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Series Code: RAD
Program Code: RAD170007A
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00:01 What does the future hold?
00:02 Where can we find certainty in a world of uncertainty? 00:06 The book of Revelation provides helpful answers for today, 00:09 tomorrow, and forever. 00:11 Join Mark Finley, author, and world renowned speaker on a 00:15 journey into the future with 00:21 Welcome, and thank you for joining us for this journey 00:24 through the book of Revelation. 00:25 Revelation is the last book in the Bible, and it focuses 00:29 especially on Jesus Christ. 00:32 Many people when they think about the book of Revelation, 00:34 think about mystic symbols. 00:36 They think about cryptic images. 00:38 They think about prophecy that they really can't understand. 00:41 But the book of Revelation, more than any other book in the 00:44 Bible, focuses on Jesus. 00:46 Our topic in this presentation is Revelation's Final Events. 00:51 Let's pray together and ask the Spirit of God to come 00:55 and to touch our hearts, to encourage us with the hopeful 00:59 message of the book of Revelation. 01:00 Father in Heaven, we thank You for the last book in the Bible, 01:06 the book of Revelation. 01:08 A book written by John on the island of Patmos to prepare 01:13 a people for the soon return of Jesus. 01:15 As we open the pages of that book, speak to our hearts, 01:20 bring us deep conviction, stir us within, and enable us 01:26 to sense the glory of Your soon return. 01:29 In Christ's name, Amen. 01:32 There's something really fascinating, something really 01:36 amazing about space travel. 01:38 When we think about travel through space 01:41 we are awe stricken. 01:43 Which ones of us wouldn't like to take a space journey 01:49 that was pretty safe? 01:50 You know, some of us, when we think about space journey's, 01:53 think about nervous; that we get a little nervous. 01:56 We are a little anxious. 01:58 We say, I don't know if I want to step onto some space shuttle. 02:01 But there is a space journey that's coming 02:04 that is absolutely safe. 02:07 You know, some time ago America was quite stunned as the 02:13 spacecraft Columbia blasted off. 02:17 There was a slight problem, nothing major. 02:19 Our eyes were glued to the television screens. 02:22 Thousands and thousands of people were watching as that 02:26 spacecraft hurtled through space. 02:29 Seven of our brightest, seven of our best astronauts, 02:33 some of the most talented, some of the most intelligent 02:38 people were there; bright smiles, bright eyes. 02:41 But yet as that spacecraft began to re-enter Earth's atmosphere, 02:47 a minor problem that took place when the spacecraft Columbia 02:53 blasted off, became a great problem. 02:56 The gasses entered in through a crack, evidentially, 03:03 in the craft, and the entire space shuttle blew apart. 03:09 In fact the headlines in the newspaper 03:12 were, Shuttle Breaks Up! 03:13 Time magazine quoted George Bush, President at the time, 03:18 on February 1, 2003, as saying, The Columbia is lost. 03:23 And then he said, America is saddened today. 03:26 There are no survivors. 03:29 This space journey began fairly well, 03:32 but it ended with no survivors. 03:36 The space journey that you and I are preparing for is one 03:40 that's not going to only begin well, 03:43 it's one that's going to end well. 03:45 The space journey that we are preparing for is the space 03:50 journey of the ages. 03:56 We can have absolute certainty that as we begin this space 04:00 journey from earth, when Jesus Christ returns again, 04:04 that Jesus will get us home. 04:07 We will travel. We'll travel beyond the moon, 04:11 our nearest neighbor at 250,000 miles in space. 04:14 We'll travel beyond the stars, and the planets, 04:18 travel beyond the sun, 93 million miles from here, 04:21 travel beyond Pluto, and Jupiter, and Saturn. 