Participants: Jim Reinking
Series Code: LDS
Program Code: LDS000005
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00:34 Tonight, I come with exciting news.
00:38 It is a news that there is answer 00:40 to the complexity of problems and difficulties 00:43 that there is a final solution 00:45 to the misery, suffering and pain 00:47 that we face on planet earth. 00:49 It is the news that it will all come 00:51 to an end at the coming of Jesus. 00:53 My friend, this really is our only hope. 00:57 You know, the Bible emphasizes the coming of Jesus 00:59 over and over again. 01:01 Of the-- of the 41 recorded parables of Jesus 01:05 19 refer specifically to His return, 19 out of 41. 01:11 It is mentioned a thousand times throughout the Bible 01:14 and in the New Testament 1:25 speaks of His return. 01:19 Furthermore the Bible records 300 distinctive prophecies 01:24 in reference to the coming of our Lord. 01:27 Indeed, it is mentioned so often that 01:29 an individual cannot really claim to be a Christian 01:32 without earnestly yet joyously looking forward to Jesus coming. 01:37 And my friend, it is going to be the greatest 01:40 and most joyous experience we can imagine. 01:45 And I want to begin with the promise of it, 01:47 that we have it in the Bible 01:49 beginning with the words of Jesus and John 14, 01:52 the New Testament page 85. 01:55 John 14:2-3, Jesus is coming to the end of His ministry, 02:01 this is the upper room experience, 02:03 this is the setting 02:05 in which these words were spoken. 02:06 The next day Jesus was crucified. 02:08 So you know, you and I know, 02:10 that the words that Jesus spoke on this occasion 02:13 are of specific input to every Christian. 02:17 And He was sharing with His disciples 02:19 how He is going to be leaving them. 02:20 You can read that in chapter 13, 02:22 He says "I'm gonna go away 02:23 and where I'm going you cannot follow now." 02:26 And as you read there in the context of Chapter 13 02:28 I'll tell you this is really struck 02:30 the disciples and particularly Peter. 02:33 And in fact, we've to pick up 02:34 just a little bit of that there in John 13 02:39 where Jesus is explaining that. 02:41 And I'm looking at verse 36. 02:44 "Simon Peter said to Him, 'Lord, where are You going?' 02:47 " Jesus has just said I'm leaving you. 02:49 "Jesus answered, 'Where I go 02:51 you cannot follow Me now, 02:53 but you will follow later.' 02:54 "And notice the response of Peter. 02:57 "Peter said to Him, 02:58 'Lord, why can I not follow You right now? 03:03 I will lay down my life for You.' 03:05 " The idea being separated from Jesus was 03:08 crushing to Peter. 03:10 He couldn't really imagine 03:11 what it would be to be apart from Jesus. 03:14 Why Lord, why can I can't, why can't I go with You now? 03:18 Why cannot I be with You now? 03:20 Don't let these chapter divisions 03:21 get in the way the flow 03:22 of what the Bible teaches. 03:24 We often miss some beautiful and powerful things 03:26 because you go on into chapter 14 verse 1 03:29 and it's that context that which Jesus said 03:31 "do not let your heart be troubled, 03:34 believe in God, believe also in Me." 03:36 He was comforting His disciples 03:39 and reassuring Him wasn't He. 03:41 And then He went on to say 03:42 ""In My Father's house are many dwelling places, 03:45 mansion and if it were not so, 03:47 I would have told you, 03:49 for I go to prepare a place for you. 03:51 And if I go and prepare a place for you, 03:54 I will come again, and receive you to myself; 03:57 that where I am, there you may be also." 04:00 So Jesus said "I'm leaving you, I'm going go." 04:03 And by way where did He go? 04:05 He went to heaven didn't He? 04:08 And what is He doing there? 04:11 Oh, my friend, He hasn't forgotten us. 04:13 Jesus is preparing places for you 04:15 there's a place for you 04:16 there is a place for me, in heaven. 04:22 And He said if I go to prepare place for you I will dwell. 04:25 What will He do? 04:27 I will come again to do what? 04:29 To receive. 04:30 I'm coming back for you Jesus said. 04:33 I haven't forgotten you, I'm coming back for you 04:36 this you can count on. 04:39 And my friend, you and I can count on it too, can't we. 04:41 Jesus is coming back. 04:44 And this is gonna be so wonderful 04:45 when Jesus comes back. 04:47 Acts 1, the New Testament page 91, 04:50 page 91 and again we're looking at the promise 04:54 of the coming of our Lord. 04:56 And we find it here on its, 04:58 in reference to the ascension of Jesus at the-- 05:02 you know after His resurrection. 05:04 And now He is on the top of Mount Olivet 05:08 and He is ascending to heaven. 05:09 And notice what we, what we find here 05:11 described in Acts 1 and beginning with verse 9 05:15 "And after that He said these things, 05:17 He was lifted up" it says 05:19 "He was lifted up while they were looking on, 05:22 and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 05:24 And as they were gazing intently into the sky 05:28 while He was going, behold, two men" 05:31 They looked like men but they were angels. 05:33 "Two men in white clothing stood beside them. 05:36 And they also said, 'Men of Galilee, 05:39 why do you stand looking into the sky? 05:42 This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, 05:45 will come in just the same way'" 05:48 Notice the phrase here. 05:49 "'In just the same way 05:51 as you have watched Him go into heaven.' 05:54 "And so there's as couple of points 05:56 we want to get out of this particular text. 05:58 First of all, again as I emphasize it 06:00 Jesus is going to come in just the way that He went. 06:03 We're going to-- you know, 06:05 we're gonna locked out into place 06:07 as we look at other parallel passages of Scripture. 06:11 But also take note as we're looking 06:12 at these three verses, five times it emphasize that 06:17 they were looking intently to the sky. 06:19 They were looking at Jesus as He was ascending. 06:22 They were watching-- I mean, all of those words 06:25 His, His ascension was visible, they could see Him. 06:29 And again we take note of the fact Jesus said-- 06:32 the angels said He will come back 06:33 in the same way He went. 06:35 Which means He is coming also will be visible 06:41 that is so clearly indicated there, right. 06:44 So if you want to make a list just write there 06:46 and just put at the head of it the "Manner of His coming." 06:50 The first thing you put down there is "visible." 06:52 Put it right across from that verse 06:54 so no what where you got that in that verse. 06:56 His coming will be visible. 06:59 And then since He is going to be coming back 07:01 in just the way that He went, 07:02 we want to settle it in one form, 07:05 did Jesus go to heaven? 07:07 And we have some idea that 07:08 because this is after the resurrection. 07:12 And this is here in Luke 24:39 one of the first incidences 07:17 in which Jesus appeared to His disciples. 07:20 Notice what it says "But they were startled." 07:24 Suddenly Jesus was in the mist, they were in the upper room. 07:27 Suddenly He was there. It startled them. 07:31 "And they were frightened 07:33 and thought that they were seeing a spirit." 