Transcript

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It really is amazing to think that you and I, for the past few
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months and hopefully in the months to come, are looking at a
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book that predicts the future. Just think about that.
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We're looking at God's claims and his predictions and his
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foreshadowings of what is yet to come.
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That that thought alone is mind boggling.
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And we will continue to do that today as we come now to the Book
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of Revelation and open up chapter 14.
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Please meet me there in Revelation chapter 14.
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We have spent three Sundays in chapter 13 alone.
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And if you've been with us, then I'm sure that you would agree
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that what is presented in that chapter is quite weighty and
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sobering in terms of prophecy. And if we're not careful, we can
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easily allow the truths in it to instill distress and angst as we
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consider the condition of the world as it approaches its end.
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I mean, to think that one single man will have success in
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deceiving the nation's to become a concentration camp on a global
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scale is alarming. But thanks be to God that
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Revelation chapter 13 is not the final chapter of this book.
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As we come to this new chapter, you'll realize that the very
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introduction is presented in a way that quickly extinguishes
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any fear or any kind of misconceptions that the visions
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presented before concerning the two beasts might have created.
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And the way this new chapter does that is by giving us a
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preview, a trailer of the reign of Christ and the triumph of the
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Saints with Him. But before we look at these
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things in greater detail, we have to remember that although
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the Book of Revelation is framed chronologically, it does not
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follow a rigid linear sequence of events like many other books,
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especially the prophetic ones. Sometimes the author, led by the
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Holy Spirit, steps in and out of the timeline in order to convey
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a message or present a theme. So there are moments where
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sometimes you're reading prophetic literature and it
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seems like things are unfolding in order and all of a sudden in
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the next scene, you're taken back to the past or it fast
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forwards again to the future. Because there's something that
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you and I need to be aware of that's coming ahead in order to
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clarify something that we are engaging with in the moment.
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And that's exactly what Revelation 14 is all about.
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John is giving us a glimpse of Christ, his Kingdom, his reign,
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his people, his victory, in order to encourage his people
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today in order to speak to us at this point.
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They have not yet been realized in the prophetic timeline of
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Revelation, but he reaches ahead and brings it to this juncture
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in order, you and I to be reminded, oh, it's not going to
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end with the reign of the Antichrist.
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He's not going to have the final say.
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He's not going to have total and lasting victory.
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Let's not forget that the horrible events of Revelation
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chapter 13 take place within 3 1/2 years in that time span,
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because Revelation 13 five says that the beast will exercise
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authority for 42 months. But what we're going to see now,
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as we read these first few verses is the end of the Great
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Tribulation. We got a taste of what's going
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to happen in the latter portion of it in Revelation 13.
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And now in these opening words, we're going to see what's going
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to take place at the consummation, at the completion,
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at the end. And it will replace any dread,
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any concern, any fear, with thrill and with hope.
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Let's look at the first 5 verses together.
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Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and
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with them 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name
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written on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven,
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like the roar of many waters, and like the sound of loud
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Thunder. The voice I heard was like the
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sound of harpist playing on their harps, and they were
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singing a new song before the throne and before the four
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living creatures and before the elders.
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No one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been
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redeemed from the earth. It is these who have not defiled
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themselves with women, for they are virgins.
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It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes.
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These have been redeemed from mankind as first fruits for God
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and the Lamb. And in their mouth no lie was
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found, for they are blameless. Let's pray together, Lord.
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We can feel the force of these verses just by reading them, but
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we pray for greater power as we understand it through
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explanation and proclamation. We pray, Lord, that we would
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become like this group that we're about to read about who
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followed wherever the Lamb went. We want to follow wherever the
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Lamb goes. And we pray that you would use
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this message to inspire us to live with that ultimate
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ambition. We pray these things in the name
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of the Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.
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So if you remember, one of the outcomes that are difficult to
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come to terms with regarding the global reign of the Antichrist
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is that he will be allowed to make war on the Saints and to
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conquer them. That's what we find in verse 7
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of Revelation 13. And we left a question then, to
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what extent will the Antichrist have domination over the people
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of God? And what this chapter shows us
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is that as impressive as the Antichrist empire might be, he
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will not have complete victory. He will not be able to totally
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annihilate Christian witness, the light of the gospel in that
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dark hour of human history, the darkest hour.
