
 is covered

00:39:50.500 --> 00:39:51.800
 with floating

00:39:51.800 --> 00:39:52.400
 trash

00:39:52.400 --> 00:39:53.099
 all over.

00:39:53.200 --> 00:39:53.900
 This whole surface

00:39:53.900 --> 00:39:54.460
 is covered.

00:39:55.140 --> 00:39:55.500
 And yet,

00:39:55.620 --> 00:39:56.460
 there are these women

00:39:56.460 --> 00:39:57.240
 who have

00:39:57.240 --> 00:39:58.300
 their washing boards

00:39:58.300 --> 00:39:58.720
 and they're

00:39:58.720 --> 00:40:00.480
 washing their clothes

00:40:00.480 --> 00:40:02.559
 in that filthy river

00:40:02.559 --> 00:40:04.260
 because they don't

00:40:04.260 --> 00:40:05.099
 have any place

00:40:05.099 --> 00:40:06.480
 else to wash them.

00:40:07.579 --> 00:40:08.179
 Can you imagine

00:40:08.179 --> 00:40:09.139
 the stench,

00:40:10.240 --> 00:40:11.519
 the stains

00:40:11.519 --> 00:40:13.699
 on those clothes

00:40:13.699 --> 00:40:15.059
 as you're trying

00:40:15.059 --> 00:40:16.559
 to wash it clean?

00:40:18.000 --> 00:40:20.019
 That is the sad

00:40:20.019 --> 00:40:21.380
 spiritual reality

00:40:21.380 --> 00:40:22.960
 of all sinners

00:40:22.960 --> 00:40:23.559
 who seek

00:40:23.559 --> 00:40:24.699
 to justify themselves

00:40:24.699 --> 00:40:25.340
 before God.

00:40:25.340 --> 00:40:28.660
 trying to

00:40:28.660 --> 00:40:29.559
 cleanse

00:40:29.559 --> 00:40:30.240
 ourselves,

00:40:30.860 --> 00:40:31.880
 wash ourselves

00:40:31.880 --> 00:40:32.960
 but our robes

00:40:32.960 --> 00:40:33.820
 are filthy,

00:40:34.019 --> 00:40:34.820
 polluted garments.

00:40:35.079 --> 00:40:36.160
 You can't ever

00:40:36.160 --> 00:40:37.200
 get that thing

00:40:37.200 --> 00:40:37.940
 clean.

00:40:40.940 --> 00:40:42.039
 That's why

00:40:42.039 --> 00:40:43.180
 God had to

00:40:43.180 --> 00:40:44.280
 send his only son.

00:40:44.920 --> 00:40:45.620
 And that's

00:40:45.620 --> 00:40:46.579
 what Christmas

00:40:46.579 --> 00:40:48.140
 is all about.

00:40:49.180 --> 00:40:49.920
 John 1.14

00:40:49.920 --> 00:40:50.280
 says that

00:40:50.280 --> 00:40:50.620
 Jesus,

00:40:50.960 --> 00:40:51.740
 the word of God

00:40:51.740 --> 00:40:52.620
 became flesh

00:40:52.620 --> 00:40:53.740
 and dwelt

00:40:53.740 --> 00:40:54.720
 among us.

00:40:55.840 --> 00:40:56.660
 Translated more

00:40:56.660 --> 00:40:56.980
 literally,

00:40:57.320 --> 00:40:58.160
 that word dwelt

00:40:58.160 --> 00:40:59.240
 means he pitched

00:40:59.240 --> 00:41:00.160
 a tent

00:41:00.160 --> 00:41:01.280
 among us.

00:41:01.700 --> 00:41:02.440
 He pitched

00:41:02.440 --> 00:41:03.460
 a tabernacle.

00:41:03.559 --> 00:41:04.500
 He tabernacled

00:41:04.500 --> 00:41:05.539
 among us.

00:41:07.600 --> 00:41:08.640
 Remember I mentioned

00:41:08.640 --> 00:41:09.440
 the palm branches

00:41:09.440 --> 00:41:10.800
 are connected to

00:41:10.800 --> 00:41:11.320
 the feast

00:41:11.320 --> 00:41:12.100
 of tabernacles

00:41:12.100 --> 00:41:14.519
 because God

00:41:14.519 --> 00:41:15.100
 knew that

00:41:15.100 --> 00:41:16.220
 sinners like us

00:41:16.220 --> 00:41:17.400
 could never

00:41:17.400 --> 00:41:18.039
 on our own

00:41:18.039 --> 00:41:18.780
 make our way

00:41:18.780 --> 00:41:19.160
 to God

00:41:19.160 --> 00:41:19.800
 and stand

00:41:19.800 --> 00:41:21.059
 with our heads

00:41:21.059 --> 00:41:22.760
 held high

00:41:22.760 --> 00:41:23.940
 before the throne

00:41:23.940 --> 00:41:24.360
 of God

00:41:24.360 --> 00:41:25.760
 because he knew

00:41:25.760 --> 00:41:26.360
 we could never

00:41:26.360 --> 00:41:26.920
 do that.