07:36 That's what they thought He is dead. 07:38 He is, and there He was. 07:41 "And He said to them, 'Why are you troubled, 07:43 and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 07:46 See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself.' 07:49 " Its really me is what Jesus is saying. 07:52 "Touch Me and see." 07:54 See for yourself 07:55 "for a spirit does not have flesh and bones 07:59 as you see that I have." 08:02 And so my friend, Jesus ascended into heaven 08:07 physically in the flesh. 08:10 He bears our form that is our humanity 08:13 in the presence of God there. 08:15 And I believe will bear our form through the ages of eternity 08:20 represents, imparts His identity with us. 08:24 And so since He physically ascended in the heaven 08:27 and that is in the flesh we are to add that 08:30 as well to our, to our list here. 08:33 His coming is going to be a physical coming 08:37 which also indicates that it is a literal coming. 08:42 We ought not to spiritualize away the coming of Jesus. 08:46 It will be a literal event. 08:50 It's gonna happen and it's gonna happen soon. 08:55 Now again I can't say it's gonna be in your lifetime 08:57 and my lifetime but I certainly can say 08:59 it's not gonna be 100s of years, it's not gonna be that. 09:03 And I think the prophecies are just too clear about that. 09:07 And then I want to take you on to Luke 9:26 on the screen 09:11 where Jesus said "For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, 09:15 of him will the Son of Man be ashamed 09:17 when He comes in His glory." 09:20 You know, the period could right there 09:22 and we could say the coming of Jesus 09:24 is going to glorious. 09:27 His coming in His own glory. 09:30 In all of His power and all of His majesty. 09:33 But that's not where the period is put. 09:35 He goes on to say "And the glory of the Father." 09:41 Oh, my I have been thinking about 09:42 this passage in recent years. 09:45 He will come in the glory of His Father, 09:48 what does that mean? 09:51 Does that mean that God the Father himself 09:55 is coming with Him? 09:59 I think of some passages in Revelation 10:02 it talks about period of silence in heaven 10:04 and any way I oppose that question. 10:08 I don't know that we can say that for certain from this text 10:11 but there is some indication of that. 10:13 And again but it goes on to say "And of the holy angels." 10:19 And they're coming in the 100s of millions 10:22 as He comes back to this planet. 10:24 So we can say for a certain from the Word of God 10:27 not only will His coming be physical, 10:30 not only will we see Him 10:32 but His coming truly is going to be glorious. 10:37 And so let's add that to our list shall we. 10:39 His coming is going to be glorious. 10:42 That will be such a wonderful thing to see Jesus. 10:46 And can you imagine this, 10:48 when Jesus comes all of His majesty 10:54 He's the coming king, right the coming king, 10:57 coming in all of His glory and all in of His majesty 11:01 and He's coming with those angels 11:04 in the millions and 100s and millions. 11:07 Can you imagine 11:08 how this is going to fill the sky 11:12 and what a powerful thing this is going to be to see this? 11:17 Oh, my friend, I'm here to tell you 11:19 the one that in love died for us 11:21 is the one who in love is coming back for us. 11:26 I said again. He hasn't forgotten us. 11:30 And He has a plan 11:32 and He is going to bring it to a completion. 11:34 He is going to end this whole ugly mess of sin 11:37 upon this planet 11:38 and He is going to get us out of it. 11:41 He is going to take us out of it. 11:44 And that's why I call the great escape, 11:46 we're gonna make our great escape. 11:47 And I want to tell you 11:49 life is never gonna be the same from that point forward. 11:53 It's not gonna be the same, it's gonna be so wonderful. 11:56 Oh, I'll tell you this is something 11:58 that we'll be looking forward 11:59 and then I want to you take to Matthew 24, 12:01 the New Testament page 21. 12:04 Page 21, Matthew 24 and beginning with 40. 12:07 In Matthew 24 we have recorded here 12:11 many of the prophetic statements of Jesus about His coming. 12:15 In fact these statements of Jesus in Matthew 24 12:18 were made that final week of His ministry upon earth. 12:23 That is with the cross just before Him. 12:26 And all that that means to us and what that meant to Jesus. 12:29 Jesus was looking beyond. 12:32 He was looking beyond the cross down to the end of time. 12:35 And so He made these prophetic utterances 12:38 of what will be taking place at the end 12:40 and in reference to His coming 12:42 and I think that's significant, don't you. 12:45 And in fact some of those astounding prophecies 12:48 we have in the Bible are recorded right here 12:51 the words of Jesus. 12:52 Matthew 24:40, 12:54 He says "Then there will be two men in the field 12:57 one will be taken and one will be left. 13:00 Two women will be grinding in the mill 13:03 one will be taken and one will be left." 13:08 You know there are some interesting representations 13:11 that are made about this passage here 13:13 that we're looking at in Matthew 24. 13:15 There are a number of theories 13:18 and they are that theories about the coming of Jesus. 13:21 And one of the fundamental questions we want to settle 13:24 when we talk about the coming of Jesus 13:25 some referred to it as the rapture. 13:28 And you know one of the question is 13:32 how will He come? 13:34 And some are teaching this idea 13:36 that the rapture is actually closed 13:38 a closed rapture it is a secret rapture. 13:41 And that's an important question to settle from the Word of God 13:44 is it a secret or is it an open rapture? 13:48 That's pretty important don't you think. 13:51 And so there is some representations 13:53 made here verse 40 and 41 13:54 the idea that you know it's a close rapture 13:58 and you know the, people go out and they will be ruptured away 14:01 and everybody does stays behind are going to be 14:02 around and saying "the churches are empty 14:05 what happened to them? 14:07 Where did they go? Where did they go?" 14:09 But my friend, if you look at verse 40 and 41, 14:12 you don't have to look at it very carefully to see 14:15 that its just simply making a simple statement 14:18 that when Jesus comes they're are gonna be some 14:21 who are gonna be ready then you're go home with Jesus. 14:25 And there are gonna be some that are not going to be ready. 14:29 They will be left behind. 14:31 They're gonna be left behind, right. 14:35 And to go on and make and develop a theology 14:39 beyond what these verses say based on these verses 14:43 it's really not appropriate, 14:44 it's not even appropriate in the context. 14:47 So let's look at the context verse 42, Jesus said therefore. 14:51 So it says "its gonna happen 14:52 some are going to be ready some or not 14:54 those who are gonna be gonna rise with Jesus 14:58 and make their way to heaven. 14:59 "Therefore" Jesus says "be on the alert, 15:03 for you do not know which day your Lord is coming." 15:08 We don't know the day or the hour. 15:12 If we knew the day or the hour 15:14 oh, it's going to be in 2012 September 14 15:19 at 6 o'clock in the morning. 