God`s power, God`s protection and God`s provision - Revelation 7

Sermon notes from Sunday 8 July 2018 am 

Revelation 7 

Last time we noticed the tranquility that was in heaven in chapter 6 yet the terror that is on earth.  In chapter 7 we again have a two-fold picture on earth and in heaven.  The last time we looked at planet earth it was in mayhem.  The mountains were quaking, the rocks were falling, the stars in the sky were falling from heaven, the sun was not giving any light, the moon had turned to blood.  Man`s hearts were failing them for fear.  They were calling for the very rocks to cover them, to hide them from the wrath that is to come.  Where are those that have all the answers?  Richard Dawkins, the outspoken critic of God and his creation said "the man believing in these things (God and creation) is a weak minded disgrace to the human race."  Imagine God listening to what he said - what does God say of Richard Dawkins?  He is a fool.  Why?  The bible says "the fool hath said in his heart there is no God."  God is in control through the worst of times on earth.  John takes a moment to paint this picture in love.  Chapter 6 verse 17 without God no-one can stand.  

In chapter 7 we will see God`s power in a way never witnessed before.  In verse 1 there is some debate whether these are angels of God at his instruction or they are demonic angels of Satan.  God is in control no matter whether they are his own or demonic.  They are instructed that the earth is not to be hurt.  It doesn`t matter who we are or what they are, God is still in control.  That he can call for a lull, a calmness.  All is still at his word, he tells them to not hurt the earth.  In verse 2 another angel appears.  Why is this lull coming?  We see here these 4 angels who God tells them not to hurt the earth.  They are holding the 4 winds.  These angels are taking up their positions at the point of every compass.  Everything is at a lull.  God is not caught out, not surprised they must withhold the winds.  Maybe there is something going on that seems so big that we only feel we want to run away from it because there is no way around it.  We want to run away from the problem as far as we can.  God sends his angels.  Elijah was a mighty prophet who stood before kings and queens without fear yet on one occasion fear gripped his heart.  He ran away as far as he could, out into the wilderness.  God sent an angel to bring him comfort.  God helped him to rest and be fed.  He told him "the journey you have to make is too much for you but not for me."  Maybe God will send an angel to you.  Think of Daniel in the lions den.  God didn`t deliver him from the lions den or tell him to run from it.  He gave witness of God sending an angel to help him through that situation.  God can control a situation - he closed every mouth of every lion in that den.  There was not a mark on Daniel the next morning.  Hezekiah was a godly king in 2 Kings 18.  He trusted the Lord God of Israel so that after him there was not anyone like him.  His heart failed him.  Some times the preacher can preach with great power but his heart can fail him in his own study.  Hezekiah was in the palace when the Assyrian army came against him.  Assyria was a mighty nation putting other nations down.  Hezekiah saw the army outside his city walls.  God sent his angel and destroyed the Assyrian forces that night.  He heard them, he saw them, he sent his angel to deliver Hezekiah.  Peter lying in a prison house knowing the next morning he would be taken out and put to death.  The angel came and led him out of there.  He took him by the hand and brought him right out of that prison.  The Lord is in control.  This is not some blockbuster movie.  The anti Christ will rise to reign on the earth and you must take his number.  If you don`t you could be put to death.  God is still reigning and ruling.  The believers will leave this earth.  The restraining power of the Holy Spirit will be removed. 

Notice God`s protection.  We see God`s power in holding back the winds.  He will send divine protection right to where you are.  You didn`t have to fear.  God is in control.   Seven years of the worse time ever on the earth.  John tells us the 4 angels took up their positions.  A global situation.  A worldwide situation.  Something that will take place on this old world.  Thinking of the great wars in our lives.  God is speaking in Matthew 24 and here in Revelation there was never a time like it before or will be after it again.  "For there shall be great tribulation such as was not since the begging of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be" (it hadn`t happened as yet, John is pointing forward to it to).  Many try to tell us Hitler was the anti-Christ but not according to this chapter.  In Revelation 7 we read of 144,000 Jewish men, evangelists, preachers of the word of God, walking on the earth at this time under the protection of God and preaching the word of God.  God is in control, these cannot be the church because they are gone.  The church is in heaven now.  All this is happening on earth.  He separated them.  He picks them out of every tribe, 12,000 from every tribe and then he sealed them.  He seals them and then secures them because no-one can touch them.  The world population is currently 8 billion.  God will seal 144,000 - out of 8 billion - God doesn`t work with big numbers.  "If 2 of you on earth agree about anything they ask for it will be done for them by my father in heaven." (Matthew 18 verse 19)  Whatever the population will be at that time he will take 144,000 out to preach the word of God.  Elijah ran away because he thought he was the only one left.  God had to tell him he wasn`t, 7000 hadn`t bowed the knee.  Gideon went out with 30,000 men but the Lord told him they were too many and he knocked them down to a few thousand.  The Lord is not interested in numbers.  It is not where his protection comes from.  We often think there is security in numbers.  3 children in the fiery furnace, not a hair was singed.  These angels were not allowed to hurt the earth until the seal was set.  Maybe early on in the tribulation period or later they were sealed, kept them.  The Roman soldier would have had a tattoo on their hand.  It showed them who they belonged to.  Slaves had something on their forehead, a mark of ownership.  If they wandered away they had to be taken back to their master.  2 Timothy 2 verse 19 "having this seal the Lord knoweth them that are his."  God is in control.  In the book of Ephesians we are told "we are sealed with God`s Holy Spirit."  God knows you today. He is in control.  When I think this morning God is not interested in numbers, I am glad of that.  We have a God who protects us, keep looking to the Lord.  God looks more for obedience than numbers. 