04:25 We'll travel through the sky, up through that open space in 04:29 Orion, and travel millions of miles in space 04:34 to our eternal home where there is no sickness, where there's no 04:38 sorrow, where there's no suffering, 04:40 where there is no death. 04:42 There is one thing that I'm certain about, many things 04:46 I'm certain about, but one thing for sure, 04:49 this world is not our home. 04:51 When I read the newspaper, and I see the gruesome details of 04:55 war, I know this world is not our home. 04:59 When I read about children with distended bellies that are 05:04 starving to death, whose mothers milk has run out, 05:08 I know that this world is not our home. 05:11 When I read about terrorist acts, and innocent people being 05:16 killed, I know that this world is not our home. 05:20 When I read of car accidents, and young adults being killed 05:26 instantly, I know that this world is not our home. 05:32 When I read about drunk men coming home and beating their 05:36 wives, breaking their noses, blood running down their face, 05:41 I know that this world is not our home. 05:46 One day we're going to travel, travel beyond the stars, 05:50 travel beyond the sun, travel through that open space in 05:55 Orion to the very throne of God. 05:59 The promise of God is that Jesus will soon return. 06:04 1500 times in the Bible, the Bible discusses 06:09 the return of Jesus. 06:11 For every one prophecy in the Old Testament on the 06:16 first coming of Christ, there are eight prophecies on the 06:20 second coming of Christ. 06:21 Once in every twenty-five verses in the New Testament, 06:25 it talks about the second coming of our Lord. 06:34 There are many people that are quite confused about the 06:36 second coming of Christ. 06:37 You read books, and one book says this thing, and the next 06:41 book says that thing about the return of Christ. 06:43 Christianity is quite confused about it. 06:45 Some people have the idea of a secret rapture. 06:48 They have the idea of a seven year tribulation. 06:50 Other people believe Jesus is coming in glory, power, majesty. 06:54 Some people believe Christ is coming to set up 06:56 His Kingdom on Earth. 06:58 Some people believe that the second coming of Christ 07:01 is kind of a Spiritual coming where there's peace, 07:04 Nirvana, love on earth. 07:06 So many confusing ideas! 07:07 I love that old poem, What Says the Bible, 07:11 the Blessed Bible to Me? 07:13 This my only question be, what says the Bible, 07:17 the blessed Bible to me? 07:18 Wouldn't you agree that this is the book of books? 07:22 Other books written by men pale into insignificance in the 07:27 light of the book of books. 07:30 The Word of God gives us certainty about the events 07:35 of the second coming of Christ. 07:36 Now when we look at the book of Revelation 07:43 In fact, Revelation 1:1 says, The Revelation of who? 07:48 The Revelation of who? Jesus Christ. 07:51 So the book of Revelation is not a confusing book. 07:54 In fact the Bible says, in Revelation 22, that the book of 07:59 Revelation is not sealed. 08:00 The book of Revelation is an open book. 08:03 The theme of Revelation is Jesus. 08:05 And there are two great mountain peaks in Revelation: 08:09 1. The lamb of God, mentioned 27 times in Revelation, 08:13 speaks of the first coming of Christ. 08:16 2. And then Jesus, pictured as a king, speaks of the 08:21 second coming of Christ. 08:23 Revelation 14:14, describes this glorious event 08:27 of Christ's coming. It says, 08:36 The Son of God became the Son of man, so sons of men could 08:42 become the sons of God. 08:43 Jesus, the Divine Son of God, tabernackled in human flesh 08:49 to show us what God was like, and to share with us the keys 08:54 to victory over temptation, and sin. 08:56 So it is the Son of man that comes back, 08:59 the One that walked the dusty streets of Galilee, the One that 09:03 walked the cobblestone streets of Jerusalem. 09:05 He is Jesus, our friend! 09:07 He's coming to take us home. 09:09 We need not fear His coming. The Bible says, 09:17 Golden crown indicating His kingly authority. 