15:23 You know, what most people would do, 15:25 ah I have got plenty of time, I have got years. 15:29 I gonna take advantage of the time. 15:31 I'm gonna do my own thing. 15:32 And then, then I will get ready. 15:35 And I think that's part of the reason 15:36 we haven't been given the time. 15:38 And I think impart of we have been given the time 15:40 because we're to always be ready for the coming of Jesus right. 15:44 That's why He says, "be on the alert." 15:46 Since we don't know the day or the hour 15:48 we're to be on the alert. 15:50 You know, it's like when you're gonna have company 15:52 Thanksgiving, Christmas and you've companying. 15:55 You know they're coming may be they have been a long trip, 15:57 a road trip and the coming to visit you. 16:00 You know you got ready, haven't you, 16:01 you've prepared? 16:04 And you're waiting with anticipation 16:06 the days comes you know and some 16:08 and may be it's gonna be late in the morning 16:10 or in the afternoon. 16:11 And so you're on the alert. 16:13 You're waiting for that. 16:14 You're waiting for that knock, 16:15 you're waiting them to drive up, into the driveway. 16:17 There is sense of anticipation. 16:19 That is what Jesus is saying here 16:22 when He says be on the alert. 16:24 And He says "for you do not know 16:26 which day your Lord is coming." 16:27 As we read verse 43 "But be sure of this, 16:30 that if the head of the house had known 16:32 at what time of the night the thief was coming, 16:36 he would have been on the alert 16:37 and would not have allowed his house to be broken into." 16:41 This idea of the thief, the thief in the night 16:47 as relates rapture theology is quite fascinating 16:51 to follow this through this, this theory. 16:54 And the idea is and again 16:58 that the coming of Jesus is going to be secretive. 17:04 Many those who are left behind are gonna have no idea 17:07 other than people are missing 17:09 are gonna have no idea that He has come. 17:13 Is that what He is talking about 17:15 when it talks about it thief. 17:16 You know, you don't know when the thief is going to come 17:19 and in reference to this. 17:21 In verse 44, it says "For this reason 17:23 you also must be ready 17:24 for the Son of Man is coming at an hour 17:27 when you do not think He will." 17:30 And what is speaking of here what Jesus is speaking of 17:34 is that His coming will be unexpected. 17:40 Unexpected is not the same as that it will be secret. 17:46 1985, my wife my two kids Kevin was just a toddler. 17:54 And we are still carrying him around. 17:55 He wasn't very mobile at that point, 17:56 made a road trip from the North West 18:00 down to New Orleans 18:02 for a ten day religious conference. 18:06 We took our Fifth Wheel, 40 foot Fifth Wheel 18:09 and so we have the wheels, it's really a nice trip. 18:12 That was a long trip. 18:13 Afterwards we went to Florida. 18:16 Oh, I tell you the lines were so long at Disney World, 18:21 I mean, we began we began to tire. 18:24 We decided we're gonna cut our trip short. 18:27 We were going to go at the east coast 18:29 and then go through Michigan see some friends of ours. 18:32 But we decided to head home and the way that we came 18:35 and so we were heading home 18:37 and I called that my mom and I said mom, 18:40 we shall-- and they lived in Auburn, Washington 18:43 that's kind the bedroom community of Seattle. 18:47 And I said mom, we're headed home 18:49 and we should be there by Friday. 18:52 And so we're progressing, we're making miles in that truck 18:56 and that Fifth Wheel, 40 foot Fifth Wheel 18:58 that was the story in itself. 19:01 Went through the Grand Canyon that was wonderful 19:03 but you know it was something about 19:05 as we were heading west. 19:07 We just had that, that anxiety to get home, 19:10 that desire to get home. 19:12 And we looked at the map 19:14 and I said "Donna, you know if we just pick up the miles 19:16 in the next few days we can get in a day earlier." 19:19 And so we decided yeah let's do that. 19:22 And so we really begin to put on some miles. 19:24 I didn't call up my mom to tell her 19:25 hey we're going to get in on Thursdays not Fridays 19:28 because we were going to surprise them, 19:30 my mom and my dad. 19:33 And so finally the long trip was over 19:36 as we pulled up we parked 19:38 just out of sight of the front door 19:41 of my parents' home. 19:43 And we snuck up on the house. 19:46 And I said to David, David who was may before, 19:51 may before who was a brown as any Indian you've ever seen, 19:57 who got he put his war bounded on 19:59 that he got down there in the Grand Canyon. 20:01 I said David, go up there and knocks on the door. 20:04 And he did. 20:05 And my mother came to the door 20:07 and she didn't even recognize her own grandson. 20:10 She was asking him "who are you, what do you want?" 20:15 And David wasn't quite sure what to say. 20:17 So we jumped out and said "surprise" 20:20 and where they have surprised. 20:23 Now you know we kind of snuck in there 20:26 but let me tell you it was no secret 20:28 when we showed up. 20:31 It wasn't, it was no secret, it's just that day in the hour 20:37 we just didn't let them know that day or the hour. 20:40 This idea again on the secret rapture, 20:45 the idea of the secret rapture is really a new teaching 20:49 that really primarily comes out of the 19th Century 20:52 which raises some interesting questions. 20:55 Did it really, was something so fundamental 20:57 I share with you 19 of the 41 parables of the Jesus 21:00 referred to His coming its all through the Bible 21:02 Old and New Testament. 21:04 Did it really take the Christian church 21:06 1,800 years to discover that the coming of Jesus 21:11 was going to be secret? 21:13 When you find no indication of that prior. 21:17 As you look at it historically. 21:20 And John Nelson Darby was one of the primary individuals 21:24 that brought this into mainstream Christianity. 21:28 His followers were called the Plymouth Brethren 21:30 and this happened over in England. 21:33 And as you look at this historically 21:34 this idea of the secret rapture 21:37 is something that you know that it's only in recent decades 21:43 that this has become generally 21:45 accepted by many Christians and churches. 21:49 And in fact if you go back to the churches 21:51 that now are teaching this idea of the secret rapture 21:53 if you go back about four or five decades 21:56 and look at their teachings 21:57 in reference to the coming of Jesus. 21:59 If they do have something specific 22:01 in their teachings about it 22:02 you will find that they were not teaching this idea. 22:06 So it's only in recent decades that this has become 22:09 more generally accepted by some and has become more popular. 22:16 We need to have that perspective 22:18 because some of us this is all we've heard 22:21 and we think this is the way that is always been. 22:25 And I'm not here to condemn anybody over anything 22:29 in regards to the teachings of God's word 22:30 but I'm interested in finding out the real truth 22:34 that what the Bible teaches 22:36 whatever the subject might be, aren't you. 22:38 That's why we are here. 22:40 And so if something is not quite right 22:42 we really want to know about that. 22:44 In fact, I picked up a book back in 1988, 22:47 "88 reasons why the rapture would be in 1988" 22:51 and the projection was made that Jesus 22:56 the rapture would take place on September 11, 1988. 