Latest / Bible Study with Pr. Daniel Batarseh | Verse by Verse Series | Maranatha Bible Church - Chicago / The Battle of Gog and Magog - Pastor Daniel Batarseh
Transcript
- 0:11Good morning. Let's pray.
- 0:14One more time and I slow to help us as we open up his word
- 0:17together. Father, we thank you.
- 0:25That we have victory in your son.
- 0:28And Lord in this place, we want to sense that Victory not just
- 0:31in the emotions, the Lord in the spirit, in the fruit of Our
- 0:37Lives. Lord, thank you.
- 0:40That you have been faithful to us.
- 0:43You have been good to each of us in this place.
- 0:46Regardless of what we are facing today, we can look back and
- 0:49realize what you have done, we will conclude you are good
- 0:55always and if you've been good to us up to this point, you will
- 0:58be good to us now. And until we see you face to
- 1:01face. Thank you.
- 1:03Lord. That in this house.
- 1:05There is no Famine of the word but a feast That we can eat
- 1:10together and that you are faithful.
- 1:12Providing bread from heaven. We ask Lord that.
- 1:15This word would come in power, in the power of the Holy Spirit.
- 1:21Lord. We know that power does not come
- 1:23from volume power. Does not come from your
- 1:26intellect or eloquence it comes from your spirit.
- 1:29And we ask that the Holy Spirit would glorify Christ through
- 1:33this message and that glorify Christ through our obedience We
- 1:38come to you now with submissive Hearts, inattentive Minds in
- 1:42Jesus name, we pray. Amen.
- 1:44And I'm in, I'm sure you would agree that the events of 2020
- 1:50Has taught the church, the capital c Church.
- 1:53Many lessons about many things. An interesting observation that
- 1:57I've made about many local churches and response to this
- 2:00Unforgettable year was this launched into many conversations
- 2:06and even sermon series around the end times.
- 2:11Calmly from The Book of Revelation and you have
- 2:14different Ministries and congregations that did not
- 2:17hesitate to investigate the word of God to try to make sense of
- 2:20what's happening on the Earth. Today things that we have been
- 2:25facing things that we are still facing and from time to time I
- 2:29believe that it is good for the soul to be able to see what's
- 2:33happening especially on a global scale.
- 2:35And then come to the word of God to try to find a way to
- 2:39interpret it from his perspective.
- 2:41Now, I'm not talking about cracking hidden codes, and every
- 2:45news headline, you try to find a prophetic, passage that it
- 2:48fulfills, that's dangerous. But what I am saying is about
- 2:51being open. And actually having a reflex to
- 2:55come to the scriptures and to allow what we witness before us
- 3:00to nudge us and remind us what God has to say concerning
- 3:04certain themes and truths found in the scriptures for what
- 3:08purpose to sanctify us to sanctify us.
- 3:11Let me give you an example the world coming together in 2022.
- 3:16Battle against this covid thing. Raise the antennas of many
- 3:20Believers to point to the coming reality of the Book of
- 3:25Revelation, that speaks of a new world order that's in the Bible.
- 3:29That's not conspiracy theory that the world will come
- 3:32together. There will be a new system,
- 3:34there will be a new leader that will guide the world into false
- 3:38peace and what we've seen in 2020, we've never seen in world
- 3:42history before and that's the world collaborating and working
- 3:44together for fulfilling specific goals.
- 3:48Or The Masks. That's another thing to write
- 3:52the mass mandates, were you have to do something?
- 3:56You have to wear something in order to be a candidate for
- 3:59business basic services and society, that that points to
- 4:02that pulls us towards what will be a reality under the universal
- 4:06Mandate of the mark of the beast?
- 4:10I'm not saying the mask or the vaccine have anything to do with
- 4:12what we see in Revelation, but I will say this confidently, we
- 4:15have been in a dress rehearsal. We have been.
- 4:21And 2020 didn't stop with 20 21, because as we've leaked into
- 4:26this year, there have been many other Global events that have
- 4:29immersed that have captivated the world's attention and
- 4:31stirred emotions of fresh. And one of those things is the
- 4:34ever sensitive subject of the israeli-palestinian conflict.
- 4:41And throughout the years, whenever breaking news of a
- 4:44fresh scrimmage between Israel and Palestine erupts, you have
- 4:48many that will point to it. As a sign that this is the red
- 4:50carpet that will usher in the tribulation period.
- 4:54And I don't think that's necessary because the only issue
- 4:57with that is that there's always been conflict ever since Israel
- 5:01has been a nation from the Bible and even in modern history.
- 5:07Nevertheless I believe that it is crucial that the believing
- 5:11Community, understands the spiritual implications of the
- 5:16reality of Israel's existence today.
- 5:21And I think that what's been happening lately provides a good
- 5:24opportunity for us to get clarity on an important subject
- 5:27in the word of God. And I want us to turn there in
- 5:30Romans 11:25, please. And if you're scared that, I'm
- 5:40going to be preaching politics, don't be scared.
- 5:43It's going to be Bible and then you can do with the Bible, what
- 5:46you want. I just advise that you obey it.
- 5:52Romans 11 chapter, 25, read with me, hear what Paul says to this
- 5:56church and to all churches for all ages.
- 5:59Lest you be wise in your own site.
- 6:04I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery Brothers.
- 6:09A partial hardening has come upon Israel until the fullness
- 6:13of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way, all Israel will
- 6:18be saved as it is written. The deliverer will come from
- 6:21Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob, and this will be my
- 6:25Covenant with them. When I take away their sins, did
- 6:30you notice the first two phrases of this verse and chapter 11
- 6:33verse 25? He says lest you be wise in your
- 6:37own site. I do not want you to be unaware
- 6:41of this mystery. You know what the holy spirit is
- 6:45saying, I don't want the believing Community to be in the
- 6:49dark about a certain subject and the subject that the Holy Spirit
- 6:54has in mind that this portion of the word of God is the mystery.
- 6:58God's dealing, his Sovereign work with the ethnic people of
- 7:02Israel. You have to do origami with the
- 7:06Bible to think that this is speaking about a spiritual
- 7:08Israel. We're talking about the actual
- 7:12people, the race. And you know what, the holy
- 7:15spirit is saying. I don't want you to be unaware
- 7:17and the, the mystery that God has in mind, you're
- 7:20specifically, is that due to the rejection of the Messiah, when
- 7:25he entered into this world to come as their King.
- 7:27The Gentiles have received the gospel, their rejection became
- 7:32the open door for the world to receive the Gospel.
- 7:35And then, once the last Gentile gives his life to Christ, In
- 7:40God's mind, he will seal that deal.
- 7:44And then his work will return back to Israel as a people to do
- 7:49a saving work in them as a nation.
- 7:52That's the mystery that's the mystery but we can broaden this
- 7:56verse to ask ourselves a very important question.
- 7:59How many Christians today are unaware of how Israel relates to
- 8:04our faith? Because he says, I don't want
- 8:08you to be unaware. And he says that into other
- 8:12places in the Bible and it's quite interesting where he says
- 8:15in well, that's for another message for another time.
- 8:17But here in this place, he says, I don't want you to be unaware
- 8:20misinformed, and then he goes on to say, lest you be wise in your
- 8:24own site, meaning less. You have your own opinion about
- 8:26it. There are a lot of people have a
- 8:28lot of opinions, What he's saying here is I'm pulling you
- 8:31into what God has to say about this matter.