00:41:27.220 --> 00:41:27.780
 God sent

00:41:27.780 --> 00:41:28.480
 his only son

00:41:28.480 --> 00:41:29.380
 down to us

00:41:29.380 --> 00:41:30.740
 to pitch

00:41:30.740 --> 00:41:31.360
 his tent

00:41:31.360 --> 00:41:31.960
 among us.

00:41:32.620 --> 00:41:33.640
 The infinite

00:41:33.640 --> 00:41:34.460
 son of God

00:41:34.460 --> 00:41:36.340
 confined

00:41:36.340 --> 00:41:37.539
 in space-time.

00:41:39.000 --> 00:41:39.880
 The one

00:41:39.880 --> 00:41:40.300
 by whom

00:41:40.300 --> 00:41:41.099
 the whole world

00:41:41.099 --> 00:41:41.720
 was created

00:41:41.720 --> 00:41:43.599
 becoming one

00:41:43.599 --> 00:41:44.260
 of the creatures.

00:41:45.840 --> 00:41:46.940
 The author

00:41:46.940 --> 00:41:48.780
 of history

00:41:48.780 --> 00:41:51.740
 enters the book

00:41:51.739 --> 00:41:53.539
 of history.

00:41:54.539 --> 00:41:55.359
 The king

00:41:55.359 --> 00:41:56.079
 and ruler

00:41:56.079 --> 00:41:59.299
 takes the form

00:41:59.299 --> 00:41:59.899
 of a servant

00:41:59.899 --> 00:42:01.679
 and he comes

00:42:01.679 --> 00:42:02.479
 not to be

00:42:02.479 --> 00:42:02.979
 served

00:42:02.979 --> 00:42:04.439
 but to serve

00:42:04.439 --> 00:42:05.279
 and to give

00:42:05.279 --> 00:42:05.819
 his life

00:42:05.819 --> 00:42:06.679
 as a ransom

00:42:06.679 --> 00:42:07.839
 for many.

00:42:08.839 --> 00:42:09.819
 Jesus died

00:42:09.819 --> 00:42:10.579
 on the cross

00:42:10.579 --> 00:42:12.699
 where we should

00:42:12.699 --> 00:42:13.319
 have died

00:42:13.319 --> 00:42:14.879
 in our place

00:42:14.879 --> 00:42:16.639
 as a substitutionary

00:42:16.639 --> 00:42:17.339
 lamb.

00:42:17.340 --> 00:42:19.860
 As we are told

00:42:19.860 --> 00:42:20.880
 in Revelation 1-5

00:42:20.880 --> 00:42:22.280
 Jesus loves us

00:42:22.280 --> 00:42:23.980
 and has freed us

00:42:23.980 --> 00:42:25.120
 from our sins

00:42:25.120 --> 00:42:27.539
 by his blood.

00:42:28.960 --> 00:42:30.260
 We can never

00:42:30.260 --> 00:42:31.059
 make our robes

00:42:31.059 --> 00:42:31.440
 white

00:42:31.440 --> 00:42:32.860
 by doing our best

00:42:32.860 --> 00:42:34.240
 to do good deeds

00:42:34.240 --> 00:42:35.480
 and be good people.

00:42:35.579 --> 00:42:36.820
 It's never enough

00:42:36.820 --> 00:42:37.760
 but the blood

00:42:37.760 --> 00:42:38.579
 of Jesus

00:42:38.579 --> 00:42:39.600
 God's son

00:42:39.600 --> 00:42:40.700
 cleanses us

00:42:40.700 --> 00:42:41.980
 from all sin.