22:59 Did you know 23:00 that the rapture has already been has taken place. 23:03 And guess what we all were left behind. 23:10 I tell you as you look at this historically in this theory 23:14 a number unfortunately number of prediction 23:18 have been made specifically 23:19 about when the rapture would take place. 23:22 And which begins to raise some other questions 23:26 if they roam and they make these predictions 23:29 could that be wrong on the premise. 23:34 And I will give you an analogy about what's going on. 23:37 It's very much like the evolutionary theory. 23:41 You have this theory this construct 23:43 that has been developed 23:46 about how the origin of the species 23:49 and the other great ages 23:51 is really based on looking at the geological records. 23:53 What has happened is science by and large 23:58 has accepted this as the scientific 24:03 view of how life came and how life developed 24:08 so that whenever they're looking at the geological record 24:12 they interpret the evidence in the geological record 24:15 based on the theory. 24:19 And they fit it into the theory and if it doesn't fit the theory 24:23 they have a real you know anomaly. 24:27 In fact for long time it was called 24:29 the theory of uninformativity. 24:32 They have left that behind 24:33 because clearly in the geological records 24:36 there have been some great catastrophes 24:38 and the greatest of them all of course was the great flood. 24:42 And so that's how they take this theory 24:45 and they interpret the geological record 24:47 and that's what going on with this idea of the rapture 24:51 this dispensation was a view. 24:53 It's a theory, it's a construct 24:55 and when you look at it, 24:57 when you look at the theory of it, 24:59 it makes sense. 25:01 And if didn't make sense 25:03 then nobody would be bind into it would it, 25:06 just like the evolutionary theory. 25:08 You know just looking at it and it seems to make some sense. 25:12 So its seems to make sense and so as you study 25:15 as one studies the Bible based upon the rapture theology 25:20 they are interpreting the Bible record 25:24 based upon the theory. 25:27 And so this text fits here we're gonna fit it here 25:30 this text fits over here 25:31 and this one we're gonna fit right here. 25:34 And you will not find as you look at it that the text 25:38 inheritably in the passage or in the context 25:42 is really speaking about this theory here or there. 25:47 Are you with me? 25:48 That's exactly what is going on. 25:51 And my friend, good interpretation of the Bible 25:54 we call it exegesis. 25:56 That's when we are interpreting 25:57 and developing our views of what the Bible teaches 25:59 from what the Bible actually teaches. 26:02 We call it eisegesis when we take a theory 26:06 and we make the Bible fit into it. 26:09 So the Bible text on this but my friend, 26:13 its not what the Bible actually teaches. 26:16 And of course we now have the left behind series 26:18 as many for-- people forget this whole left behind series 26:22 and the movie, movies and so novel is what it is. 26:25 It's a fictional account of the end time. 26:29 And my friend, I'd really wish 26:30 when it came to essential things like this 26:32 the people were writing fictional accounts about things. 26:36 I wish what they were writing was the truth 26:39 because they were left with is this representation really 26:43 in harmony with what the Bible teaches about the matter. 26:46 What do we sorted out fact from fiction? 26:50 And my friend, there is only way-- one way to sort it out 26:52 and that is through the teachings of scripture 26:55 we sort out fact from fiction. 26:57 I will tell you a lot of people 26:59 read these books and seen the movie 27:00 and they take it as if it was you know 27:04 it was a fiction as if it was the truth. 27:08 But it's a fictional account now again I'm not here 27:12 judging individuals who believe in this 27:14 because there are many sincere born again Christians 27:17 who love the Lord this is what if they've heard anything about 27:20 prophecy may be this is what they've heard. 27:23 So we got to keep that in mind. 27:25 So you know it's a question I'm spending a little time 27:28 with it oh, no I'm seeing a little bit of time with it. 27:31 Are you still there in Matthew 24 27:33 this is the New Testament page 21? 27:35 I want you to look at the context. 27:38 And the context makes it absolutely clear this is not 27:42 what Jesus is talking about and look it talking about 27:44 verse 45 now and onward continuing the context. 27:49 Jesus says "Who then is the faithful and sensible slave" 27:53 or servant "whom his master put in charge of his household 27:56 to give them their food at the proper time? 28:00 Blessed is that slave" the servant 28:02 "whom his master finds so doing when he comes." 28:06 That's the reference to the coming of Jesus. 28:08 When He comes. 28:09 "Truly I say to you that he will put him 28:11 in charge of all his possessions." 28:13 He is gonna be richly rewarded by his master when he comes. 28:18 The one that is faithful. 28:19 Verse 48 "But if that evil slave" 28:21 servant "says in his heart, 28:23 'My master is not coming for a long time 28:26 and begins to beat his fellow slaves 28:28 and eat and drink with drunkards 28:31 the master of that slave will come on a day 28:34 when he does not expect him 28:36 and at an hour which he does not know, 28:39 and will cut him in pieces and assign him a place 28:43 with the hypocrites in that place 28:45 there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." 28:48 So the faithful servant is going to be rewarded 28:51 the unfaithful servant what's going to happen 28:55 in a word judgment, right. 28:59 And so we have the two classes 29:02 one will be ready and one will not. 29:06 We know and it's a context 29:07 of what will happen for those who are ready 29:09 they are going to be rewarded and for those who are not. 29:12 And let me say as we come to the Mark of Beasts 29:15 and some of these things from the book of Revelation, 29:17 some of these issues will come into clear focus 29:21 for us to understand, why those 29:23 who are left behind are faced with judgment. 29:28 And my friend, as we come to the end 29:31 and the coming of the Jesus 29:34 God is bringing this mess to and end, 29:37 this problem of sin to end on the earth. 29:39 He is bringing to an end and for those who have not 29:44 who have hardened their hearts in rebellion against God 29:48 they just cannot be rewarded they will not be rewarded. 29:52 They left God with no choice, 29:55 they are going to be left out, 29:58 they're gonna experience judgments. 