- 8:34And it's important for us to understand it because we must
- 8:37have a Biblical perspective on God's relationship with this
- 8:39people group not for political purposes, but for theological
- 8:43ones, The main purpose of this message this morning, is not to
- 8:47answer every question about this topic because it is too vast,
- 8:51but to get a grasp that God's word speaks of the future as
- 8:55much as it does the past. In other words, the Bible is
- 8:59very bold to make predictions about things.
- 9:02Not yet. Come to pass very bold.
- 9:07And what's amazing is that and when you study the Bible
- 9:09carefully, you will realize that much of the prophecies about the
- 9:12future beyond our day have to do with Israel.
- 9:17You can't deny it. And as my pray that through a
- 9:20message like this, we will be stirred to worship God that God
- 9:25would doesn't just tell us what has happened in the past.
- 9:27But what will happen in the days to come so let us turn to a
- 9:32prophecy in the Book of Ezekiel, please and what I want is to do,
- 9:38here is to just see And use this recent battle that we've been
- 9:44seeing on the news that has ceased for some time.
- 9:46Now, few days to turn us to another battle that the Lord God
- 9:51will prophesy about in these chapters.
- 9:55And let me tell you. This is Eco 38 and 39.
- 9:58I encourage you to read these chapters on your own time.
- 10:01It doesn't take much time and you will be greatly encouraged
- 10:04to see the details and the significance of what is being
- 10:07said here. Ezekiel 38, let's read together
- 10:16and I want us to break down this message.
- 10:17And, and three ways who is involved, who is involved, when
- 10:22will this happen and why will it happen?
- 10:25Very simple, right. Let's read a little bit.
- 10:27First few verses, the word of the Lord came to me verse 1.
- 10:31Son of man, set your face toward gog.com land of Magog.
- 10:36The chief Prince of meshech and tubal and prophesy against him
- 10:40and say thus says the Lord God, behold I am against you Gog,
- 10:44Chief Prince of meshech and tubal.
- 10:47And I will turn you about and put hooks into your jaws.
- 10:49And I will bring you out and all your army horses and Horsemen,
- 10:53all of them clothes and full armor, a great host, all of them
- 10:57with Buckler and shield wielding swords Persia cush, and put our
- 11:02with them. If you have a different
- 11:03translation, it would say Ethiopia and Libya are with
- 11:06them. All of them would shield and
- 11:09helmet Gomer and all his hordes Beth togarmah from the uttermost
- 11:13parts of the north. With all his hordes.
- 11:16Many peoples are with you be ready.
- 11:18And keep ready, you and all your host that are assembled about
- 11:21you and be a guard for them. After many days, you will be
- 11:25mustered in the latter years. That's an important phrase in
- 11:31the latter years. You will go against the land
- 11:35that is restored from war. The land whose people were
- 11:39gathered from many people's upon the mountains of Israel, which
- 11:43has been a continual waste. Its people were brought out from
- 11:48the peoples and now dwell securely all of them.
- 11:53All of them. The Lord tells Ezekiel hundreds
- 11:58of years before our time to prophesy against an individual
- 12:01named GOG. He is according to these verses,
- 12:06the chief Prince and one, who rules the land of Magog and
- 12:09different regions around that area called Michigan to bomb.
- 12:13Now, we learned that other nations are in partnership with
- 12:16GOG. And the list is more
- 12:19identifiable than him and his region again some transition
- 12:24Persia, right? That's modern-day what Iran you
- 12:27have Libya, you have Ethiopia, some would say, that's
- 12:29modern-day Sudan. And so we see that there is an
- 12:32alliance being made here and what's important is that the
- 12:36alliance the nation's that are aligned with him are Islamic
- 12:39background. They are Muslim countries mainly
- 12:43and they're in partnership with this mysterious figure named Gog
- 12:47from Magog. And you can imagine that over
- 12:49the centuries how God and Magog has caused much a debate between
- 12:53Scholars to try to identify him. But this may surprise you that
- 12:57one clue that has left many people to identify Gog and Magog
- 13:01as modern day Russia. Comes from what we see in verse
- 13:0615. In Ezekiel 38, you will come
- 13:09from your place out of the uttermost parts of the North.
- 13:14You and many peoples with you. All of them riding on horses, a
- 13:17great horse, a mighty Army. So they would say, well if
- 13:21Israel as we know it today is the central point of Direction.
- 13:25Then if you, if you go, north directly, check it out on Google
- 13:29Maps where you going to land Russia.
- 13:32That's why many people hold to that view, and they would also
- 13:35include Southern parts of Russia and even turkey itself.
- 13:38Now, we can't be safe with that because the Bible is not clear
- 13:42and that's just speculation. Son little clues that we can't
- 13:46be dogmatic about, but I think the idea the fact that God and
- 13:51Magog are mysterious. People actually is to our
- 13:55benefit to the authenticity of this prophecy.
- 13:58Why? What are some of the ancient
- 14:01enemies to Israel is known in the word of God Egypt Assyria?
- 14:07Babylon, right? The amalekites the Canaanites.
- 14:12But there is no record. There is no history.
- 14:14I mean, just look it up in your word and you'll see that there
- 14:17is no correlation. There's no relationship between
- 14:20God and may God ever up to this point.
- 14:24There's no type of friction, there's no type of record of a
- 14:28battle between them. And that is quite interesting.
- 14:32The only place mentioned may God is in Genesis 10, and that has
- 14:35to do with an individual, which means something quite
- 14:38fascinating, doesn't it that this prophecy speaks of a battle
- 14:42led by a new previously, unknown people that will become an enemy
- 14:47to Israel from the distant North And the players of this war,
- 14:54don't end there, come down with me here to verse 13.
- 14:58Sheba and dedan and the merchants of tarshish and all
- 15:02its leaders will say to you. So say to God, these other
- 15:06nations will say, have you come to cease spoil?
- 15:10Have you assembled your host to carry off plunder to carry away,
- 15:14silver and gold to take away livestock and goods to see these
- 15:19great spoil. So now you have different people
- 15:22groups. That are not in participation
- 15:26with this war. But what are they doing?
- 15:27They are realizing, what's about to take place and they are in
- 15:31favor of it? And they're wondering that this
- 15:34battle will actually be to their personal gain as Leaders of
- 15:38Nations that they will profit from this plunder themselves.
- 15:41And so what you have is beyond this Alliance, you have people
- 15:45outside of that nation's beyond that that are cheering this
- 15:48Invasion on and they're saying go for it.
- 15:53Rent, suck them. Take over you saying, what's so
- 15:59significant about that? Because it's becoming very clear
- 16:02in this prophecy that at this point in history you will have
- 16:06Nations that will not be hesitant to speak against this
- 16:09people and even come against this people while nobody seems
- 16:12to be standing with them. you read this prophecy in your
- 16:17realize that nobody comes to their defense, nobody comes to
- 16:20back them up and it's describing a hopeless scene for Israel,
- 16:25really Nations will not be hesitant There will be plans and
- 16:30there will be a partnership amongst many to say, let's come
- 16:35against them. And how will it look at verse 9?
- 16:38You will advance coming on. Like a storm.
- 16:41You will be like a cloud covering the land, you and all
- 16:45your hordes and many people with you.
- 16:48This confederation of armies will come like a storm.