00:42:41.980 --> 00:42:46.219
 This is why

00:42:46.219 --> 00:42:47.219
 the multitude

00:42:47.219 --> 00:42:48.199
 cry out

00:42:48.199 --> 00:42:48.900
 with a loud voice

00:42:48.900 --> 00:42:49.539
 in verse 10

00:42:49.539 --> 00:42:51.240
 salvation belongs

00:42:51.240 --> 00:42:52.400
 to our God

00:42:52.400 --> 00:42:54.300
 who sits on the throne

00:42:54.300 --> 00:42:56.820
 and to the lamb

00:42:56.820 --> 00:42:58.360
 and then in verses

00:42:58.360 --> 00:42:59.139
 11-12

00:42:59.139 --> 00:43:00.000
 the angels

00:43:00.000 --> 00:43:00.800
 who are standing

00:43:00.800 --> 00:43:01.420
 around the throne

00:43:01.420 --> 00:43:02.559
 join in their chorus

00:43:02.559 --> 00:43:04.079
 they fall on their faces

00:43:04.079 --> 00:43:04.840
 before the throne

00:43:04.840 --> 00:43:05.740
 and worship God

00:43:05.740 --> 00:43:06.440
 and then they say

00:43:06.440 --> 00:43:06.920
 amen

00:43:06.920 --> 00:43:08.780
 blessing

00:43:08.780 --> 00:43:09.519
 and glory

00:43:09.519 --> 00:43:10.099
 and wisdom

00:43:10.099 --> 00:43:10.900
 and thanksgiving

00:43:10.900 --> 00:43:11.460
 and honor

00:43:11.460 --> 00:43:12.059
 and power

00:43:12.059 --> 00:43:12.579
 and might

00:43:12.579 --> 00:43:13.240
 be to our God

00:43:13.240 --> 00:43:14.519
 forever and ever

00:43:14.519 --> 00:43:15.500
 amen

00:43:15.500 --> 00:43:17.320
 that's an expression

00:43:17.320 --> 00:43:18.440
 of affirmation

00:43:18.440 --> 00:43:19.639
 and acclamation

00:43:19.639 --> 00:43:21.160
 indeed it is so

00:43:21.160 --> 00:43:22.119
 yes

00:43:22.119 --> 00:43:23.360
 it is true

00:43:23.360 --> 00:43:24.780
 salvation belongs

00:43:24.780 --> 00:43:25.440
 to our God

00:43:25.440 --> 00:43:26.139
 amen

00:43:26.139 --> 00:43:27.220
 blessing

00:43:27.220 --> 00:43:27.780
 and glory

00:43:27.780 --> 00:43:28.400
 and wisdom

00:43:28.400 --> 00:43:29.139
 and thanksgiving

00:43:29.139 --> 00:43:29.500
 and honor

00:43:29.500 --> 00:43:29.860
 and power

00:43:29.860 --> 00:43:30.619
 and might belong

00:43:30.619 --> 00:43:31.559
 to our God

00:43:31.559 --> 00:43:32.440
 amen

00:43:32.440 --> 00:43:34.400
 all of heaven

00:43:34.400 --> 00:43:35.460
 sings worship

00:43:35.460 --> 00:43:37.700
 our God

00:43:37.700 --> 00:43:38.539
 is so unlike

00:43:38.539 --> 00:43:39.920
 the so called gods

00:43:39.920 --> 00:43:40.900
 of paganism

00:43:40.900 --> 00:43:42.260
 who quarantined

00:43:42.260 --> 00:43:42.740
 the rabble

00:43:42.740 --> 00:43:43.480
 far away

00:43:43.480 --> 00:43:45.680
 from their lofty dwelling

00:43:45.680 --> 00:43:46.980
 up in the mountain

00:43:46.980 --> 00:43:51.659
 Jesus has been among us

00:43:51.659 --> 00:43:52.940
 as one of us

00:43:52.940 --> 00:43:55.139
 so that he sympathizes

00:43:55.139 --> 00:43:55.940
 with us

00:43:55.940 --> 00:43:57.119
 with our weaknesses

00:43:57.119 --> 00:43:58.639
 with our failures

00:43:58.639 --> 00:44:00.460
 with our frailties

00:44:00.460 --> 00:44:02.159
 with our tribulations

00:44:02.159 --> 00:44:04.619
 because Jesus

00:44:04.619 --> 00:44:05.859
 pitched his tent

00:44:05.859 --> 00:44:06.460
 among us

00:44:06.460 --> 00:44:07.219
 and died

00:44:07.219 --> 00:44:08.599
 for us