09:20 Sharp sickle indicating the end, the harvest of this world. 09:25 The book of Revelation speaks about the glory, 09:28 the beauty of the second coming of Jesus. 09:32 Jesus came once as a babe in Bethlehem's manger. 09:36 When He came that time did many people recognize Jesus? 09:41 Did they? When He came once just a few recognized Him as Messiah. 09:47 Very, very few. The wise men came, shepherds gathered there 09:51 around Jesus' birthplace. 09:53 But very few recognized Him. 09:56 So we could say that once He came, in a sense, secretly. 09:59 But when He comes the second time, the Bible teaches that 10:03 He'll come in glory, He'll come in splendor. 10:06 The Bible teaches that this will be no secret event at all. 10:11 He came once to enter in the kingdom of grace. 10:14 He is coming again to enter in, to bring in 10:18 the kingdom of glory. 10:31 Jesus is faithful to His promise. 10:34 He promised He would come again. 10:36 He is faithful. Jesus' promises are true. 10:40 Many people make promises, and they don't 10:44 follow through on them. 10:45 But Jesus said, Let not your heart be troubled. 10:48 You believe in God, believe also in Me. 10:51 In My Father's house are what? many mansions. 10:54 If it were not so, I would have told you. 10:56 And if I go to prepare a place for you, I might come again. 11:01 I, it's possible that I'll come again. 11:04 Maybe I'll come again. 11:05 What does Jesus say? 11:06 I, what? will come again. 11:10 And the One who returns, is the One who is faithful, 11:13 and the One who is true, the One whose promises never fail. 11:17 Jesus promised to return, and He will be 11:20 faithful to His promise. 11:22 And in righteousness; there is a lot in this world 11:25 that is not righteous. 11:26 It's unfair, it's unjust. 11:27 But Christ is coming with all of the glory 11:30 of His righteousness. 11:31 He judges sin, He makes war on evil, and He triumphs over it. 11:39 This is all the angels who come with Him, white and clean, 11:43 followed Him on white horses. 11:45 Why this white horse symbol in Revelation? 11:48 What does the symbol of a white horse? 11:51 Why would God use that symbol of a white horse? 12:01 The book of Revelation was written in the 1st century, 12:07 and it was written in the days of the Roman Empire. 12:09 And when the Roman armies conquered a new nation, 12:15 when the Roman General came back to Rome, he always led a 12:20 procession on a white horse. 12:23 So he always would ride on a white horse, indicating the 12:28 strength, indicating the authority of the Roman Empire, 12:32 and indicating the victory, and the triumph 12:35 for the Roman Empire. 12:37 So when the Bible pictures Christ coming on a white horse, 12:41 it is describing Jesus Christ triumphing over all the powers 12:46 of evil, triumphing over all the powers of wickedness, 12:49 Jesus as the victorious Lord. 12:52 Revelation 11:15, notice again, and again, and again 12:57 in Revelation, we have this great theme of the 13:01 coming of Jesus Christ. 13:15 The kingdoms of this world will fade into insignificance. 13:19 The buildings of this world will come crumbling down. 13:23 But Jesus will reign forever, and ever. 13:27 Do you see why the book of Revelation is the most hopeful 13:31 book in all the Bible? 13:32 Because human beings are looking for solutions to problems 13:36 that defy those solutions. 13:38 Human beings are looking for solutions to the pollution 13:42 of the world, to the global warming of the world, 13:45 to the war of the world, to the famine of the world. 13:48 But yet, as hard as they try, and as Christians, we applaud 13:54 all efforts for peace. 13:56 We applaud all efforts to feed the hungry. 13:59 We applaud all efforts to treat disease. 14:03 But here's what we know: no human solution, 14:07 no human solution can solve the problems of this world. 14:13 There is only One that can solve those problems. 14:16 And there is only one event that can bring that solution. 