- 16:52It will be quick, it will be executed fast.
- 16:55It will be an invasion that will catch the World by surprise
- 16:59almost. That's why they're asking like
- 17:00what are you guys doing? Are you guys going live?
- 17:02Go for it. And they will be so
- 17:06overwhelming. This is not a small thing, it
- 17:08will be so overwhelming that it will cause all the witnesses of
- 17:12the Earth at this time to say they're finished.
- 17:15They're finished. And so realize that this is
- 17:20speaking about an event that has not taken place yet.
- 17:25It hasn't taken place in the history books yet it's yet to
- 17:29come. It's yet to happen which brings
- 17:32us to our next point. When will this happen?
- 17:35I'm sure that's what most people are curious about when it comes
- 17:38to Prophecy in the Bible when when when and there are some
- 17:41elements that are disputed and some that are undeniable and the
- 17:44undeniable element here is found in verse 8.
- 17:48After many days, you will be mustard, In the latter years in
- 17:54the latter years. Now, go to verse 16 of the same
- 17:58chapter, you will come against up against my People, Israel,
- 18:02like, a cloud covering a land in the latter.
- 18:04What days? Now, if you interpret the Bible
- 18:09with the Bible, you will know that that phrase is exclusively
- 18:14used to speak about the end times.
- 18:17The culmination of all human history.
- 18:20It speaks about the last chapters before God rolls up,
- 18:24the scroll of the earth and ushers in his Reign and the
- 18:27Eternal age. And so this is undoubtedly about
- 18:31things to happen, still And it's talking about the end times,
- 18:37which some may object and say well Hebrews 1 tells us that the
- 18:41end days the last days have begun since Jesus walked on the
- 18:45earth in his Earthly ministry, right Hebrews 12 so what he's
- 18:47talking about the last days it's been 2000 years.
- 18:51But there is something in this verse verse 8 of chapter 38,
- 18:54that tightens the tight timeframe for us to help us
- 18:57understand what point in history.
- 18:59This will happen. Look what it says.
- 19:03After many days you will be mustard in the latter years.
- 19:05You will go against the land that is restored for more the
- 19:07land whose people were gathered from many people's upon the
- 19:10mountains of Israel. This future battle will take
- 19:16place in the end times. After the Jewish, people have
- 19:18been gathered from all around the world.
- 19:21To occupy their ancient land. and we know that there was a
- 19:28Babylonian exile and then they came back and then once Jesus
- 19:32came on the scene after they occupy that land and rejected
- 19:35their Messiah, They punished, they were punished for that.
- 19:40They were dispersed throughout the whole earth.
- 19:42And would, you know it in 1948, a miracle took place?
- 19:48That these Jews were gathered and became an independent state.
- 19:53and if that doesn't Peak your interest, nothing in Bible
- 19:57prophecy will You saying, what's the significance of land?
- 20:02Because when you talk about land, especially especially
- 20:04amongst those from Middle Eastern culture, people get
- 20:07tight. Because they're thinking
- 20:10politically put your politics aside and come to the Bible.
- 20:14What does the Bible say? Not your opinion, not what
- 20:17people say, not what the news says.
- 20:19What does the Bible say? Your Christian right?
- 20:23What does the Bible say? And this is what the Bible says.
- 20:28That the physical restoration of Israel in the land proceeds, the
- 20:32spiritual Revival of that people.
- 20:36The physical restoration of that land proceeds, the spiritual
- 20:39Revival of that people. In other words, you can't have
- 20:43Romans 11:25 and 26. All Israel shall be saved until
- 20:47Israel has a land. Opinion Bible.
- 20:52Let's go together. Ezekiel 36.
- 20:58Verse 24 and look what God says. Now, this is where the ESV does
- 21:04this service? Who here has a new King James
- 21:07lift. Your hand who here has the King
- 21:09James King, James? Okay, who here has the nasb?
- 21:15Who here has ESV? Okay, this is where the ESV does
- 21:19a disservice. And I'll show you how, let's
- 21:21read verse 24. I'm going to read it from the
- 21:23King James and you're going to notice a difference in your ESV
- 21:27Ezekiel 36:24 for. I will take you from among the
- 21:29Heathen. He speaking to the Jews and
- 21:31gather you out of all countries. All countries and will bring you
- 21:37into your own land. Now, what is verse 25 cent ESP I
- 21:41will take you right? My King James people, what does
- 21:43the word say before? for and other places would say,
- 21:48then, Then I will sprinkle clean water upon you and verse 25.
- 21:56Then I will sprinkle clean water on you and ye shall be clean
- 22:00from all your filthiness. And from all your Idols will, I
- 22:03cleanse you? You see that word then is that
- 22:06they're in the ESV? No.
- 22:09But it's an important word. It's a crucial word because it
- 22:13describes a series of events, there's a knot.
- 22:17He says I'm going to bring you into this place from all
- 22:19countries. When was this fulfilled
- 22:21partially with the Babylonian exile?
- 22:22Because Ezekiel here speaking to those who are in Babylonian
- 22:25Exiles but the greater prophetic fulfillment is from all
- 22:28countries, all the four corners of the earth, isn't that what
- 22:31they say all countries? And will bring you to this place
- 22:37and when they're brought to this place, then the holy spirit
- 22:39says, then I will do a spiritual work in you guys.
- 22:47So this is why it's important because the spiritually revived
- 22:51people that will experience the power of the New Covenant is
- 22:55something that comes much later after the land is restored.
- 23:00So what's the connection between Israel's salvation and
- 23:03recognizing the Messiah and the land one, simple fact that God
- 23:07is just fulfilling his promises And he wants to fulfill every
- 23:11promise that he's made to this people.
- 23:14And one, promise that he made to this people, is what?
- 23:17That you will have this land forever.
- 23:21The abrahamic Covenant. Now this is where people again,
- 23:25to be getting tight, man, they're getting sweaty and
- 23:28uncomfortable. Because it's giving the idea
- 23:34that you favor a people. And that you were as steaming a
- 23:38nation. That sins that creates
- 23:42Injustice. So is God showing favoritism is
- 23:48God calling one people greater than all other people's I'll let
- 23:52God answer it for himself. Look at verse 22 of chapter 36.
- 23:57Therefore say to the house of Israel.
- 23:58Thus says the Lord God it is not for your sake o House of Israel.
- 24:03that I'm about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, Which
- 24:09you have profaned among the nation's to which you came, you
- 24:12know, when you start talking about, like this people call you
- 24:14all these names Zionist this, and that you favor them.
- 24:18Look at all the things that they're doing to them.
- 24:20And look at all the things they're doing to them.
- 24:22Listen, God is not approving any Behavior.
- 24:26God is not celebrating anything. God is Not on the side of
- 24:28unrighteousness, whether your Jew or Gentile, why is God doing
- 24:31this for his namesake His name's sake, he's doing it because he
- 24:38declared a Word of Promise and he's not going to break that
- 24:40promise you say, well, we're in a different Covenant and where
- 24:45the church absolutely. But let me shatter something.
- 24:49That is a great misconception. Amongst many, if God is willing
- 24:52to break his promise with Israel, what makes you think
- 24:54that? He's not willing to break his
- 24:55promise with the church? Get out of the political realm
- 25:00brothers and sisters as tempting as it is.
- 25:03And let's look at God's reason for this.