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And one way that this is demonstrated is by the Holy
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Spirit reintroducing to us the 144,000.
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We remember them, right? We learn about them back in
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Chapter 7. They describe a select group of
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Jewish believers who were saved early in the Tribulation period.
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And because they were saved early, God took steps in order
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to safeguard them from the troubles and the judgments that
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would come ahead because they would be set apart to serve a
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particular purpose on the earth, very likely to be a witness to
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the rest of the nation of Israel and to the world.
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Go to Chapter 7 and let's see what God did for this group of
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people in order to protect them ahead.
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Revelation Chapter 7, verse 2 and 3.
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John says, Then I saw another Angel ascending from the rising
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of the sun with the seal of the living God, and he called with a
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loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm
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earth and sea, saying, Do not harm the earth or the sea or the
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trees until we have sealed the servants of our God on their
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foreheads. Then he goes on to describe the
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144,012 thousand from distinct tribes of Israel.
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Now whatever the seal was, whatever the seal will be, we
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know for certain that it is meant to shield this group of
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people, that they would be untouched specifically by the
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judgments of God that would be unleashed from this point
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forward. And this tells us something
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significant because we read about them in Chapter 7, they
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reappear in chapter 14. And what do we discover about
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the 144,000? If Chapter 7 was about them
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early in the tribulation, being saved, being sealed so that they
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would be protected. Now we come to chapter 14 and
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we're looking at the end of the tribulation.
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What do we discover? Not one of them was lost, not
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one. With all the tribulation, with
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all the tragedies, with all the trauma, God did not lose a
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single one of them. It doesn't say that there were
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139,999 standing on Mount Zion. 144,000 You know what that tells
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me? Whomever God seals, he secures.
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That's what that tells me. And if you think, well, this has
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to be some special privilege for this distinct group of people in
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the future, you're dead wrong. May I remind you of the promise
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in Ephesians 1? You know this very well.
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Just sit back and hear it again because it's your inheritance.
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Ephesians one, verse 13 to 14 in him.
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Oh, Paul loves to use that in him.
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He wants to talk about what it's like to be in Christ.
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Listen what he says at this point in him.
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You also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of
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your salvation and believed in him.
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So pause. If you heard the pure gospel and
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if you believed in him and believed in that message, this
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is your inheritance. What is it?
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We're sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.
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How do I feel the seal? Whether you feel it or not
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doesn't matter. It's by faith you were sealed
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with the promised Holy Spirit. To what end?
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Verse 14. Who is the guarantee of our
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inheritance? You know what that word means?
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Down payment. Who is the guarantee of our
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inheritance until we acquire possession of it to the praise
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of His glory. On my way here, or earlier this
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morning rather, my mind went to the words of Jesus in John
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chapter 6 when He defined what the will of God was for Him and
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His mission. Listen to John 6 verse 39.
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And this is the will of him who sent me.
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Let me ask you this, if you were to explain to somebody, hey,
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what's what was the will of God the Father for Jesus Christ his
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Son as He came to the earth, what would you say to die on the
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cross for our sins? Surely that's the safest answer.
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That's the most glorious answer, but it's more than that.
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He goes on to say that I should lose nothing of all that He has
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given me, but raise it up on the last day.
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You understand this? Christ didn't just come to save
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us, He came to secure us. Which means if you are His, you
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will be raised on the last day. He won't overlook any single one
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of us. He won't forget any one of us.
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He has you and your name in mind up to that final moment when all
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things will be made new, including yourself.
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He will not lose 1. He did not lose 1.
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And if it was true for them, surely it is true for us.
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Now with many parts, like with many parts of the Book of
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Revelation, there is some debate about the verses that we read
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primarily with the location of the vision that John is
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experiencing. Before we read about the Lamb
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and the 144,000 he mentions how they stood on Mount Zion.
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Now many believe that John here is seeing a vision of heaven,
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and they equate Mount Zion here with what you read in Hebrews
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chapter 12, verse 22, where Mount Zion is a reference for
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heaven, a component of the spiritual heavenly realm.