00:44:08.599 --> 00:44:11.219
 and that's why

00:44:11.219 --> 00:44:11.940
 he's the only one

00:44:11.940 --> 00:44:12.559
 who can bring us

00:44:12.559 --> 00:44:13.819
 to God's heavenly temple

00:44:13.819 --> 00:44:14.559
 and so we see

00:44:14.559 --> 00:44:15.440
 in verses 15

00:44:15.440 --> 00:44:16.059
 to 17

00:44:16.059 --> 00:44:17.480
 our ultimate reward

00:44:17.480 --> 00:44:19.099
 we're being sheltered

00:44:19.099 --> 00:44:19.619
 and shepherded

00:44:19.619 --> 00:44:20.099
 by God

00:44:20.099 --> 00:44:21.139
 it says in verse 15

00:44:21.139 --> 00:44:22.500
 therefore they are

00:44:22.500 --> 00:44:23.239
 before the throne

00:44:23.239 --> 00:44:23.599
 of God

00:44:23.599 --> 00:44:24.279
 and serve him

00:44:24.279 --> 00:44:24.940
 day and night

00:44:24.940 --> 00:44:25.579
 in his temple

00:44:25.579 --> 00:44:26.599
 and he who sits

00:44:26.599 --> 00:44:27.179
 on the throne

00:44:27.179 --> 00:44:28.799
 will shelter them

00:44:28.799 --> 00:44:30.239
 with his presence

00:44:30.239 --> 00:44:32.319
 it's because our robes

00:44:32.319 --> 00:44:33.379
 have been washed white

00:44:33.379 --> 00:44:34.779
 in the blood of the lamb

00:44:34.779 --> 00:44:35.799
 that we can now stand

00:44:35.799 --> 00:44:36.879
 before the throne of God

00:44:36.879 --> 00:44:37.719
 and serve him

00:44:37.719 --> 00:44:38.759
 in his temple

00:44:38.759 --> 00:44:40.859
 but this is no literal temple

00:44:40.859 --> 00:44:41.819
 because we are told

00:44:41.819 --> 00:44:43.519
 later in Revelation 21-22

00:44:43.519 --> 00:44:44.839
 that the temple

00:44:44.839 --> 00:44:47.019
 is the Lord God

00:44:47.019 --> 00:44:47.579
 the Almighty

00:44:47.579 --> 00:44:48.719
 and the lamb

00:44:48.719 --> 00:44:50.519
 so this image

00:44:50.519 --> 00:44:52.819
 of us serving God

00:44:52.819 --> 00:44:53.439
 as priests

00:44:53.439 --> 00:44:54.159
 in his temple

00:44:54.159 --> 00:44:55.279
 is actually a picture

00:44:55.279 --> 00:44:57.239
 of our ultimate dwelling

00:44:57.239 --> 00:44:58.279
 with God

00:44:58.279 --> 00:44:59.519
 and our intimate

00:44:59.519 --> 00:45:00.300
 union

00:45:00.300 --> 00:45:02.039
 with God

00:45:02.039 --> 00:45:04.599
 so it says

00:45:04.599 --> 00:45:05.300
 that he who sits

00:45:05.300 --> 00:45:05.800
 on the throne

00:45:05.800 --> 00:45:07.539
 will shelter them

00:45:07.539 --> 00:45:09.099
 with his presence

00:45:09.099 --> 00:45:10.539
 and that word shelter

00:45:10.539 --> 00:45:11.380
 is just a different

00:45:11.380 --> 00:45:11.960
 translation

00:45:11.960 --> 00:45:13.619
 of the same Greek word

00:45:13.619 --> 00:45:14.860
 that was used

00:45:14.860 --> 00:45:15.800
 in John 1-14

00:45:15.800 --> 00:45:16.860
 to say that Jesus

00:45:16.860 --> 00:45:18.440
 pitched his tent

00:45:18.440 --> 00:45:19.079
 among us

00:45:19.079 --> 00:45:21.000
 he tabernacled

00:45:21.000 --> 00:45:22.340
 among us

00:45:22.340 --> 00:45:28.139
 Jesus pitched his tent

00:45:28.139 --> 00:45:28.699
 among us

00:45:28.699 --> 00:45:29.579
 and died for us

00:45:29.579 --> 00:45:30.219
 and was raised

00:45:30.219 --> 00:45:30.719
 from the dead

00:45:30.719 --> 00:45:32.039
 so that God

00:45:32.039 --> 00:45:33.159