God`s provision.  What will they be doing during this awful time?  Verse 9 "no man could number them."  John could number the 144,000 but when you look at this vast number before the throne they couldn`t be numbered.  These are the fruit of the ministry of this 144,000.  God is blessing their ministry.  Remember the church before Jesus` left, he took them out into the mountain and told them to go into all the world and preach the gospel.  This gospel should be preached until the end times.  Twelve men were sent out.  In Revelation 7 12 x 12 x 1000 are going to complete the work at this stage of the tribulation.  In verse 14 we realise we are in the second half of the tribulation period.  This great multitude have come through these terrible days.  They were martyred because of their faith.  They heard the gospel for the first time during the tribulation period and they trusted in Christ.  Today is the day of salvation, we must accept Christ now.  How will these people be saved - saved through these men, 144000 men sent out to preach.  Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God. 

The messge will be simple as it has always been.  The Old Testament saints looked forward to Calvary, every lamb slain was a picture of Calvary.  We are saved today by looking back to Calvary. 

The means will be the same - conviction of sin, faith in Christ.   

The mystery of this - the Holy Spirit will be still active during the tribulation period.  The Holy Spirit will have a different activity but he will still be pointing people to Christ.  He will still be convicting people of sin and righteousness and judgement to come.  Verse 10 he was able to save them in the worst times of this planet.  He was not only able to save them but keep them and present them faultless before the Lamb.  Verse 1 can only imagine there will be much by way of tears.  We will never suffer like these people will suffer through the tribulation period.  We think of the story of Lazarus and the rich man.  Both died but the rich man lifted up his eyes in hell and pleaded for relief while Lazarus is comforted.  These martyrs are before the throne of God.  Ask yourself the question - can I trust God with the problem I have or will I run away?  That is the answer that we need to come to today.  God is in control. 

The wonder and worship of John`s vision - Revelation chapter 10

Sermon notes from Sunday 22 October 2018

Revelation chapter 10

I want us to turn back to the book of Revelation.  Such an important book but it is difficult to understand it at times.  The apostle John is on the Isle of Patmos not because of anything he had done but rather he was there for the testimony of Christ.  He was there because he preached the unsearchable riches of Christ.  People did not like him and he was taken to Isle of Patmos.  People thought that was him, banished there, would not hear from again.  Although he was on the Isle of Patmos the Lord was not finished with him.  He took him up again.  Sometimes in our lives we feel we would be better off somewhere else.  The Lord wants to use us where we are.  The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the second time when he was locked up in the prison house.  He was there and God was using him.  The apostle Paul lay in the prison house but glorified God because the word of God went through him to the many churches in Minor Asia.  God wants a life totally given over to him, fully surrendered to him.  That is what he found in John.  He was beloved of the Lord, he wrote the gospels and epistles and now would be used once more.  He was given the instruction in chapter 1 verse 19 "write these things which thou hast seen."  That is what John did - he wrote about those things he had seen, about the churches and the messages to the churches and the things that he seen when he was carried up to the throne and the things which should be hereafter.  That is where we take up John.  Now he is writing about the things that will come after.  It is easy as we read through the book of Revelation to slip into the mode of thinking of seeing something from a science fiction movie.  No we are not looking at some movie but something that will one day take place on this earth.  God is not finished with the world yet.  These things strange as they are will take place on this world.  When Jesus takes every saved man and woman to be with him at his side we will see the reign of the anti-Christ come to bear.  These are the times John is writing about here.  

A very quick recap.  We read in Revelation chapters 1 to 3 that John is writing about the various churches, the 7 churches of Asia.  Chapter 4 is in the form of a picture.  John is taken up like the rapture when Jesus comes to the air and calls his church to heaven.  In chapter 5 paints a picture of certain things about heaven.  He speaks of a book in the right hand of the one who sat on the throne.  No-one there to open it but then John sees the Lamb, the Lord steps into centre of heavens glory.  He takes the book and begins to open it.  Chapter 6 as the book is opened certain things happen on earth as a consequence.  See the different things - death, dearth, destruction, the rise and reign of the anti-Christ.  Chapter 7 reveals to us the 144000 sealed of God and the great multitude that came out of the tribulation standing around the throne worshipping God.  In chapters 8 and 9 awful things are being revealed.  Chapter 9 sees the opening of the bottomless pit, the abyss that God speaks about.  One day Satan will be handed the key to open that pit.  Out of that pit will come every evil, demonic spirit that could never be let loose before.  Jude and Peter talk about the spirits that had to be chained in the very pit of darkness.  They could not be allowed to roam the world.  Remember the fear of the man of Gedarra.  He was filled with demons.  When the Lord came to him the demons were afraid they would be cast out into the abyess.  One day Satan will release these demons.  That is the word of God.  We need to be careful we do not tamper with something that God has commanded us not to tamper with.  