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So they make that automatic connection.
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But there are two reasons why Mount Zion can't mean heaven in
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this instance #1 if the scene was in heaven, then that would
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imply that the 144,000 died and went there.
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But then that would put into question the seal that they
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received back in Chapter 7, and it might even call into question
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God's protective power. Moreover, look at the language
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in the beginning here at verse 2, where John says, and I heard
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a voice from heaven. Again, this suggests that he's
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not in heaven in this vision. He's on the earth and he's
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hearing something from above. He's hearing something in a
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parallel world. It's from heaven.
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He's not in heaven. So if Mount Zion here does not
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speak about the dwelling place of God above, then what does it
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refer to? And if you were there yesterday,
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then you're going to hear it again.
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This is where the Old Testament helps us illustrate and
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understand passages in the new over and over again.
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The prophets of old when proclaiming what Messiah would
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accomplish, the Savior, the Anointed 1 frequently what is
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brought up is that part of his victorious arrival is that He
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will rule and reign from physical Jerusalem, that He will
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establish His headquarters on where Mount Zion.
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So listen to these words. I'm going to just quote 3
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passages. There are many, but listen to
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these notable ones. I mean, how can you miss Psalm
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chapter 2 verse 6? As for me, I've set my king on
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Zion, my holy hill. Isaiah 2421 and 23 On that day
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the Lord will punish the host of heaven in heaven and the kings
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of the earth On the earth they'll be gathered together as
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prisoners in a pit. They'll be shut up in a prison,
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and after many days they shall or they will be punished.
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Then the moon will be confounded and the sun ashamed.
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For the Lord of hosts reigns on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and
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his glory will be before his elders.
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If it wasn't clear, listen to the words of Micah.
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Micah chapter 4, verse six to seven in that day.
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Notice they're speaking about the day to come.
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In that day, declares the Lord, I will assemble the lame, and
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gather those who have been driven away, and those whom I've
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afflicted, and the lame I will make the remnant and those who
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are cast off a strong nation, and the Lord will reign over
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them. Where?
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In Mount Zion, from this time forth and forevermore.
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Is there any wonder why there's so much contention around that
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piece of real estate even now? You think this is political?
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We're a spiritual people, and the Bible tells us that there is
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good and evil, the Kingdom of darkness and the Kingdom of
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light. There's a spiritual battle going
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on, and we see it here. Jesus Christ, the risen Savior,
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has his eyes on Jerusalem because he's going to rule from
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there. Whether you like it or not, He
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will. And what John is seeing here is
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a fast forwarded vision. He is seeing a preview again of
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how Christ will fulfill those very prophecies.
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What do we learn from this? John is completely consistent
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with the Old Testament. He's in concert with these
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prophecies and he's giving us a preview of the same truth.
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And the reason it's mentioned at this point is to remind us again
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that the empire of the Antichrist will not adore.
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It will be overthrown. There will come a time when
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Christ descends and put an end to all these things, and He will
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establish His millennial reign for 1000 years.
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But the sight of the millennial reign is not the only thing that
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captivates John. He goes from seeing the Lamb
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with the 144,000 standing with him on Mount Zion to a sound.
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He hears something. And what is it that he hears?
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We'll look again at verse 2 and 3, And I heard a voice from
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heaven, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of
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loud Thunder. The voice I heard was like the
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sound of harpists playing on their harps, and they were
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singing a new song before the throne and before the four
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living creatures and before the elders.
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So as he has this vision that's so clear and so consistent with
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the Old Testament especially, the next thing that catches his
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attention is this swelling sound from heaven.
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There is this overflowing praise from above that's spilling unto
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the earth, because now heaven and earth is seeing Christ
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ruling and reigning. Now the manifestation of His
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Kingdom has arrived, and all of heaven rejoices because of it.
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And it makes you wonder whether in the millennial reign, at the
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end of the Tribulation, when Christ does descend and rule for
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that period of time, if there will be some kind of awareness
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or special connection between heaven and earth.
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It's one thing to just think about, I think.
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And as tempting as it is to explore that further, there is
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something else that really stands out in this passage.
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Not only that John hears this song, but he realizes that there
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is a select group who alone can learn it and sing it with them.