30:00 But remember Jesus said "this Gospel the kingdom 30:03 must go to the whole world as a witness to all nations 30:05 and then the end shall come." 30:07 And before the end comes before Jesus comes 30:10 God is doing all that he can to say as many as He can. 30:14 And again in context if you take a look at it in Matthew 24:37, 30:22 in the context of what we looked at it say 30:25 Jesus says "But as the days of Noah were, 30:27 so shall also the coming of the son of man be." 30:31 As it was in the days of Noah. 30:33 There are parallels Jesus says between what happened 30:35 in Noah's day and His coming. 30:37 And among the things that we take note 30:39 in parallel for a 120 years. 30:42 Noah preached a prophetic message 30:45 declaring the end was coming 30:47 and a message of repentance that was speaking about 30:51 getting into a right relationship with God. 30:55 120 years he preached it and then the end came 30:59 as it was in the days of Noah 31:01 so shall be in the coming of the Son of Man 31:04 and what happened to the antediluvian world 31:06 for those who did not respond. 31:11 They were left behind and they were destroyed. 31:17 God didn't will it. 31:19 God didn't want it to be that way. 31:22 And so those who are left behind were destroyed 31:26 and those who responded-- 31:27 well, they aped but they were saved. 31:32 Okay they were saved out of the destruction 31:35 "as it was in the days of Noah, 31:36 so shall also the coming of the Son of Man." 31:38 Take a look at Luke 17 31:39 the New Testament page 62, page 62 Luke 17 31:44 which is Luke's record of what we just read here in Matthew 24. 31:50 And notice how he quotes Jesus in reference to, you know, 31:53 as it was in the days of Noah 31:56 so shall be in the coming of the Son of Man. 31:58 Luke 17 and beginning with verse 26. 32:02 Beginning with verse 26 he says 32:05 "And just as it happened in the days of Noah." 32:07 There it is. 32:08 That was Matthew 24:37 we just read 32:11 just as it happened in the days of Noah 32:13 "so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man." 32:16 That is in his coming. 32:17 Now notice what was going on 32:19 "they were eating they were drinking 32:21 they were marrying they were giving in marriage 32:23 until the day that Noah entered the ark and the flood came." 32:26 And did what to them all? "Destroyed them all." 32:29 Verse 28 "It was the same as happened in the days of what? 32:32 They were eating, they were drinking, 32:34 they were buying, they were selling, 32:36 they were planting, they were building, 32:37 but on the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire 32:41 and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all." 32:45 No wonder it's taking time 32:48 for the impact of the gospel to go to the whole world. 32:53 God's gonna let it play out the effect of the gospel 32:57 and His call to the laws and inhabitants of the planet. 33:00 And He is gonna give everybody in the-- in the end 33:03 He is gonna give everyone then in the end a chance 33:07 to make their decision before He wraps it up. 33:10 And my friend, He is not going to be hurried into doing this 33:15 because he would have all come 33:18 to repentance and to salvation. 33:22 But nevertheless we know 33:23 from our study of the prophecies 33:24 from just last night in Daniel 2, 33:26 we are in the last days. 33:29 Its not centuries ahead of us. 33:31 It may be close to them what we think because it says 33:34 He is going to come in an hour which we think not. 33:37 It's going to be unexpected. 33:38 Let me take you to 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18, 33:43 1 Thessalonians 4 and beginning with verse 16 33:47 as we talk about the coming Jesus one of the things 33:50 that is done when it comes to rapture theology 33:53 is they look at the Greek words 33:54 that refer to the coming of Jesus. 33:56 There are some six different Greek words and as you study it 34:00 they're actually synonyms for the same event. 34:03 But they, they make the representation 34:06 that whenever you see the Greek word parousia 34:10 in reference to the coming Jesus 34:11 this is the rapture and the rest of the words 34:15 is the reference to the second coming. 34:17 That's what they do. 34:19 And here in 1 Thessalonians 4:16 we find the word parousia 34:24 and this was one of the key passages scripture 34:27 in the idea of the rapture you have to know that 34:30 that we're going to see in the context 34:31 it's not talking about what is being represented here. 34:35 First Thessalonians 4:16 says "For the Lord Himself 34:40 will descend from heaven with a shout, 34:42 with the voice of the archangel, 34:43 with the trumpet of God, 34:45 and the dead in Christ will rise first." 34:48 Oh, I tell you that is powerful. 34:50 When the Lord himself is descending 34:52 from heaven with all of those angels 34:54 there is going to be a shout Jesus is going to be shout. 34:56 Jesus is gonna be shouting, what do you think that's about? 35:03 And I will tell you it's joyous. 35:06 He is coming back in triumph. 35:09 He is saying here I'm. 35:11 I told you I'll come back. 35:12 I haven't forgotten you, I'm here. 35:17 So He is coming back with a shout. 35:19 I just love that, don't you? 35:21 And powerful-- voice of the arch angels heard 35:23 and powerful things happened there is a trumpet that is heard 35:27 and at that point the dead just think of it, 35:30 the dead were stir in the graves and they will come up 35:35 and they will live again 35:39 because they're n the presence of the life giver. 35:43 Oh, that's so powerful. 35:44 Verse 17 "Then we who are alive and remain 35:46 shall be caught up together with them 35:48 in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air," 35:51 What an ascension that gonna be. 35:52 "And so we shall always be with the Lord. 35:54 Therefore comfort one another with these words." 35:57 How wonderful that's gonna be 35:58 looking intently seeing Jesus coming. 36:01 It's just glorious, it's overwhelming. 36:04 And then suddenly, to realize we're no longer in contact 36:08 with this old earth. 36:09 We're being drawn up off the earth. 36:12 We're being drawn into the presence of Jesus. 36:15 We find ourselves a bit to look down, 36:18 we find ourselves above the tree tops, 36:20 above the buildings 36:22 and ever been drawn closer to Him until suddenly 36:27 we find ourselves in the mist of all of those angels 36:31 and they're not silent they're singing. 36:35 What a thrill it's gonna be and to define ourselves 36:38 in the immediate presence of Jesus. 36:43 All I tell you those that just look at prophecy 36:45 and say oh, that kind of interesting 36:47 you know not really of all that important. 36:50 And they're missing the whole point of it. 36:51 My friend, this is the end point of the all the prophecies. 36:54 It is about the coming of Jesus and it is so relational. 36:59 It is relational. 37:02 It's fundamental of why Jesus is coming back 37:05 because He loves us, He purchases us at Cavalry. 37:09 We have responded to the claims of Jesus Christ in our lives. 37:13 And He is coming back 37:15 my friend, it doesn't get any better than this. 37:18 It doesn't get any better than this. 37:22 And so there we are but remember these chapter divisions 37:26 forget the chapter divisions 37:27 they were just put in there to help us to locate verses. 