- 25:07This is much more about the character of God than about
- 25:11boundaries and real estate. And so, this is significant. as
- 25:20I said, because it deals with the nature of God, and that's
- 25:23why Paul wrote Romans 9 10 and 11, by the way, Because let's
- 25:29turn there. He goes on to describe the
- 25:31wonderful relationship that God has with this people, from the
- 25:35old Covenant and we know that in the New Covenant that wall of
- 25:39hostility was brought down and there is neither no Jew or
- 25:42Gentile. We Are All One in Christ.
- 25:46But then, after describing how this, people have the adoption,
- 25:50the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship.
- 25:53And the promises. Look what he says here in Romans
- 25:559 Verse 6 but it is not as though the word of God has
- 26:01failed for not all who are descended from Israel, belong to
- 26:06Israel. What is he trying to say he's
- 26:10getting into the mind of the reader and is assuming that they
- 26:13will bring up this protest? Well, you're describing how
- 26:16wonderful God is in relating to this people, but our question
- 26:20is, did he fail? Did his word not come to pass?
- 26:24Why would they say that? Because the Messiah comes the
- 26:27Messiah that these Gentiles believed in, but who didn't
- 26:29believe in him Israel? And so Paul is trying to defend
- 26:34the case, Romans 9 10 11, the centrality, the thesis is about
- 26:40Israel and God's dealing with them.
- 26:42And what is he saying here? In Romans 9 6?
- 26:44I'm about to prove to you that God's word didn't fail.
- 26:49Just because they rejected Christ doesn't mean God's
- 26:51finished with them, and then he goes on to explain why?
- 26:56And then it culminates in Romans 11, where he says, do you
- 26:58realize that a hardening? Because they rejected the
- 27:01Messiah, a hardening comes upon them, where they're still
- 27:04rejecting the Messiah, and in that hardening, I'm softening
- 27:07the hearts of the Gentiles and I'm winning them one by one and
- 27:11there it's going to the nation's and the moment in God's calendar
- 27:14and in God's mind he has a number of mine where he says
- 27:17that's it, he seals the Work with the Gentiles.
- 27:20And then he returns in the Book of Revelation to work with the
- 27:23Jews to win their hearts, to the Messiah.
- 27:27So, you see, right? Do you see that Paul in himself,
- 27:30is realizing that, this whole deal is about the character of
- 27:34God, the faithfulness of God, the authenticity of his word,
- 27:40the never changing God. If we get that, a lot of tension
- 27:45will be eased. So he says here you have to
- 27:48understand that God did not fail but God has plans.
- 27:54And they will be fulfilled. Now, we might think.
- 28:01Well, do we have more specifics? I mean, you're saying the latter
- 28:04times but give me some dates, man.
- 28:07Which I'm not if anybody does kick them out the door.
- 28:12But you have people who hold different views on when this
- 28:14will take place within the latter times.
- 28:17And would you know it? Do we have people with different
- 28:19opinions on this and guess what? If you're on either one of those
- 28:22sides, you're not a heretic. So you can take a deep breath.
- 28:26You have some people. If we come back to Ezekiel, 38,
- 28:28that would say this battle of Gog and Magog will take place
- 28:33before the tribulation period. Now, this is a different sermon,
- 28:36doesn't it feels like it's more Bible study?
- 28:38That's okay, so let's pull back. Here's here's a timeline for us
- 28:42here. We're in the church age.
- 28:45When the church age is complete, you have what the tribulation
- 28:48period, which lasts what seven years and then you have at the
- 28:52end of that seven years, the second coming of Jesus Christ.
- 28:55And after the second coming of Jesus Christ, what do you have
- 28:591000 year? Millennial Reign where Jesus
- 29:01Christ physically rains on the earth.
- 29:02And after that thousand years, what do you have?
- 29:05The Eternal age, the new heavens and the new Earth come in and
- 29:08then we are where God wants us to be.
- 29:11You have people that would say well, where'd this is Gog and
- 29:15Magog thing take place and they'll say look at verse 9 of
- 29:18chapter 38, excuse me of chapter 39 which is the same sequence of
- 29:26the prophecy. Then those who dwell in the
- 29:32cities of Israel will go out and make fires of the weapons and
- 29:35burned them Shields, and Buckler's bow, and arrows clubs
- 29:39and Spears. And they will make fires of them
- 29:41for 7 years. See see what's happening after
- 29:45God intervenes, and he wipes out the enemies that are coming
- 29:48against this people. There will be so much weaponry
- 29:52and ezekiel's using his language of understanding weapons for his
- 29:55days for his people to understand.
- 29:57But we have no fear to think that this is speaking about an
- 29:59ancient battle because there's bows and arrows know it's just a
- 30:01way of interpreting what he is seeing for his people.
- 30:04There's going to be so much weaponry.
- 30:07That this people are going to say, what are we going to do
- 30:09with it? And they begin to recycle it and
- 30:13they use it for different purposes and they make fires out
- 30:15of and they turn the material for something else and you know
- 30:17how long that's going to take seven years, that's how much is
- 30:20going to be seven years now, does that ring a bell?
- 30:26It does because that's the period of the tribulation seven
- 30:29years. And so people will say that this
- 30:31battle will have some kind of part in tribute and triggering
- 30:35the tribulation period. And they would go on to say Well
- 30:38it fits really well because if you have this war in a
- 30:42humiliating defeat towards the enemies which many of them are
- 30:45neighboring Nations that it would make sense for Israel to
- 30:48have the confidence now to do what build the temple.
- 30:55Now's our chance, let's build the house of God so that we can
- 30:58worship God. It also makes sense for the
- 31:03Antichrist to enter into the scene and to offer what a peace
- 31:08treaty. After this war is said and done
- 31:11and the smoke Rises the Antichrist can stop and say,
- 31:14listen, this is getting too messy, guys, we have to, we have
- 31:17to finish this once and for all and he shows up into the world
- 31:20as a false Messiah. And he writes any offers a
- 31:24seven-year peace treaty that he will break halfway through.
- 31:28which causes people to believe that this can't happen before
- 31:31the tribulation, but in the middle of the tribulation, why
- 31:36would people say that will come here to verse 11 of chapter 38
- 31:40Ezekiel 38 verse 11 and look at the description of Israel before
- 31:45this war And say he's speaking about what God, this Prince
- 31:51rulers thinking and say I will go up against the land of
- 31:55unwalled villages. I will fall upon the quiet
- 31:59people who dwell securely, all of them dwelling Without Walls
- 32:03and having no bars or Gates. so whatever point of History,
- 32:08Israel's out of here, we know one thing, they feel secure They
- 32:13feel safe. They feel like there is no need
- 32:15to put up a shield to have walls have a defense system, they feel
- 32:19so confident. Even with all the threats that
- 32:22they've known throughout history to actually be at a place where
- 32:26they don't need to have weapons or any kind of thing to guard
- 32:30them. And here's what you and I know
- 32:34that's never happened. Nor will it ever happen for
- 32:36Israel? They will never come to a place
- 32:38where they feel this secure and less and less.
- 32:42There is one slot in history that would give him that kind of
- 32:45confidence and when would it be when the Antichrist comes?
- 32:50And he makes a peace treaty with them and he makes sure that he
- 32:53will protect Israel in the beginning of the tribulation
- 32:56will those say okay we're secure and they let their guard down
- 33:01and what's your what? The happen is near the midpoint,
- 33:04you're going to see nations rise up when they see them like a
- 33:06Sitting Duck and say let's go after them.