Now we come to chapter 10  - this is a parenthesis, a little lull when God will explain a few things that are happening.

The wonder of John`s vision - verse 1.  Somehow this brings a calm to John`s mind.  He has been dealing with death, slaughter, suffering on a grand scale.  Man being tormented by demonic spirits, given over to the worship of false gods, permitted to follow the anti-Chrst.  Man`s hearts are hardened toward God.  John gets a visit from this heavenly visitor as if all the world is out of control.  Then comes the word that God is in control.  John is seeing everything in this world is falling apart.  Then we see an angel coming from heaven with a message in his heart and there is a ray of hope.  Sometimes we can get into situations where we don`t see much hope.  Bereavement and sickness are things in which we can see no way out of.  In the midst of it all God comes with this angel, comes the radiance shining through him of hope from heaven.  "John I am still in control" God was saying.  He has a book in his hand, sets his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the earth.  This is in the midst of the 7 last years on earth, entering into the second half of the great tribulation.  Never like this before and never be again.  We are  told we are entering into the last 3 years.  The anti-Christ is in full control.  He stamps the number of his followers on their brow or on the right hand but God says I am in control.  When Moses was in Egypt he was sent for the purpose to bring the people out.  When he went into Pharaoh, Pharaoh said "who is this God that I should obey him?"  Moses said to him after God had sent his plagues in Exodus 9 verse 29 "thou mayest know that the earth is the Lord`s."  Psalm 24 verse 1 "the earth is the Lord`s and the fullness thereof; the world they that dwell therein."  "Heaven and earth shall pass away but my words shall not pass away." (Matthew 24 verse 35)  Notice the appearance of this angel - clothed with a cloud - speaking of authority.  Remember the cloud that led the children of Israel by day across the wilderness and the Lord ascended up into the cloud when he returned to heaven.  It is speaking here of authority.  Then we hear of the rainbow upon his head - a reminder of the covenant God has with men.  Remember when he sent it in the time of Noah, promised there would never be a flood like it again.  His face was as as it were the sun - shining with heavens glory.  Remember when Moses came down from meeting God in the mountain he had to veil his face when he came into the presence of his people.  His feet as pillars of fire.  A ray of hope coming down to earth.  Sometimes it is good to get an image of heaven in our own lives, just a word from the Lord in that situation.  Joseph was espoused to marry Mary, planning a great wedding.  As he received the word that Mary was pregnant he pondered all these things.  The angel came to him one night "fear not the child will be the Saviour of the world."  God was in control.  Peter lying in prison house in Acts 6 was chained to the guard, next day to be taken out and killed.  The angel stepped down that time and released him.  God was in control in Israel`s darkest day.  Zedekiah sent for Jeremiah asking him "is there any word from the Lord?" (Jeremiah 37 verse 17)  We need to get back to the word of God.

The worship of John`s vision.  This angel came from heaven where God is worshipped and praised by multitude of angels.  Some commentators would say this is the Lord himself.  If the Lord was the angel he would not say a mighty angel.  They are created beings.  We would be speaking here of the angel of the Lord.  John in Revelation chapter 1 when the Lord came to where he was fell to his feet.  Here he recognised it was an angel.  Verse 5 a symbol of submission here to God.  See that in the life of Abraham in Genesis 14.  Abraham went out to bring back his nephew Lot.  He had been carried away following the invasion of Sodom.  When he came back the King of Sodom wanted to reward Abraham but he wouldn`t have any of it.  "I have lift up mine hand unto the Lord, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth." (Genesis 24 verse 22)  He submitted his life to the Lord in battle.  The battle was the Lord`s.  Here in this chapter he is claiming all of God`s creation to the Lord, lifting up his praises to him and him alone.  It is good to offer praise to the Lord.  Abraham wanted nothing of the riches of the world, told the King of Sodom he wanted nothing from him.  God helped him through the battle entirely.  Think of Moses, we can see it in his life too.  Joshua and Aaron were down in the valley while Moses was on the hill raising his hands to the Lord, submitting it to him in prayer.  As Moses kept this stance the children of Israel prevailed.  When his hands fell because of tiredness and weariness the children of Israel lost the battle.  Teaches a great lesson today - we need to have our hands raised to God constantly in prayer and thanksgiving to him to pray for our loved ones, our families, our church, our fellowship, to pray for people to come in.  As our hands lower the enemy prevails.  We see our children and the world they are growing up in, their mothers and fathers no interest in church meetings, perhaps the only time they will hear of Jesus is here on a Sunday morning.  This angel came down, a ray of hope in the midst of doom. He sets the standard and claims all of God`s creation.