37:31 Just imagine verse chapter 5 is not there that division 37:34 and just go on because He continues on. 37:37 In chapter 5 verse 1 37:38 "Now as to the times and the epochs,brethren, 37:41 you have no need of anything to be written to you. 37:44 For you yourselves know full well 37:46 that the day of the Lord will come 37:47 just like a thief in the night." 37:49 Now we are coming back to this theme this motive 37:52 as what we call it theologically. 37:54 This idea that the thief at the night, 37:56 books and even movies have written on the side 37:58 either thief in the night again the representation 38:01 being that it is secretive. 38:04 So you know the day of the Lord that is the coming of our Lord 38:07 will come just like a thief in the night. 38:09 "While they are saying, 'Peace and safety' 38:12 then destruction will come upon them suddenly." 38:16 Who we're that we talking about? 38:19 Those who are left behind 38:20 as it was in the days of Noah, right. 38:23 "Will come upon them suddenly like 38:25 labor pains upon a woman with child, 38:27 and they will not escape." 38:30 Does it sound very secretive to me 38:34 when it says sudden destruction? 38:38 Let me tell you this is little bit tough 38:40 this is the tough part of prophecy 38:41 that some are going to be left out, 38:43 some are gonna be destroyed but God is end in it. 38:47 And we have one or two choices. 38:49 Either we embrace Jesus as our Lord and Savior, 38:52 He bore our sins, He died in our place 38:55 or in the end we will the bare the consequences of our sins 38:58 and the wages of sin is death. 39:02 Its no arbitrary act of God but my friend, 39:04 in the end there will be no place for sin 39:08 and all the whole of things that come because of sin. 39:11 And so God begin-- there is a process that we see 39:14 as we come to the millennium tomorrow night, 39:16 God's wrapping it up. 39:18 I know He is bringing to and end 39:20 like that's its been known here in this planet comes to end 39:23 at the coming of Jesus. 39:25 And it says like labor pains upon woman with child. 39:27 And I share with you I think already 39:29 yes, last Sunday night how my wife and I 39:32 it was actually I was thinking about his is actually 39:34 11 going on 12 years before we had our first child. 39:38 And I think I shared with you my wife had an amiantose 39:41 so she was a mid thirties at this point 39:44 and we knew it was gonna be a son 39:46 and so we got ready this you know mine 39:49 was the generation that was expected the man 39:51 the fathers the husband were expected to be part 39:55 of the natural birthing process. 39:56 So we went through the Bradley Method 39:59 of natural child birthing. 40:02 We went to the classes, saw the films 40:05 and we thought we were fairly intelligent. 40:08 The doctors said the due date is January, 40:12 my wife would remember January of 1982. 40:16 It is 3 days after Christmas 1981, 40:20 11 o'clock at night. 40:21 Why do these things have to take place so late? 40:25 I'm in bed just drifting off to sleep when my wife calls up 40:29 "my water has broken." 40:32 And you know they thought about you know 40:35 labor can be intensive 40:37 and can go on for hours and hours 40:39 and even days 40:40 and then the forced labor and you know 40:44 to my shame I said to Donna 40:46 "its too early kind of bad." 40:49 You know and I just knew it just couldn't be 40:53 but she finally got me up and I thought wow, 40:55 if it's gonna happen I'm going to start fresh 40:57 so I stepped into the shower. 41:00 Yeah, this is going to be one of 48 hours 41:02 one of the experiences 41:03 I at least gonna start out and I shaved. 41:06 You know this 11-11:30 at night. 41:08 And in deed the first contraction came 41:11 and so my training kicked in I looked at okay, 41:16 took note of, you know, 41:18 the minute that that came and I was waiting. 41:21 And sure enough another one came but it came three minutes later 41:25 and I remember saying to Donna "three minutes, 41:28 that's not the way that happened. 41:30 What happened to the 15 minute." 41:33 You know that where begins which was our first clue 41:37 things we're gonna happen very quickly. 41:40 We're living in, oh we were living in the Portland area, 41:44 living in Carberry. 41:45 We were living in Carberry I was pastoring in that area. 41:47 And we were going to the hospital in Portland. 41:50 It's the little trip at night and so we packed our bags. 41:54 We least done that and I said we better get going. 41:56 We got through the hospital we are in the birthing room 41:59 and I'm in a gown 42:01 and that really things are moving along 42:03 and before I knew it I was cheek to cheek with my wife 42:06 that I was trying to helping her breath 42:09 through these rapidly intensifying contractions. 42:16 And then it hit, it was textbook transition. 42:21 I saw the fear into my wife's eyes 42:23 as she went into transition. 42:25 The realization this baby is coming 42:27 and there is no way out. 42:29 You can beg, you can plead 42:31 but I don't know if anybody that gotten out of it. 42:35 Well, this is what Paul is talking about 42:37 when he says sudden destruction and something like labor pains 42:42 and probably which he was talking about transition. 42:45 What we're going to see that there is go 42:46 through these contractions after coming 42:49 and the presence of Jesus Christ. 42:51 It's going to shaken to and fro 42:53 and then the after realization for those who are not behind 42:56 they're lost that they have salvation is behind 43:01 and there is no turning back. 43:03 Its gonna be pretty awful isn't it. 43:07 I will take you on to 2 Peter 3:10 43:12 "But the day of the Lord will come like a thief." 43:15 There it is. 43:16 "In which the heavens will pass away." 43:18 It's talking about for moment the atmosphere. 43:20 "It will pass away with a roar 43:22 and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat." 43:26 The elements what's that talking about 43:28 destroyed with intense heat. 43:29 Where is that heat been generated from 43:31 will put that together. 43:33 "The elements will be destroyed with intense heat 43:35 and the earth and its works will be burned up." 43:38 I will tell you nobody is gonna go through this 43:40 waking up the next morning and saying what happened. 43:44 The earth comes to an end. 43:47 It will become to our study about millennium tomorrow night 43:50 is not the final end. 43:52 Take a look at 2 Thessalonians 1 43:54 the New Testament page 161. 43:58 2 Thessalonians just a page or two 44:00 if you're still there in 1 Thessalonians 44:02 and beginning with verse 6 44:04 talking about what happens to thosewho are left behind. 44:06 "For after all it is only just for God 44:09 to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 44:12 and to give relief to you 44:14 who are afflicted and to us as well 44:17 when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven 44:19 with His mighty angels in flaming fire" 44:23 is the description we have here that really is His glory. 44:28 Verse 8 says "Dealing out retribution 44:30 to those who do not know God 44:31 and to those who do not obey the gospel 44:34 of our Lord Jesus." 44:37 Revelation 1:7 "Behold, He is coming with the clouds, 44:40 and every eye shall see Him, even those who pierced Him 44:44 and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. 