- 33:11Because when you read Revelation at the halfway point of the
- 33:14tribulation, there is a war that breaks out against this people.
- 33:18And some would say this is part of it and then there are others
- 33:21who say, no, no, it's not going to be before the tribulation,
- 33:26it's not going to be in the middle of the tribulation.
- 33:29It's gonna be at the end, none of the tribulation.
- 33:32But when the millennium Say, where are they getting that idea
- 33:36from? Well, let's go to Revelation.
- 33:39Chapter 20 and see So remember there are some who would say no
- 33:46no no this is not happening even during the tribulation, this is
- 33:50going to happen. After Jesus comes back rules for
- 33:52a thousand years and sets up his kingdom.
- 33:56And the idea is not from thin air.
- 33:58It comes from attacks and Revelation 20 verse 7 and when
- 34:01the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his
- 34:05prison. Now, hold on for a second.
- 34:08Verse 8 says and will come out to deceive the Nations that are
- 34:13at the Four Corners of the earth, Gog and Magog.
- 34:19To gather them for battle, the number like the sand of the sea.
- 34:24See see where they're drawing the connection from, right.
- 34:27But before we even go there, I can't help but look at this and
- 34:30realize how stupid Satan is. I'll tell you why think about
- 34:36this? All it took is one Angel to bind
- 34:38this Beast. Into an abyss for a thousand
- 34:41years. One, Angel read the verses prior
- 34:44to this. And after that thousand years,
- 34:46he has the confidence to arise deceive the Nations and try to
- 34:51Dethrone Christ. What do you need to learn before
- 34:55you realize that you're not going to win?
- 34:58What's motivating this Fallen Angel.
- 35:01I'll tell you what it is. A combination of deep pride and
- 35:04deep hate. And when you have such a level
- 35:08of demonic, hatred residing in a heart, there is no telling to
- 35:13the degrees in the campaigns that you will make to make sure
- 35:15you get what you want in your hatred.
- 35:18This hatred is so powerful. It is blinding to his own
- 35:22weakness and his failed attempts in the past where he is foaming
- 35:25at the mouth and he will do everything.
- 35:27He can with every bit of strength, he has left to make
- 35:29sure that he has Christ underneath his feet.
- 35:35And I can't help. When I read that, I thought to
- 35:36myself if hatred looks like this.
- 35:40It looks outrageous. It looks Reckless.
- 35:42It looks like Faith to believe the impossible.
- 35:47What can love do? If hatred made Satan crawl out
- 35:54of the abyss and try to war against Christ again.
- 35:58Do you want to know what perfect love looks like?
- 36:01Christ leaving his throne and coming to the world to be slain
- 36:06by Sinners, so that he can save those same sinners.
- 36:10Satan crawls out of a pit and hatred Christ comes down from
- 36:14glory and serves. That's love, that's love.
- 36:19You know what's amazing reading this.
- 36:21I can't help but think Satan and his hatred wants to deceive
- 36:26Nations while Christ and his love wants to win Nations and
- 36:29that same love that Jesus had in his heart can be in our hearts,
- 36:32as well. I saw this and I contrasted it
- 36:36with with God's love and I thought to myself where can love
- 36:41take us if we allow Christ to dominate our hearts you know
- 36:45what Paul said in second Corinthians 5:14 For the Love of
- 36:50Christ controls us For the Love of Christ, controls us.
- 36:57And, you know what he says after.
- 36:58He knows that Christ's love, controlled him and verse 15.
- 37:01He died for all that those who live might no longer live for
- 37:07themselves. But for him who for the sake
- 37:10died wasn't raised when you allow the love of Christ.
- 37:15I mean, you and I look into this world and we see this perversion
- 37:17we live in a city where there's murderers, Every weekend.
- 37:22And we think what kind of hatred can possess people to do such a
- 37:25thing? Well, the reflect reflecting the
- 37:27Father, the devil, If hatred can take people so far, what can
- 37:32Christ's love due to his people. And Paul says it controls, me
- 37:35and it controls you to the point.
- 37:37You know, you know, when Christ's love controls you, when
- 37:40you can say here, I don't live for myself.
- 37:43That's what the love of Christ does in you, and makes you
- 37:45sacrificial, makes you look outward you steam others,
- 37:48people's feelings and needs and wants above yours.
- 37:53So you and I have an opportunity to show the world, the opposite
- 37:57of what Satan shows. The world that we can win people
- 38:00to Christ, by example, by love. If we allow it to control us
- 38:05Coming back to the main point, Gog and Magog are mentioned
- 38:09here. And for many people that's it
- 38:12that's a case closed right there.
- 38:13It's there's no there's no argument there.
- 38:16These are the main two places in all of scripture that God and
- 38:19Magog are mentioned. But here's why if you make a
- 38:24careful study, you can challenge that thought even which is not
- 38:26making it easier for you. I'm sure to know where you're
- 38:28going to land on this. Firstly, in Ezekiel 38 we have a
- 38:33description of mainly in enemy from the north.
- 38:35That is coming down with an alliance of other nations here.
- 38:39We read that it's going to be the nation's from the four
- 38:42corners of the Earth. Secondly, as we come in Ezekiel
- 38:4638, we're told that it's going to take seven years to burn
- 38:49these weapons. And listen seven months to bury
- 38:52the bodies. Now, here's the question, if
- 38:56this is happening at the end of the Millennium and after the end
- 38:58of the Millennium, what do you have the Judgment, the great
- 39:02white Throne. Judgment regard, judges, those
- 39:05whose names are not written in the Lamb's Book of Life.
- 39:08If you have that coming right after this, what's the point of
- 39:10taking seven years to burn weapons?
- 39:13And what's the point of taking seven months to bury bodies?
- 39:17God is going to raise everybody up, anyway, and then judge those
- 39:20into Eternal damnation. And lastly, we come here, and we
- 39:24realize that one of the purposes of Gog and Magog and Ezekiel 38.
- 39:29One of the purposes is to get Israel's attention.
- 39:35But in Revelation, 20 already has their attention crisis
- 39:37ruling and reigning from Jerusalem.
- 39:39There's no need for that. So then why Gog & Magog
- 39:43mentioned then, there are mentioned by name and I think
- 39:46the way to explain it is that the Bible is trying to make a
- 39:50connection between the rebellious spirit that operated
- 39:53in God in Revelation. I'm rather in Ezekiel, 38 is
- 39:57duplicated. Now, in this final battle before
- 39:59the Eternal age, it's the same spirit.
- 40:02It's the same Rebellion, it's the same hatred for Christ,
- 40:05that's operating then and now it's operating here.
- 40:08So you see that in the Bible with the use of the word
- 40:10Babylon, Babylon? Is a physical place in the
- 40:13Bible, but it's also a word used to describe a spirit and
- 40:19ideology that is anti-god. A system that is raised in
- 40:22society that profanes and blasphemes Christ.
- 40:26So, Gog and Magog here is not perhaps the literal Gog and
- 40:28Magog we've seen Ezekiel 38, but the same operation of the spirit
- 40:32behind it. So enjoy picking a position.
- 40:39What's more important is that it will happen.
- 40:42It will happen. And the question is, why will
- 40:45this happen? Why is this war that's been
- 40:48prophesied? Thousands of years ago.