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So it's not this corporate thing where everybody is involved.
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Yes, all of heaven is rejoicing, but on earth there's only one
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group who participates. Look again at the last part of
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verse 3. No one could learn that song
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except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.
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You know, at face value, your first reaction might be that's
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not fair. Why am I restricted from
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learning this melody and learning these lyrics?
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And I think we have the answer at the very last part of the
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last statement there in verse three.
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Look at it again, who had been redeemed from the earth?
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Now again, at first, that may be a description that includes
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anybody who's been saved by Christ, right?
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I've been redeemed from the earth.
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I'm delivered. I'm no longer a part of this
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world and its system. So.
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So isn't this for me as well? Well, the meaning of that
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phrase, according to the context, is not exactly that.
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More accurately, this is a more specific redemption that John is
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conveying. Again, it's the 144,000 who had
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been redeemed from the earth, meaning that what John is
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describing is the preservation and the ultimate deliverance of
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this group during the Great Tribulation.
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It's their own unique deliverance, their own unique
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salvation, not the salvation that we can partake in, but a
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salvation from the horrors and the terrors of the Tribulation
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period. In other words, the privilege of
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this participation is the outcome of the testimony of the
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144,000 who endured much during that period of time as God's
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faithful servants. And so they are singing in great
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part from their experience, and that's why they alone can sing
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it now. It's making a little bit more
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sense. And the lesson from this, when
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that is unlocked, is so moving. And I really do pray that it
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blesses you as it blessed me. All the pain, all the suffering,
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all the anguish, all the loss, all the betrayal, all the doubt,
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all the fear, all the loss that you and I encounter in this
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life, especially those that we believe to be uniquely ours.
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Like nobody else is going through what I'm going through.
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Nobody knows the feelings that I'm feeling.
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You know what I get from this verse?
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All of that will one day become something you sing about.
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That's what we see here. Yeah.
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You have to understand they were sealed.
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But they weren't completely sheltered from all the
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nightmarish realities of the Tribulation period.
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There's some debate to what extent they were sealed from.
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I'm not going to get into that. But what is clear here is that
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they are singing on the other side of their sorrow.
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They are singing from the place of being totally redeemed and
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realizing that God was faithful to us in these past years of the
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most scrutinizing and horrible moments of human history.
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Now, the Bible does teach us that there are songs that we can
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and should sing in the midst of our tribulation, right?
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You see with Paul and Silas where they're shackled in the
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jail in Philippi and they're singing hymns.
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But the Bible also does teach us that there's a song that awaits
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us on the other side of suffering, that there are
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special lyrics and a special tune when all things are said
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and done. And in this case the 144,000
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have their own song. But all surely we will be able
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to to rejoice when every kind of suffering imaginable is subdued
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by the Lamb. And you and I for endless days
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will be outside of its reach. If you are heavy laden today, if
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you are hanging by a thread, if you're in Christ, one day you'll
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sing about it. Well, let's continue to read
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here what we find in Revelation 14.
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In verse 4 it says it is these who have not defiled themselves
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with women, for they are virgins.
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It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes.
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These have been redeemed from mankind as firstfruits for God
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and the Lamb, and in their mouth no lie was found, for they are
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blameless. So again, all of this is meant
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to encourage the reader. Just coming out of Revelation
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chapter 13, Christ will defeat the Antichrist.
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Every sorrow and sin will be placed with a heavenly song.
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And no matter how much evil seems to gain control of this
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world, Christ will stand on Mount Zion.
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And so it's looking ahead. And yet, before we move on to
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the next section, which we won't touch on today, something
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special is added. We go from seeing the 144,000.
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Not one is lost, and every single one of them are singing
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on Mount Zion with the Lamb. But then we receive a
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description of their character and their convictions.
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Three times John says it is these, it is these, it is these.
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He wants us to know something about them even before we see
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them on Mount Zion triumphant. Why is he doing that?
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I believe in great part to show us that there was a measure of
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victory that was displayed even during the great Tribulation,
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that although Christians were haunted and they were killed and
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they were massacred, John wants to let us know, let us know that
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this 144,000 lived a certain way during that time and that
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demonstrated a level of victory. And here's here's what this
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means for us. These details, if we look at
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them carefully, teaches us something about how you and I
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can overcome the spirit of the Antichrist today.