44:47 So it is to be. Amen." 44:50 My friend that's now talking about the godly God's people 44:53 that will be shouting hallelujah 44:56 it's going to be joy inexpressible 44:58 as you see Jesus coming. 45:00 And even talks about the tribes mourning over them is 45:02 those who are left behind because they see Him 45:04 and they know they're lost. 45:08 It's horrible. 45:09 But again God is doing all that He can 45:12 to save as many as He can. 45:13 Jesus said 45:16 "And then the sign of the Son of Man 45:18 will appear the sky," it said cloud, 45:19 a cloud of the angels that surround Jesus. 45:22 "And then all the tribes of the earth will mourn." 45:24 It says it again they will mourn. 45:26 "And they" talking about those who're lost 45:29 "They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky 45:33 with power and great glory." 45:37 Great glory and so we all to add that to our list 45:40 His coming is gonna be powerful we've already noted. 45:43 It is going to be a glorious event. 45:47 And I want to tell you 45:48 looking a little bit at the physical phenomena 45:50 that is gonna happen at the coming of Jesus. 45:51 Revelation 16 indicates what happens at His presence. 45:57 Beginning with verse 18 it says 45:58 "And there were flashes of lightning 46:00 and sounds and peals of thunder; 46:02 and there was a great earthquake, 46:04 such as there had not been 46:06 since man came to be upon the earth." 46:08 Think about that. 46:09 "So great an earthquake was it, and so mighty." 46:13 It says "And every island fled away, 46:17 and the mountains were not found." 46:19 This old earth is just gonna be shaken to and fro 46:21 at the presence, the powerful presence of Jesus. 46:25 The Tsunami as some years ago 46:27 is only a little bit of the indication 46:30 that destruction that came out of it. 46:32 The destruction that overwhelms the whole of the earth 46:37 at the coming of Jesus. 46:40 I want you to take you to Luke 21 46:42 where it says "Be on guard, 46:44 that your hearts may not be weighted down 46:46 with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, 46:50 and that day come on you suddenly like a trap." 46:54 Like that it's gonna happen suddenly, unexpectedly 46:57 "for it will come" Jesus said, 47:00 "upon all those who dwell on the face of all the earth. 47:03 But keep on the alert at all times, 47:05 praying in order that you may have strength to escape 47:08 all these things that are about to take place, 47:12 and to stand before the Son of Man." 47:14 Oh, my friend, what is it gonna be in that day 47:16 when Jesus comes 47:18 and to find ourselves in His presence. 47:21 Well, one of my favorite authors describes it this way. 47:26 Soon, there appears in the east a small black cloud 47:30 about half the size of a man's hand. 47:32 It is the cloud which surrounds the Savior 47:34 and which seems in the distance to be shrouded in darkness. 47:39 The people of God 47:40 know this to be the sign of the Son of Man. 47:43 In solemn silence they gaze upon it 47:46 as it draws nearer to the earth 47:48 becoming lighter and more glorious 47:51 until it is a great white cloud 47:53 its base a glory like consuming fire 47:57 and above it the rainbow of the covenant. 48:00 Jesus rides forth as a mighty conqueror 48:03 not now a man of sorrow 48:05 to drink the bitter cup of shame and woe. 48:07 He comes victor in heaven and earth 48:09 to judge the living and the dead faithful and true 48:13 and righteous that He just judge and wage war. 48:16 And the armies which were in heaven follow Him 48:18 with anthems the celestial melody 48:20 the holy angels they bass unnumbered 48:23 drawn attended on His way. 48:25 The firmament seems filled with radium forms 48:28 10,000 times 10,000 and thousand and thousands, 48:33 no human pen can portray that scene. 48:36 No mortal mind is adequate to conceive His splendor, 48:39 His glory covered the heavens 48:41 and the earth was full of His praise 48:43 and His brightness was as the light. 48:46 As a living call comes still near 48:48 every eye beholds the prince of life. 48:51 No crown of thorns now mares that sacred head 48:54 but He died and glory now rest upon on His holy brow. 48:57 His countenance outshines the dazzling 49:00 brightness of the noonday sun. 49:03 "And He hath on His vesture and on His thigh a name written, 49:06 King of kings, and Lord of lords. 49:10 Before His presence "all faces are turned into paleness" 49:14 upon the rejecters of God's grace 49:16 falls the terror of eternal despair. 49:18 "The heart melteth, and the knees smite together, 49:21 and the faces of them all gather blackness." 49:24 The righteous cry with trembling "Who shall be able to stand?" 49:28 The angels' song is hushed, 49:30 and there is a period of awful silence. 49:33 Then the voice of Jesus is heard, saying 49:36 "My grace is sufficient for you." 49:39 The faces of the righteous lighted up, 49:42 and joy fills every heart. 49:44 And the angels strike a note higher and sing again 49:47 as they draw still nearer to the earth. 49:50 The King of kings descends upon the cloud, 49:53 wrapped in flaming fire. 49:55 The heavens are rolled together as a scroll, 49:57 the earth trembles before His presence, 50:00 and every mountain and island is moved out of its place. 50:04 "Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence, 50:06 a fire shall devour before Him, 50:08 and it shall be very tempestuous round about Him. 50:10 He shall call to the heavens 50:11 from above, and to the earth beneath, 50:13 that He may judge His people." 50:15 "And the kings of the earth, and the great men, 50:19 and the chief captains, and the mighty men, 50:21 and every bondman, and every freeman, 50:22 hid themselves in the dens 50:24 and in the rocks of the mountains 50:26 and said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, 50:28 and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, 50:33 and from the wrath of the Lamb for the great day of His wrath 50:36 is come and who shall be able to stand?" 50:39 The derisive jests have ceased. 50:43 Lying lips are hushed into silence. 50:45 The clash of arms, 50:46 the tumult of battle, with confused noise, 50:49 and garments rolled in blood' is stilled. 50:51 Not now is heard but the voice of prayer 50:54 and the sound of weeping and lamentation. 50:57 The cry bursts forth from lips so lately scoffing 51:00 "The great day of His wrath is coming 51:02 who shall be able to stand?" 51:04 The wicked pray to be buried beneath the rocks 51:07 of the mountains rather than meet the face of Him 51:09 whom they have despised and rejected. 51:13 That voice which penetrates 51:14 the ear of the dead, they know. 51:17 How often have its plaintive, 51:19 tender tones called them to repentance? 51:22 How often has it been heard in the touching entreaties 51:24 of a friend, a brother, 51:26 a Redeemer to the rejecters of His grace 51:28 no other could be so full of condemnation, 51:33 so burdened with denunciation, 51:36 All that we're to them the voice of a stranger says 51:39 "Jesus I have called but ye refused. 