14:25 The kingdoms of men rise and fall. 14:28 Nations have their place on the stage of human history, 14:32 but they rise and fall. 14:35 But Jesus' kingdom will reign. 14:38 He shall reign! What does it say? forever, 14:41 and ever, and ever. 14:43 His kingdom will last through all eternity. 14:55 Many people have different ideas about how 14:58 Jesus is going to come, but the Bible is very clear. 15:01 The first thing that we want to notice is this: that there will 15:05 be those that claim that Christ has returned. 15:18 In other words, there will be those that see in what they 15:24 believe a being of dazzling brightness. 15:27 There will be those that see in that being, one that they 15:30 believe is the Messiah. 15:33 What if a Messiah like being of dazzling brightness 15:38 appeared in Los Angeles? 15:39 What if He appeared there in the great Coliseum, 15:42 spoke to thousands, and they were being healed? 15:45 What if a Christ-like being, being of dazzling brightness, 15:50 angelic being appeared? 15:52 What indeed if he appeared in a place like Chicago, 15:57 in Grant Park, and spoke to thousands? 15:59 What if he appeared in St. Louis? 16:00 What if he appeared in New York City, in Times Square? 16:04 What if he appeared in Paris, or London, 16:07 England, or Beijing China? 16:09 What if thousands were being healed? 16:11 Would you go to see him? 16:12 What does Jesus say? 16:15 there. Why not? Because the Bible says, 16:31 Jesus Christ is not coming as some cosmic master, 16:35 some being of dazzling brightness to walk on the 16:39 earth at this time. 16:40 Christ is coming in the clouds of heaven. 16:49 Our Jesus is coming in the clouds of heaven. 16:52 Now Satan can appear as a being of dazzling brightness. 16:57 Satan can masquerade, and appear as Christ. 17:02 Satan could walk up and down on this earth. 17:05 But Satan does not have the power to come in the clouds 17:09 of heaven like a glorious being and raise the dead. 17:13 Only Jesus Christ can do that. 17:17 Satan has a plan to deceive the multitudes. 17:21 Wouldn't the Devil try to counterfeit, and impersonate, 17:26 the second coming of Christ, when all humanity is looking 17:30 for solutions to their problems? 17:32 Wouldn't that be something that you think the Devil might do? 17:37 Now, five facts about the coming of Christ: 1. 17:43 It's not some Spiritual coming. 17:46 Jesus is not some Cosmic master that's going to come in some 17:51 vague vapory way, and bring peace, Nirvana on earth. 17:59 Jesus ascended up in the sky literally; 18:01 He'll return literally. The Bible says, 18:12 The disciples were looking up, straining their eyes to see 18:17 Jesus as He ascended into heaven. 18:20 Man steps off a mountain and goes down. 18:23 God steps off a mountain and goes up. 18:26 Because the law of gravity cannot keep down the 18:30 Creator of gravity. 18:35 The disciples looked. 18:37 The angels come and they say to the disciples, 18:40 in these very words, 18:48 Jesus ascended into heaven in glory, He will return in glory. 18:52 He ascended into heaven, He will return the same way He went up. 19:04 We look at Scripture, and recognize that this is no 19:10 supposed Cosmic master, who is going to walk on earth. 19:14 He is coming down from the sky in glory. 19:19 Now Christ's coming will not only be a literal event, 19:22 it will be a visible event, not only seen by the righteous, 19:26 but also seen by all humanity. 19:28 The Bible makes that very plain. 19:39 The eyes of the young, and the eyes of the old, the eyes of the 19:44 educated, and the eyes of the uneducated. 19:47 Chinese eyes will see Him come, and European eyes will see Him 19:50 come, and Asian eyes will see Him come, and the eyes of 19:55 Europeans will see Him come, and the eyes of Americans will 19:58 see Him come, and the eyes of Australians will see Him come. 20:00 The Bible says what? every eye will see Him come. 20:04 Now somebody says, Well, Pastor Mark, I thought only the 20:06 righteous were going to see Him, and that they were kind of two 20:09 phases of His second coming. 