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I firmly believe that because again, we have to be reminded of
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this, we're looking ahead. But the spirit of this wicked
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tyrant, the Bible tells us, is still an operation.
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It always has been since the days of Christ manipulating and
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perverting and influencing and infiltrating.
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And this is will be the climax where that spirit now takes
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flesh and blood and does what it wants for a period of time.
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So I'm looking at these verses of what the 144,000 were like.
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These were, these were, these were, these are.
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And I think to myself, OK, I'm sure that there is something
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here for me to be able to display some level of victory
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with all the garbage that's around us today.
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There are three things that stand out, three things that we
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have to consider. The first thing that's
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highlighted is their sexual purity.
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Do you and I want to overcome the spirit of the Antichrist,
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all the temptation and filth that he projects and pollutes
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with? Well, I see how the 144,000 were
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able to. It says here in verse four that
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it is these who have been, who have not been defiled or have
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not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins.
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You know, when we think about the Tribulation period, most
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people limit the darkness of that time to the disasters that
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will break out, to the wars that will cause calamity and
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devastation. But you and I also have to
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remember that with every kind of upheaval in that generation,
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there will be new levels of darkness in terms of sin, in
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terms of temptation, in terms of perversion.
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Think about it. You have the Antichrist ruling
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and reigning. Don't make the mistake in
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thinking that people will be so preoccupied with their daily
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survival that they're going to stop sinning or sin less.
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In case you don't believe me, scroll back to Revelation 9 to
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be reminded of some of the things that will take place in
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the most turbulent moments that we have ever known.
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Revelation 9, verse 21. The Lord makes us remark.
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Nor did they repent of their murders.
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People are going to be murdering during this time, or their
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sorceries. There's going to be people
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practicing witchcraft during this time, or their sexual
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immorality, or their thefts. It shouldn't be too difficult to
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grasp that there will be new levels of indecency and lewdness
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that will be practiced and promoted in these final years.
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But even with this heightened temptation and allurements and
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lusts, apparently the 144,000. Will not.
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Defile themselves and probably the most difficult place to
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remain pure. And that's our sexuality.
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That's John's evidences in verse 4.
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Now there's debate about this. Is this talking about a
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spiritual purity, a spiritual virginity?
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And the reason why there's debate about that is because it
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seems as though John is condemning sexual relations even
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within the confines of marriage, right?
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Because he says they didn't defile themselves with women,
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which might be clue that this 144,000 are predominantly men.
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Again, that's debated. No, it's really more spiritual.
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OK, let's go, let's go with the more literal here and see how
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it's possible. And that they are virgins.
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So more than just men, perhaps they they don't ever get
27:00
married. So in order to avoid perhaps a
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condemnation towards marriage itself, people like to say that
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this is more about a spiritual purity and spiritual chastity.
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But hold on, there are many ways that that can be defined.
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And is it totally unrealistic for these individuals to
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actually be virgins without a condemning marriage?
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Again, marriage is not in view here.
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What's in view here is that these specific people did not
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corrupt themselves sexually. And the Bible even shows us in
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different places how in distressing times especially, we
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have to prioritize our values and our pursuits as the people
27:48
of God. Let me give you one example.
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You've probably heard teachings about marriage and relationships
27:54
from First Corinthians 7. I've said this before, it's
27:56
worth repeating. You have to be extremely careful
27:59
how you apply First Corinthians 7.
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Why? Because it hinges upon and it
28:03
orbits around 1 contextual point.
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The Corinthian church was going through something when Paul was
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giving those instructions. Listen to what he says in First
28:13
Corinthians 7 verse 26. I think that in view of the
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present distress, it is good for a person to remain as he is.
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Verse 27, are you bound to a wife?
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Do not seek to be free. Are you free from a wife?
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Do not seek a wife. You know how they can be
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misapplied. So all these surrounding verses
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and you're teaching on marriage and then you come to this point
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and say don't seek a wife if you can stay single.
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That's the most the most spiritual thing you can do.