- 40:51Why is this going to take place in the answer is there's two
- 40:55reasons, a natural reason, and a spiritual reason, when you come
- 40:58back to Ezekiel 38 you see the natural reason behind it.
- 41:06The natural reason is in the thoughts of Gog.
- 41:11Verse 10 of Ezekiel 38. Thus says, the Lord God on that
- 41:14day. Thoughts will come into your
- 41:15mind. Annual device, an evil scheme,
- 41:20verse 12 to see spoil and carry off, plunder to turn your hand
- 41:25against the waste places that are now inhabited and the people
- 41:29who are gathered from the Nations who have acquired
- 41:31livestock and goods who dwell at the center of the earth, it's a
- 41:35political move. I'm into your mind.
- 41:39Will see them in a secure place. Defenseless without arms and
- 41:45they will say this is our chance to use our power for greater
- 41:49prosperity. It's just a political move.
- 41:52So they're operating here. Like how Nations operate today
- 41:54you go to war for greater power and greater Prosperity.
- 41:58That's what they're, that's what they're attempting here.
- 42:00But verse 4 shows us the spiritual reason.
- 42:04Look What God Says and I will turn you about and put hooks
- 42:07into your jaws and I will bring you out and all your horses and
- 42:13Horsemen all of them, clothed in full armor, a great host, all of
- 42:16them, with the Buckler and shield wielding swords, And so
- 42:22in God's mind, and the Nations that are in partnership with
- 42:25them, they're saying we got this.
- 42:28We're taking it to the bank easy-peasy.
- 42:32This will be effortless. And they think they're in
- 42:35control, and you just read who's really in control.
- 42:39God, is orchestrating. This God, is Sovereign over
- 42:43this. God is the one who is moving the
- 42:45pieces. And he's saying, I'm going to
- 42:48put a hook in your jaw and pull you towards this in violation to
- 42:54the free will of God. No.
- 42:55But in partnership with it. God, God was determined to do
- 42:59this and God says, you want to do this I will raise you up so I
- 43:03can show my power and he draws him to his own judgement because
- 43:07of his own evil scheme in evil desires.
- 43:09He did that with pharaoh. And so we see here that there is
- 43:13a spiritual element to this. And now what you see here in the
- 43:18natural reason seems political It seems like just Warfare but
- 43:22behind the scenes, there's something else going on.
- 43:27God is the Lord of hosts who Reigns over every nation.
- 43:33He's the one who has the story Pain.
- 43:36Doubt, already of how all of this is going to turn out and he
- 43:39knows how it's going to end, and we know how it's going to end.
- 43:42God is the one who is in control over the Affairs that you.
- 43:46And I, and many people are witnessing.
- 43:49Here's why that's important, because this proves that God is
- 43:52in control, not just of our world, but of the Unseen World,
- 43:56you want proof of that. So this is Gog and Magog.
- 43:58I know there's a lot of Bible. Today's Bible study, it's okay.
- 44:02When you realize that there's another battle and it's not Gog
- 44:04& Magog. There's another battle in
- 44:05Revelation. Tell me the name of it Battle of
- 44:08what you're right. Good, good students.
- 44:12Battle of Armageddon. It's a different fight than this
- 44:15one. Now in preparation for that war,
- 44:18just listen to what the holy spirit says about the battle of
- 44:22Armageddon. And 16:14 of Revelation for,
- 44:27they are demonic spirits. They are demonic spirits
- 44:32performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world
- 44:35to assemble them. For battle.
- 44:36On the great day of God the almighty.
- 44:38Who's behind it? Demonic spirits.
- 44:43You have demons that will deceive people on that day
- 44:46because the demons know what is coming down the pipe.
- 44:49What's coming down. The pipe, in Revelation Christ
- 44:52is going to split the sky open plant his feet on the Mount of
- 44:55Olives and established his throne in Jerusalem and the
- 44:58demons. Feel it, the demons know, their
- 45:00Bibles and they realize it's coming.
- 45:02Let's gather the Kings and they gather all the nations to come
- 45:06to Armageddon in Israel to fight against Christ.
- 45:10Who's the one energizing? These leaders demonic spirits.
- 45:14But who's really behind it? Go to Zechariah.
- 45:23I hope this was Stir you to see how exciting the Bible is in
- 45:27Zechariah Chapter 14. Another Prophecy of the end
- 45:30times. God speaks about the same
- 45:33battle. The battle of Armageddon.
- 45:37Verse 1 behold. The day is coming for the Lord
- 45:40when the spoil taken from you will be divided in your midst.
- 45:43Now look at this verse 24. I will gather all the nations
- 45:47against Jerusalem to battle and the city shall be taken, in the
- 45:51house has plundered. And the woman raped who is
- 45:53gathering the nation's I I will gather them but I just thought
- 45:59in Revelation, it was the demonic spirits.
- 46:02It's God giving the demonic spirits permission and these
- 46:05demons have leashes on them. Go go, tempt him and who's
- 46:10behind it? The same God behind the Battle
- 46:13of Gog, and Magog. He is.
- 46:15Sovereign, he's in control and the world is gonna be watching
- 46:19news headlines. And think this is crazy, this is
- 46:21out of control. And there is someone occupying a
- 46:23throne, that knows what's going to happen.
- 46:28So we realize that there's a spiritual element to this.
- 46:31You might be wondering, well, can you give me reasons why this
- 46:33is significant. I'll give you reasons.
- 46:35Number one. This battle is important because
- 46:38it proves that Satan wants to overthrow God's promises and
- 46:41plans you heard in Revelation 20, he is a tenacious fake
- 46:47confidence that he can actually obstruct an obscure.
- 46:51What God had said would happen. He did it with Egypt with Moses.
- 46:55A deliverer was going to be raised because Satan knew the
- 46:57years that were counting down before God took Israel out of
- 47:00Egypt and brought him into this land.
- 47:02And what did he do? You try to cause a massacre
- 47:04amongst the children, Then you have the greater Moses, the
- 47:07greater deliver, not from a place, but from our sins who is
- 47:11born in Bethlehem under the rule, and reign of who Herod,
- 47:14and what happens there? Another Massacre.
- 47:17Trying to do what eliminate the seed of the Messiah.
- 47:21Now that dispensation is over and we're in the church age and
- 47:24the gospel is being proclaimed to All Nations and that's
- 47:27Satan's men ambition to restrict to Halt to fight against the
- 47:31spreading of the Gospel but he has different purposes as well.
- 47:35And one of them is this if Jesus Christ said he would Rule and
- 47:39Reign physically in that land, do you think he's gonna have a
- 47:42problem with that land? I'll leave that for you to
- 47:48figure out. There's no wonder that.
- 47:52It's the hottest piece of real estate in the world.
- 47:55Today, there is no question why, there are so many and the four
- 48:00corners of the earth that have an opinion about this land.
- 48:05Because there's somebody else that realizes something that
- 48:09some professing Christians don't even believe that Christ will
- 48:12come and plant his feet and Rule with a rod of iron From that
- 48:17place. And guess what?
- 48:18Satan doesn't want. I want to rule and Reign this
- 48:21world. What is first, John 5, tell us
- 48:24that the world lies in the power of the evil one.