20:11 The Bible does not teach that. 20:12 It teaches that every eye will see Jesus when He comes. 20:19 Not only literal, or real Christ, not only visible, 20:23 that we will see Him come, but it will be an audible event. 20:28 Not only will every eye see it, but every ear will hear 20:32 Jesus at this event. 20:34 The Bible says in 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 20:43 Now that doesn't seem very silent, does it? 20:45 With a what? With a what? a shout! The Bible says 21:00 Have you lost some loved one by death? a father or a mother? 21:05 You've laid them in some grassy grave on a hillside. 21:09 You can't wait to see your Mom again. 21:12 You can't wait to see your Father again. 21:14 What about that baby that died in childbirth? 21:18 You long to see them again. 21:20 What about that son or that grandson? 21:23 What about that friend? 21:27 Tears run down your face as you hear the 21:31 story of their death. 21:32 But the Bible says, The Lord Himself shall descend from 21:35 heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, 21:39 with the trumpet of God, the trumpet of victory. 21:42 And the dead in Christ shall do what? they shall rise first. 21:48 One evening I was standing on the platform of one of the great 21:52 auditoriums in our world, and I was talking about the 21:55 second coming of Christ. 21:56 I had just talked about this passage in 1 Thessalonians 4. 22:00 And as I did, I said, How can I make it real to my audience? 22:05 How can I just describe the second coming of Christ so 22:09 powerfully that people longed to be ready for His coming? 22:12 So I described a scene, and I said, Suppose you had a little 22:16 baby, and let's suppose that baby's name was Amanda. 22:20 I don't know why I used that name. 22:23 I had never used that name before. 22:26 It's a common name, but not a super common name in America. 22:29 And so I said, Suppose you had a little baby called Amanda. 22:33 And suppose at six months Amanda died in a crib death. 22:40 She suffocated in the crib. 22:43 And suppose you buried her, and your heart was just broken 22:48 over the death of Amanda. 22:50 And imagine you're at her grave. and there as you're praying, 22:53 And there as you're praying, longing, with tears coming down 22:58 your face, to see Amanda again. 23:00 The earth shakes, the sky illuminates 23:03 with the glory of God. 23:04 Christ comes with ten thousand times ten thousand angels. 23:08 The sky is illuminated with the glory of God, and Jesus calls, 23:12 Amanda, come forth! 23:13 And that grave opens and that little baby comes out, 23:16 and the angel puts that baby in your hands again. 23:19 And those little hands begin to pat your cheeks. 23:22 And you look into that little face, and you ascend into heaven 23:26 with Jesus in the sky. 23:28 At the end of the meeting, a lady came up to me and said, 23:32 Pastor, can I talk to you? I said, Sure. 23:34 She said, How did you know? 23:35 I said, How did I know what? 23:37 How did you know I had a little baby? 23:39 A baby that died in the crib at six months? 23:43 And how did you know that that baby's name was Amanda? 23:48 I said, I've never used that name in a sermon before. 23:53 But the Holy Spirit impressed me to use that name, 23:57 at that moment, just for you. 24:00 Because Jesus loves you so much. 24:02 Jesus wants you in eternity. 24:05 Jesus wants you to be with Him, and He wants you to know that 24:09 one day He can put that baby back in your arms again. 24:12 Christ comes with a trumpet symbolizing the blast that will 24:18 wake the dead, symbolling victory. 24:21 He comes with a cycle symbolizing that earth comes 24:24 to an end, and earth's harvest indeed is over. 24:28 The Bible puts it this way, 24:32 The graves are opened, the dead come out. 24:35 Then scripture says that 24:47 The Bible says, we shall be caught up together with them 24:51 to meet the Lord in the air. 24:53 Your mother is going to be looking for you. 24:55 That mother that was so faithful to Christ, 24:58 she's going to be looking for you. 24:59 That friend that you prayed with, and studied the Bible 25:02 with, they're going to be looking for you. 25:04 That son, that daughter, Dad's going to be looking for you. 25:07 Dad, don't walk away from Christ now! 25:10 Dad, don't turn your back on Christ now! 25:12 Because what if your son is saved, 25:13 and he's looking through heaven. 