 will ultimately

00:45:33.159 --> 00:45:34.319
 forevermore

00:45:34.319 --> 00:45:35.519
 pitch his tent

00:45:35.519 --> 00:45:36.359
 over us

00:45:36.359 --> 00:45:37.219
 with his

00:45:37.219 --> 00:45:39.039
 very presence

00:45:39.039 --> 00:45:46.299
 I look forward

00:45:46.299 --> 00:45:46.759
 to that

00:45:46.759 --> 00:45:50.619
 we're not going

00:45:50.619 --> 00:45:51.919
 to be aliens

00:45:51.919 --> 00:45:52.359
 forever

00:45:52.360 --> 00:45:55.120
 living in this world

00:45:55.120 --> 00:45:56.240
 whose values

00:45:56.240 --> 00:45:57.440
 and priorities

00:45:57.440 --> 00:45:58.480
 we don't recognize

00:45:58.480 --> 00:46:02.400
 having to tolerate

00:46:02.400 --> 00:46:03.320
 a world

00:46:03.320 --> 00:46:04.079
 where Christ

00:46:04.079 --> 00:46:04.980
 is not honored

00:46:04.980 --> 00:46:06.440
 not worshipped

00:46:06.440 --> 00:46:09.980
 we will not always

00:46:09.980 --> 00:46:10.820
 live as aliens

00:46:10.820 --> 00:46:12.860
 one day we'll be

00:46:12.860 --> 00:46:14.640
 in our father's country

00:46:14.640 --> 00:46:16.599
 and we'll be citizens

00:46:16.599 --> 00:46:21.339
 we're not always

00:46:21.339 --> 00:46:22.199
 going to be

00:46:22.199 --> 00:46:23.019
 pilgrims

00:46:23.019 --> 00:46:24.579
 we're pilgrims

00:46:24.579 --> 00:46:24.920
 now

00:46:24.920 --> 00:46:26.179
 we're journeying

00:46:26.179 --> 00:46:27.480
 through the wilderness

00:46:27.480 --> 00:46:29.059
 in temporary

00:46:29.059 --> 00:46:30.099
 dwelling places

00:46:30.099 --> 00:46:32.279
 longing

00:46:32.279 --> 00:46:33.839
 for our home

00:46:33.839 --> 00:46:35.739
 but one day

00:46:35.739 --> 00:46:37.079
 we will be home

00:46:37.079 --> 00:46:39.019
 God

00:46:39.019 --> 00:46:39.920
 is our home

00:46:39.920 --> 00:46:41.639
 his shelter

00:46:41.639 --> 00:46:42.440
 over us

00:46:42.440 --> 00:46:43.599
 his presence

00:46:43.599 --> 00:46:44.940
 our temple

00:46:44.940 --> 00:46:49.259
 and we'll also

00:46:49.259 --> 00:46:50.099
 be shepherded

00:46:50.099 --> 00:46:50.599
 by our Lord

00:46:50.599 --> 00:46:51.360
 Jesus Christ

00:46:51.360 --> 00:46:52.819
 the slain Lamb

00:46:52.819 --> 00:46:53.279
 of God

00:46:53.279 --> 00:46:53.860
 who is also

00:46:53.860 --> 00:46:54.519
 the good shepherd

00:46:54.519 --> 00:46:55.000
 it says in

00:46:55.000 --> 00:46:56.339
 verse 16 to 17

00:46:56.339 --> 00:46:58.400
 they shall hunger

00:46:58.400 --> 00:46:59.079
 no more

00:46:59.079 --> 00:47:00.679
 neither thirst

00:47:00.679 --> 00:47:01.179
 anymore

00:47:01.179 --> 00:47:02.699
 the sun shall not

00:47:02.699 --> 00:47:03.360
 strike them

00:47:03.360 --> 00:47:04.619
 nor any scorching

00:47:04.619 --> 00:47:05.000
 heat

00:47:05.000 --> 00:47:06.059
 for the Lamb

00:47:06.059 --> 00:47:06.819
 in the midst

00:47:06.819 --> 00:47:07.299
 of the throne

00:47:07.299 --> 00:47:07.839
 will be

00:47:07.839 --> 00:47:08.960
 their shepherd

00:47:08.960 --> 00:47:10.400
 he will guide them

00:47:10.400 --> 00:47:11.079
 to springs

00:47:11.079 --> 00:47:12.179
 of living water

00:47:12.179 --> 00:47:13.159
 and God

00:47:13.159 --> 00:47:14.159
 will wipe away

00:47:14.159 --> 00:47:15.460
 every tear

00:47:15.460 --> 00:47:16.960