- 48:27And when Jesus comes, yes, he defeated him on the cross, but
- 48:30he's going to come and stick his rod in his face and say, I'm now
- 48:33ruling and reigning this world and Satan doesn't want that And
- 48:40he wants to make God look like a liar.
- 48:44And you had a lot of people had a different opinions about this
- 48:47whole subject that I'm presenting to you today before.
- 48:491948. When 1948 happen, some people
- 48:54went what? Be careful of using every
- 48:59headline to try to find it in in the Bible.
- 49:03Just stick with the word of God, and you'll be safe.
- 49:06But there's a second reason, God will use this war and 38, and 39
- 49:12of Ezekiel to display his glory to the world.
- 49:16Go to chapter 39 and look with me here in verse 21.
- 49:19After all is said, and done after this war is complete.
- 49:22Look What the Lord says. And 39:21, and I will set my
- 49:27glory among the Nations and all the nations shall see, my
- 49:32judgment, that I've executed and my hand that I have laid on
- 49:36them. For lunch, fill your belly.
- 49:41You probably skip breakfast today, I'm assuming most of you
- 49:43fill your belly. Take the time to read, Ezekiel,
- 49:4638, and 39, especially 38. When you read 38, you will
- 49:49realize that when God intervenes, it is a supernatural
- 49:51intervention. You will read that.
- 49:53He will use natural sources and Supernatural sources to.
- 49:57Actually, even bring this people, these enemies that are
- 49:59surrounding this land to such confusion where they actually
- 50:02now, commit Friendly Fire and start killing each other.
- 50:07And read carefully. You'll notice that Israel in
- 50:09this Ward does not lift one finger, And here this nation and
- 50:14the world will be watching and obvious intervention from
- 50:19heaven. And God declares when this
- 50:22happens and when it is all said and done, the Nations will not
- 50:25be able to debate that this was something apart from the
- 50:28natural. How did this happen?
- 50:32He'll fire these. These people that came together
- 50:36and I'm shooting each other. People are committing suicide on
- 50:38the hills of Israel. Wow.
- 50:42And God says, I'm going to display my glory through this
- 50:45judgment. Why?
- 50:47Because when you read Revelation you realize every catastrophe
- 50:50every super natural disaster, everything that has taken place
- 50:54is to cause the people to repent before it's too late to have one
- 50:58final chance before that Millennial Reign comes and
- 51:01before the Eternal judgment comes one chance and he'll use
- 51:03disasters and Supernatural intervention to get people's
- 51:05attention. He will display his glory and
- 51:07the world will have a choice to either say this book is true or
- 51:11I hate this. God.
- 51:15Read Revelation, you'll realize that even after all the signs,
- 51:18it says that the people will bite their tongues and Na and
- 51:21refuse to repent as they curse God.
- 51:25That's how Wicked we are. Apart from Christ.
- 51:29God will use this to display his glory to the world, but lastly
- 51:32and thirdly, God will use what Ezekiel prophesize here to get
- 51:37the attention of his people. Ezekiel 39, 21.
- 51:42Look at Ezekiel 39. 22 the house of Israel shall know that I am
- 51:45the Lord their God. From that day forward.
- 51:50From that day forward. Meaning what that after this
- 51:55takes place, God, moves on their behalf, they're going to look at
- 51:59one another and their hearts will begin to be stirred and
- 52:04then they're going to look up. And I believe this is the
- 52:07beginning of that work, that Paul speaks of in Romans 11,
- 52:11where they're going to realize that there is a God and maybe we
- 52:15miss this Messiah. They're going to recognize God,
- 52:20and that's interesting, right? Because between the period of
- 52:22the restoration of their land. And this moment many years have
- 52:25passed by many years have passed by But there is going to come a
- 52:31time with there will be a stirring in the spirit and God
- 52:34will use this to get their attention and say do you realize
- 52:38who I am now? Do you realize that despite your
- 52:42wickedness and your sin that I'm still keeping my promise to you?
- 52:49And then somehow the connections going to be made and Christ will
- 52:53be recognized. And Paul says, all Israel shall
- 52:55be saved. Not that, every Jew will be
- 52:57saved but that the nation of Israel as a whole, will
- 53:00recognize Jesus Christ as the anointed one.
- 53:05Why do I bring this message to you today?
- 53:08Because, for many reasons, one, I want you to look at things
- 53:12like Ezekiel, 38 and 39, not be intimidated by it.
- 53:15I want you to see the glory behind it.
- 53:17I want you to realize that the Bible has much to say about
- 53:19prophecy, things to come to pass and just whet your appetite,
- 53:22what? Your appetite not to be
- 53:23conspiracy theories or to again, look at every news blog and
- 53:26breaking news and say, ah, it's here.
- 53:28It's in this verse know not to do that, but to be encouraged by
- 53:32a reality of who we serve. And here's the reality, Isaiah,
- 53:3746:9, and 10. Remember the former things of
- 53:40old for? I am God and there is no other.
- 53:43I am God and there is none like me declaring the end from the
- 53:46beginning. And from ancient times things
- 53:49not yet done saying my counsel shall stand and I will
- 53:53accomplish all my purpose. You have a book that doesn't
- 54:00just tell you what has happened and what you're supposed to do
- 54:03today, but tells you what will happen?
- 54:06And Isaiah says that should be a reason for you to worship.
- 54:11Let me put it this way. if you're not right with God, you
- 54:16better get right with God. You better get right with God
- 54:21man. Because he has things planned in
- 54:25the future and they're already set.
- 54:28And the thing that you need to worry about more than whether
- 54:30this is going to happen before the tribulation mid-tribulation
- 54:33post tribulation and a millennium is, if you're on his
- 54:36side, So, are you? Let me encourage you everything
- 54:45that the prophet said about the first coming of Christ was that
- 54:47on? Do you think is going to mess up
- 54:49on the second one? You better get right with God.
- 54:55And I'll tell you how you get right with God.
- 54:59You received the Messiah. And I'll tell you about the
- 55:03Messiah. Whether your Jew or Gentile, you
- 55:09need him. The cross provides a level
- 55:15ground, we're all equal at the foot of it.
- 55:19Just because you are from a Jewish race, doesn't mean that
- 55:21you're more favored by God than anybody else.
- 55:24You need Christ, you need his saving work, don't be like the
- 55:28Pharisees and say Abraham is my father.
- 55:30You know how Jesus respond to that?
- 55:32He says, you know, you think so right now, actually, your father
- 55:34is the devil and whether your Jew or Gentile, if you put any
- 55:39other confidence in anything else except Christ, your father
- 55:42is the devil. You need to receive the Lord
- 55:45Jesus Christ, and I bring this word to you, from Ezekiel, to
- 55:48stir your heart, and realize things are coming to pass.
- 55:52Prophecy will be fulfilled. And the way things are looking.
- 55:56I'm out here setting day. So don't throw stones at me at
- 55:58lunch. You can see the budding of the
- 56:02Fig leaves. The platform, the stage is being
- 56:06set. It's no wonder that local
- 56:09churches of every denomination almost.
- 56:11It's going to the Book of Revelation, good for them.
- 56:14The preparing the people brother isn't the Rapture going to take
- 56:19place and we're going to escape all this.
- 56:26I hope for a pre-trib Rapture but I'm preparing for a mid one.
- 56:34Whatever. Hold of the Rapture you have,
- 56:37you still need to get right with Christ.