51:41 I have stretched out my hand but no man regarded 51:44 but you have setting all my counsel 51:46 and would none of my reproof." 51:49 That voice awakens memories 51:51 which they would fame blot out of warnings refused, 51:54 the privileges slighted of invitations refused. 52:00 There are there are those 52:03 who mark Christ in His humiliation 52:06 with thrill in power come to their minds in suppers words 52:08 when juried by the high priest he solemnly declared hereafter 52:12 shall we see the son of man sitting on the right hand 52:15 the power and coming in the clouds of glory 52:18 now they behold them in His glory 52:20 and they are yet to see Him 52:21 sitting on the right hand the power. 52:24 Those who derided His claim 52:25 to be the Son of God are speechless now. 52:28 There is the haughty Herod who jeered at His royal title 52:31 and bade the mocking soldiers crown Him king. 52:33 There are the very men who with impious hands placed 52:36 upon His form the purple robe, 52:38 upon His sacred brow the thorny crown, 52:40 and in His unresisting hand the mimic scepter, 52:43 and bowed before Him in blasphemous mockery. 52:47 The men who beat and spit upon the Prince of life 52:51 now turn from His piercing gaze and seek to flee 52:54 from the overpowering glory of His presence. 52:58 Those who drove the nails through His hands and feet, 53:00 the soldier who pierced His side, 53:02 behold these marks with terror and remorse. 53:06 With awful distinctness do priests 53:08 and rulers recall the events of Calvary. 53:10 With shuddering horror they remember how, 53:12 wagging their heads in satanic exultation, they exclaimed 53:15 "He saved others, Himself He cannot save. 53:18 If He be the King of Israel, 53:19 let Him now come down from the cross, 53:21 and we will believe Him. 53:22 He trusted in God, let Him deliver Him now, 53:25 if He will have Him." 53:27 Vividly they recall the Savior's parable of the husbandmen 53:31 who refused to render to their Lord 53:32 the fruit of the vineyard, 53:34 who abused his servants and slew his son. 53:37 They remember, too, the sentence 53:38 which they themselves pronounced, 53:40 the Lord of the vineyard 53:42 "will miserably destroy those wicked men." 53:45 In the sin and punishment of those unfaithful men 53:48 the priests and elders see their own course 53:51 and their own just doom. 53:53 And now there rises a cry of mortal agony. 53:55 Louder than the shout, "Crucify Him, crucify Him," 53:58 which rang through the streets of Jerusalem, 54:00 swells the awful, cry "He is the Son of God! 54:03 He is the true Messiah!" 54:06 They seek to flee from the presence 54:07 of the King of kings. 54:09 In the deep caverns of the earth, 54:11 rent asunder by the warring of the elements, 54:14 they vainly attempt to hide. 54:17 In the lives of all who reject truth there are moments 54:19 when conscience awakens, when memory presents 54:22 the torturing recollection of a life of hypocrisy 54:24 and the soul is harassed with vain regrets. 54:28 But what are these compared with the remorse of that day 54:30 when "fear cometh as desolation," 54:33 when "destruction cometh as a whirlwind!" 54:37 Those who would have destroyed Christ and His faithful people 54:40 now witness the glory which rests upon them. 54:43 In the midst of their terror 54:44 they hear the voices of the saints 54:46 in joyful strains exclaiming "Lo, this is our God, 54:49 we have waited for Him, and He will save us." 54:54 Amid the reeling of the earth, 54:56 and the flash of lightning, and the roar of thunder, 54:58 the voice of the Son of God calls forth the sleeping saints. 55:03 He looks upon the graves of the righteous, 55:04 then, raising His hands to heaven, 55:06 He cries "Awake, awake, awake, 55:08 ye that sleep in the dust, and arise!" 55:11 Throughout the length and breadth of the earth 55:12 the dead shall hear that voice, 55:14 and they that hear shall live. 55:16 And the whole earth shall ring 55:17 with the tread of the exceeding great army 55:19 of every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. 55:21 From the prison house of death they come, 55:24 clothed with immortal glory, crying, 55:25 "O death, where is thy sting? 55:28 O grave, where is thy victory? 55:30 And the living righteous and the risen saints 55:32 unite their voices in a long, glad shout of victory. 55:36 The living righteous are changed "in a moment, 55:39 in the twinkling of an eye." 55:40 At the voice of God they were glorified now 55:42 they are made immortal 55:44 and are caught out to meet their Lord in the air. 55:47 Angels "gather together His elect from the four winds, 55:49 from one end of heaven to the other." 55:52 Little children are borne 55:53 by holy angels to their mothers' arms. 55:56 Friends long separated by death are united, nevermore to part, 56:00 and with songs of gladness ascend to the holy city. 56:04 On each side of the cloudy chariot are wings, 56:07 and beneath it are living wheels; 56:09 and as the chariot rolls upward, the wheels cry, "Holy," 56:13 and the wings, as they move, cry, "Holy," 56:17 and the retinue of angels cry, 56:19 "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty." 56:22 And the redeemed shout, "Alleluia!" 56:25 as the chariot moves onward toward the New Jerusalem. 56:29 Before entering the City of God, the Savior bestows 56:33 upon His followers the emblems of victory and invests them 56:37 with the insignia of their royal state. 56:39 The glittering ranks are drawn up 56:41 in the form of a hollow square about their King, 56:43 whose form rises in majesty high above saint and angel, 56:47 whose countenance beams upon them full of benignant love. 56:51 Throughout the unnumbered host of the redeemed 56:53 every glance is fixed upon Him, 56:55 every eye beholds His glory whose 56:56 "visage was so marred more than any man, 56:58 and His form more than the sons of men." 57:02 Jesus with His own right hand places 57:06 the crown of glory on ever hand. 57:09 In every hand are placed the victor's palm 57:10 and the shining harp. 57:11 And then, as the commanding angels strike the note, 57:14 each hand sweeps the harp strings with skillful touch, 57:17 awaking sweet music in rich, melodious strains. 57:21 Rapture unutterable thrills every heart, 57:23 and each voice is raised in grateful praise 57:26 "To Him that loved us, 57:27 and washed us from our sins in His own blood, 57:29 and hath made us kings and priests 57:31 unto God and His Father to Him 57:33 be glory and dominion for ever and ever." 57:36 Before the ransomed throng is the Holy City. 57:39 Jesus opens wide the pearly gates. 57:42 And then that voice, richer than any music 57:45 that ever fell on mortal ear, is heard, saying: 57:48 "Your conflict is ended." 57:51 "Come, ye blessed of My Father, 57:53 inherit the kingdom prepared for you 57:56 from the foundation of the world." 58:03 So what it will be for you and me in that day. 58:08 It's coming, anything in this world 58:12 we're clinging to miss the glory that is ahead for us. 58:19 The joy that will be ours to be united 58:22 face to face with the one head 58:24 that has so loved us has given himself 58:28 so fully and completely I love that soul. |
Revised 2014-12-17