 from their eyes

00:47:16.960 --> 00:47:19.039
 it's a fulfillment

00:47:19.039 --> 00:47:20.059
 of Isaiah 49

00:47:20.059 --> 00:47:20.799
 9 to 10

00:47:20.799 --> 00:47:21.699
 Isaiah 25

00:47:21.699 --> 00:47:22.079
 8

00:47:22.079 --> 00:47:24.539
 have you known

00:47:24.539 --> 00:47:25.679
 hunger in this life

00:47:25.679 --> 00:47:27.699
 have you known

00:47:27.699 --> 00:47:28.199
 thirst

00:47:28.199 --> 00:47:29.559
 in this life

00:47:29.559 --> 00:47:30.219
 have you been

00:47:30.219 --> 00:47:30.899
 beat down

00:47:30.899 --> 00:47:31.940
 by the scorching

00:47:31.940 --> 00:47:32.379
 heat

00:47:32.379 --> 00:47:34.239
 of life

00:47:34.239 --> 00:47:35.539
 have you known

00:47:35.539 --> 00:47:36.179
 tears

00:47:36.179 --> 00:47:38.519
 have you known

00:47:38.519 --> 00:47:39.119
 loss

00:47:39.119 --> 00:47:40.500
 have you known

00:47:40.500 --> 00:47:41.159
 suffering

00:47:41.159 --> 00:47:42.920
 have you known

00:47:42.920 --> 00:47:43.679
 persecution

00:47:43.679 --> 00:47:47.480
 all of these things

00:47:47.480 --> 00:47:48.759
 will be no more

00:47:48.759 --> 00:47:52.399
 Jesus our shepherd

00:47:52.399 --> 00:47:54.659
 will take us

00:47:54.659 --> 00:47:55.739
 to green pastures

00:47:55.739 --> 00:47:57.619
 make us lie down

00:47:57.619 --> 00:47:58.960
 beside still waters

00:47:58.960 --> 00:48:00.639
 he will wipe away

00:48:00.639 --> 00:48:01.259
 our tears

00:48:01.259 --> 00:48:02.440
 with his own hands

00:48:02.440 --> 00:48:03.699
 and death

00:48:03.699 --> 00:48:04.739
 shall be no more

00:48:04.739 --> 00:48:14.179
 neither shall

00:48:14.179 --> 00:48:14.899
 that be mourning

00:48:14.899 --> 00:48:16.539
 nor crying

00:48:16.539 --> 00:48:17.899
 nor pain

00:48:17.899 --> 00:48:18.399
 anymore

00:48:18.399 --> 00:48:19.879
 for the former

00:48:19.879 --> 00:48:20.439
 things

00:48:20.439 --> 00:48:21.739
 have passed away

00:48:21.739 --> 00:48:26.279
 Lord

00:48:26.279 --> 00:48:27.199
 Heavenly Father

00:48:27.199 --> 00:48:27.699
 we long

00:48:27.699 --> 00:48:28.319
 for that day

00:48:28.320 --> 00:48:45.539
 help us

00:48:45.539 --> 00:48:47.140
 not to lose sight

00:48:47.140 --> 00:48:50.960
 of our home

00:48:50.960 --> 00:48:58.119
 your shelter

00:48:58.119 --> 00:48:58.599
 Father

00:48:58.599 --> 00:49:02.019
 our good shepherd

00:49:02.019 --> 00:49:03.980
 who awaits us

00:49:03.980 --> 00:49:05.780
 in our eternal

00:49:05.780 --> 00:49:06.519
 dwellings

00:49:06.519 --> 00:49:07.760
 help us not

00:49:07.760 --> 00:49:08.539
 to lose sight

00:49:08.539 --> 00:49:09.220
 of that Father

00:49:09.220 --> 00:49:13.119
 so that

00:49:13.119 --> 00:49:14.380
 every day

00:49:14.380 --> 00:49:15.199
 we live here

00:49:15.199 --> 00:49:16.559
 and every day

00:49:16.559 --> 00:49:17.740
 we have tribulation

00:49:17.740 --> 00:49:19.840
 in this sinful world

00:49:19.840 --> 00:49:22.519
 that we

00:49:22.519 --> 00:49:23.340
 that we would

00:49:23.340 --> 00:49:24.300
 always have hope

00:49:24.300 --> 00:49:30.640
 thank you for that

00:49:30.640 --> 00:49:31.180
 hope Lord

00:49:31.180 --> 00:49:35.740
 in Jesus name

00:49:35.740 --> 00:49:36.160
 we pray

00:49:36.160 --> 00:49:37.300
 Amen