- 56:40Because there's nothing in the Bible that says that just
- 56:42because you hold to a pre-trib, Rapture view that you won't
- 56:44suffer before then, And so I make a call from this text for
- 56:52you to repent and believe on the Lord, Jesus Christ, because he
- 56:55is set history, and his prophetic calendar and nobody
- 56:59will change it. In fact, when you read Ezekiel,
- 57:0138 at lunch, with your friends, you're going to see that even
- 57:05through the prophet. The God calls the people to
- 57:08remember that. He said this prophetic word.
- 57:10He's like, don't you realize that I said this, don't you
- 57:13realize that I already declared this from a bold, don't you
- 57:16realize that God was the one that I spoke about many years
- 57:18ago? He says that in the text.
- 57:21Why is prophecy given just to piqued our interest?
- 57:24Just so we can hide in our basements just so we can have
- 57:26some conversation and some debate.
- 57:28No, I'll tell you one reason why we understand prophecy and it's
- 57:31found in the book of First. John, you don't have to turn
- 57:33there but listen to John 3:2. Beloved we are God's children
- 57:38now and what will it be? Has not yet appeared.
- 57:41But we know that when he appears we shall be like him because we
- 57:44shall see him as he is now look and everyone who thus hopes in
- 57:48him purifies himself as he is pure.
- 57:51If you hope, if you believe that he's going to return, there's a
- 57:55purifying work in that belief, a purifying work and understand
- 57:59that I'm going to see him face-to-face, he's going to come
- 58:02and he's going to deal with Israel and he's gonna deal with
- 58:04the Gentiles and it's not about him having this political view
- 58:07and he believes that Israel should have these neighborhoods
- 58:09and Palace. I know it's about his character,
- 58:14his faithfulness. What he has said and it's all
- 58:17about the gospel underneath. It's all about the Gospel of
- 58:20Jesus Christ. It's all about even a text, like
- 58:24this to draw your heart to him, and to realize that things are
- 58:27going to happen. And you need to get ready.
- 58:30So, how do you Pur your purify yourself?
- 58:32Well, if you're a Christian, you sanctify Yourself by the spirit,
- 58:35but if you're not a Christian, the only way you can be pure in
- 58:38the side of Christ is receiving his blood.
- 58:41Being washed by his blood. See you coming to Christ is not
- 58:45you doing something to impress him Christ.
- 58:48Took your place and he impressed the father on your behalf and he
- 58:53took your judgment and he took your wrath and he took your hell
- 58:57and he made the payment for your iniquities and he calls you to
- 59:00embrace him and believe that you have nothing within yourself to
- 59:04offer God to have eternal life. But Christ himself, your gift of
- 59:09Salvation is all that God. There's so you receive that
- 59:13gift, you Embrace that gift. And as you embrace it, the right
- 59:16attitude is I don't want the sin that put him on the cross.
- 59:20I don't want the sin that Grieves him to be a part of my
- 59:22life. So you repent of your sin and
- 59:24you walk with Jesus from a place of approval.
- 59:26Not for approval. Have you done that yet?
- 59:30Have you done that yet? What are you waiting for another
- 59:33pandemic? What are you waiting for another
- 59:37lockdown? What are you waiting for the
- 59:39mark of the beast? if we're going to be there for
- 59:42that, What are we waiting for? Today is the day of salvation.
- 59:52Yeah, many people say ridiculous things.
- 59:53Well, if the Rapture happens, I don't know.
- 59:54This whole thing is real and then I'll accept Christ really.
- 59:58That's your plan. You clearly haven't read the
- 1:00:02book of Revelation to realize, you have trouble going into a
- 1:00:06store without your mask and people yelling at you to put it
- 1:00:08over your nose. Huh?
- 1:00:10What happens when you can't buy food or drink unless you have
- 1:00:13the mark of the beast on your hand or your forehead?
- 1:00:17What happens when you can't get even your supply of food?
- 1:00:20Because you have not made your allegiance to the Antichrist?
- 1:00:24You know, you're gonna have people on that day in their
- 1:00:26living rooms, looking at their Starving Children.
- 1:00:30The ribs are starting to show, it's been three days, four days
- 1:00:32three weeks now without food, just water and pieces of bread.
- 1:00:35And they're going to make a decision honey.
- 1:00:37Let's just take the mark. Our kids are dying here.
- 1:00:42Let's just do this and get it over with we're dying.
- 1:00:46See, the Antichrist is so pathetic that he can't win the
- 1:00:50hearts of the People. Like Jesus Does that he has to
- 1:00:53coerce them and pressure them and use an incentive like food
- 1:00:56and water. He's so desperate for worship
- 1:00:59the devil. He's so that's why we see him
- 1:01:02with such intensity wanted to restrict Christ from coming in,
- 1:01:05fulfilling his plan. Jesus Christ is coming.
- 1:01:09Let's pray and prepare our hearts.
- 1:01:25Father, thank you for stirring our hearts through a text that
- 1:01:29perhaps would have intimidated us or hold no significance or
- 1:01:32value to our present-day life. Lord, thank you that in the
- 1:01:36cross. There is no Jew or Gentile.
- 1:01:42Thank you. That in the New Covenant.
- 1:01:44We Are All One. And we are equal in your sight.
- 1:01:48Thank you that according to Roman's 11.
- 1:01:50We are grafted into the Olive Tree as Gentiles.
- 1:01:54Thank you that you've used what seemed to look like a failure
- 1:01:58when the Messiah came to his own and they did not receive him to
- 1:02:02actually give us a chance to be a part of your family.
- 1:02:05Lord, we pray that in this place.
- 1:02:07We would realize that we serve the God.
- 1:02:09Who knows the end from the beginning.
- 1:02:12Who is declared the end from the start?
- 1:02:15Who knows what will happen before it even happens?
- 1:02:17And has told us about it. Lord, we rejoice in you, we
- 1:02:20rejoice in you, God, and we pray for the present crisis and
- 1:02:24Israel with Palestine. And we ask for one thing souls
- 1:02:27to be saved. People to come to the knowledge
- 1:02:29of Jesus Christ. People to realize that apart
- 1:02:33from Christ, there is no peace whether in land or in their
- 1:02:36hearts. And so, both Jew.
- 1:02:40Gentile israeli-palestinian and everybody be on.
- 1:02:45That may they see the need for Christ, The Prince of Peace,
- 1:02:49Lord. In this place together, we
- 1:02:50rejoice in knowing that we are on your side by faith.
- 1:02:53Through Grace. We will be on the side of
- 1:02:57victory at the end of it all. Thank you, Lord, that you are
- 1:03:00the all-knowing. God and Lord.
- 1:03:02If you know, what will take place in the Middle East many
- 1:03:05years from now, you know, what will take place in our own
- 1:03:07lives? You have a plan for each of us
- 1:03:10and Lord. We pray that we would not be
- 1:03:12like the foolish virgins and not take up all you'll especially in
- 1:03:16these days where it is getting dark and help us.
- 1:03:19Lord be Faithful Servants with all.
- 1:03:21That is happening in the world. Lord, we come to you and rejoice
- 1:03:24in your presence for you are the God who speaks and Jesus name,
- 1:03:28we pray. Amen.
- 1:03:29And amen. Let's stand and Worship the Lord
- 1:03:31together with with a sense of rejoicing knowing that even in a
- 1:03:35short prophecy like this, we know so much about who God is.