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Hold on. Read verse 26 in light of the
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present distress. Whatever the Corinthians were
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experiencing, most believe it was intense persecution.
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What Paul is saying is, hey, maybe this is not the best time
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to look for a wife and plan a wedding.
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Your life is in danger. You might have to relocate as a
29:04
as a church. You might have to hide for some
29:07
time. Do you remember what Jesus said
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when he pronounced woes concerning the Tribulation and
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the great Tribulation period? How difficult it will be for
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families and nursing mothers, let me remind you, in Matthew
29:18
2419. And alas, the Lord says, and
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alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing
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infants in those days. So it's not so strange as a
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concept then to read about this 144,000 who chose, recognizing
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that they were the first fruits of God's work among the nation
29:36
of Israel to say, you know, we understand that we are in the
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final moments. Let's remain unmarried and in
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their unmarried state, they did not defile themselves with
29:51
women. Here's what moved me.
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If 144,000 more likely men, we can debate.
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Let's just say men for now. We're able to remain undefiled
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in the most corrupt era of human history.
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Can't you and I remain pure today if it was possible?
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Well, they seem a little bit like more like super Christians,
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really. Are they less human than you?
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They might have a unique seal. Aren't we sealed?
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Is the Bible being poetic about purity or is it possible?
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That's what I want to know, and here's what I've discovered.
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It's possible because the Bible says it's possible.
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And here's an illustration of it.
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There was a group in the final moments of human history who are
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able to remain focused, strong, Worshipful in their sexuality.
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And we'll get more to that in a moment.
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But we have to look here to the second thing that stands out
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about how they were able to demonstrate victory even while
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it seemed like the Antichrist had victory.
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It's their unreserved devotion. We looked at their sexual
31:07
purity, but look now to their unreserved devotion.
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In the middle there a verse 4 we read.
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It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes.
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Oh, I want to frame that statement somewhere.
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What a remarkable thing to say about anybody.
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And you have to remember this is a summary of their devotion in
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the Tribulation period. And most of the world at the
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latter portion of that period will be following the Antichrist
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up all his deception. We'll be betraying all truth.
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We'll be worshipping a man. We'll be living in their sin.
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We'll be doing all these heinous things.
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And while most of the world is headed in One Direction, this
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group, according to this verse, are following the Lamb wherever
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he goes. Wherever the Lamb says you go,
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they went. Whatever the Lamb said you're
31:59
going to do, they did. It was a.
32:02
Complete commitment to. The cause of Christ when
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literally everything around you. There was not one nation you can
32:09
escape to. There was no refuge there.
32:14
Was no hint here of an America like we know it today according
32:18
to Bible prophecy, all nations will be under a spell and there
32:22
will be nowhere to hide but this group they're.
32:28
Marching to a different drummer. And the fact?
32:32
That Christ is referred. Tier, tier to year as a lamb of
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all things. A lamb implies that it is his
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humility, it is his sacrifice, it is his innocence that's being
32:41
imitated by this group. This does make you want to pray
32:45
something. It made me want to pray
32:46
something. Lord I, and I mean this
32:48
sincerely, I would love for it to be said of me that He
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followed the Lamb wherever he goes.
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So countercultural. That everybody's being swept up
33:00
with this trend and they're believing these ideas and
33:03
they're falling for this frenzy. But that man.
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He has the lamb. Before him at all times.
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Make that your prayer. Lord, wherever you go, I want to
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go. However you lead, I will follow.
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Whatever you want me to do, I will do it.
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On a side note, did you? Notice how in that same
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statement says here that they've been redeemed from mankind as
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first fruits for God and the Lamb.
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Now again. There are those who prefer
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spiritualizing passages like this, and one of the things that
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they like to do with 144,000 is that this is a symbolic number
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which identifies the totality of God's people.
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And there are many reasons why. That can't be the case, and one
33:48
of them is what we find here. If they are speaking about the
33:52
sum of the redeemed, why are they mentioned as the first
33:56
fruits at this juncture? That's a strange way of speaking
34:00
about the totality of something. And again, if we just honor the
34:05
literal interpretation of these verses, then we understand that
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this 144,000 are Jewish believers and they.
34:15
Were saved early in the. Tribulation as a form of pledge,
34:20
as the first fruits that's predicting a greater harvest to
34:24
come in which God will reap according to Romans 11, all
34:29
Israel will be saved So what we find here with this 145,000 is
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the beginnings, it's the budding of a greater promise to come and
34:39
so even. In this we have yet.
34:41
Another layer of encouragement that what God promised centuries
34:45
ago, millennials ago, what we find even in the New Testament
34:49
has not been forgotten. God will save the people that he
34:54
had made a covenant with, with Abraham.
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And it's starting here. So it just do you see what's
35:00
happening? We're being having encouragement
35:01
heaped upon us, heaping of these truths layered.
35:05
And there's one more. Thing to consider about this.
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Group it is. That they are blameless in.
35:11
Their testimony verse 5 And in their mouth no lie was found,
35:16
for they are blameless. So in an age of incredible
35:20
deception. At a time of.
35:24
Propagating all these falsehoods by the Antichrist, there will be
35:28
a group of truth tellers. There will be a group that are
35:31
going to refreshingly tell you what God's Word says who will
35:36
not waver with the true gospel, who will give you exactly what
35:40
the Lord has laid out in His eternal Word.
35:43
So again, what John is doing here is describing the 144,000
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to show us that there is a threat of victory in the
35:49
tribulation period. Not just at the end of it.
35:51
There is a great victory to come, but even during it there
35:55
was this group who didn't lie with their mouths.
36:01
And if we want to do our. Part to combat that evil spirit
36:06
it seems to. Be more rampant than ever.
36:09
The may we be. Truth tellers as.
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Well, I have nothing to apologize for with the truth.
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I want to be. Faithful with the truth.
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I want to be faithful when I sit across a coffee table with a
36:20
friend who is justifying sin and to say with love in my eyes, but
36:24
this is what God's Word says. I want to say it, God forbid.
36:29
Should there ever come a day where there's pressure from
36:31
people to conform this church to be something apart from what God
36:34
had said to say, but this is what God has said.
36:40
There was no lie found. In their mouth, and they were
36:43
blameless because of it. And if you're sitting here today
36:46
yearning to reflect the purity and the devotion of this group,
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I want to give you some good news.
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I don't think it's accidental that out of all the things that
36:53
could be said of Christ, the title the Lamb appears three
36:57
times in this one section. The Lamb, the lamb, the lamb.
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Telling us many things and one of the.
37:04
Things that encourages me for and about is that again, if I'm
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looking at this and I'm saying, oh, I want to I want that same
37:12
resume. If I can use that word, that
37:14
same portfolio, that same kind of summary of my life, then I
37:18
must draw. I must draw from the love of the
37:21
lamb. I must realize the the promises
37:26
and the empowerment that is available through the sacrifice
37:28
of the Lamb I. Must have a fresh revelation.
37:32
Of what the Savior has done by becoming a man and laying his
37:37
life down like a lamb and trusting that even even in his
37:41
humility, even in his innocence, even in his personal sacrifice,
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He will empower me to walk in it.
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The Lamb and. In God's Providence, we.
37:54
Approach the Lord's Table today to be reminded about that facet
37:58
of our Messiah that he took on flesh, that he shed his blood
38:03
and he was innocently led, took place of sacrifice because He
38:08
loves us. He loved us.
38:11
Enough to lay his life. Down.
38:13
And he loves us enough to promise to keep us until the
38:15
end. Let's celebrate that together.
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Father, we ask that. You make these truths real to
38:39
us. We long to be pure.
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We long to be devoted without reservation, we long to be
38:49
blameless in our testimony, and we know that none of those
38:53
things are available or achievable apart from the
38:56
starting point of what you have done as the Lamb of God.
39:05
Thank you for those who have put their faith.
39:06
In you today, we get to taste again.
39:11
That you have saved. Us and you will secure us until
39:13
the end. Receive glory from this time of
39:16
rejoicing, knowing that not only have you justified us forever,
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but that these are the same means by which you can empower
39:24
us to imitate and follow the Lamb.
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We ask these things in Jesus name.
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Amen. Amen.
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Let's stand, Let's worship. And let's prepare our hearts.
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To eat together.