25:15 He says, Where's my father? 25:16 I want him to be here! 25:17 Children, your parents are going to be looking for you. 25:20 This is no time to walk away from Christ. 25:23 Your parents are going to be looking for you. 25:25 What does the Bible say? 25:26 We're caught up together with them! 25:27 Think of the joy of celebration. 25:29 Think of the jubilation. 25:31 Think of the thrill of being caught up together in the air. 25:35 You don't want to miss that for some of the cheap 25:38 pleasures of this life. 25:40 The Bible is clear, we will be caught up together. 25:44 I love the word together. 25:45 Families holding hands, husbands, wives, parents, 25:48 children with them in the clouds to do what? to meet the Lord. 25:53 Where? We going to meet Him on earth? 25:55 Meet the Lord where? in the air. 25:58 The Devil can never counterfeit that. 25:59 Christ is coming literally. 26:01 Christ is coming, so every eye will see Him. 26:04 Christ is coming, so every ear will hear it. 26:07 Christ is coming to raise the dead. 26:11 Christ is coming to give immortality to the living. 26:15 And we ascend through the sky with Jesus. 26:18 So shall we ever... Not temporarily, not momentarily. 26:23 So shall we what? ever be with the Lord in eternity. 26:29 Life is short. We appear here momentarily, 26:34 and then we're off the scene's history. 26:36 But Jesus is coming, and we can ever be with the Lord. 26:41 Notice Matthew 24:26. 26:48 or look, He's in New York, or Chicago, 26:51 or Los Angeles; wherever. 26:54 Why not? Because our Christ is coming in 26:57 glory to raise the dead. Now 27:04 It is the event of the ages. 27:18 So this is no secret event. 27:20 It's like lightening shining from the east to the west. 27:28 He's coming to redeem His people. 27:31 He's coming to resurrect the dead. 27:34 He's coming down through the corridor of Orion in glory, 27:39 and power, and majesty. He is coming soon. 27:43 Now, the Bible says in 27:49 This is a key verse. 27:55 Now notice, it does not say that only the righteous will 28:00 see Him when He comes. 28:02 It does not say that He is coming to rapture His saints. 28:06 Not at all; He's coming literally, He's coming visibly 28:09 so that every eye sees it. 28:11 He's coming audibly, so every ear hears it. 28:14 He's coming to raise the dead. 28:16 But notice, it does not say in the text, that only the 28:21 righteous will see Him. It says, 28:27 Remember Revelation 1:7 said, 28:32 Does that mean the unrighteous will see Him as He comes? 28:36 Let's let the Bible speak for itself. 28:38 What does the Scripture say? And they 28:41 That is the tribes of the earth. 28:43 That is the unrighteous. 28:45 That is the unsaved. 28:52 So when Jesus comes, there are not two phases of His coming, 28:58 divided by a seven year tribulation. 29:00 When Jesus comes, the second time to return, 29:03 every eye sees Him. 29:04 The righteous see Him, and the wicked see Him. 29:07 The saved see Him, and the unsaved see Him. 29:11 The holy see Him, and the unholy see Him. 29:14 When Jesus comes there is a great divide. 29:18 When Jesus comes the righteous look up, and they are just 29:24 delighted, and thrilled. 29:26 And they're filled with joy and jubilation when Christ comes. 29:29 When the unrighteous see Him, they run for the rocks and 29:33 mountains to fall upon them. 29:35 They are frightened at His coming. 29:40 Really, Christ's coming is the climax of human history. 29:44 When Jesus Christ comes, all of history comes 29:48 to one focal point. 29:49 When Jesus Christ comes, all of history comes 29:52 to an end as we know it. 29:54 History is not circular, going around in circle, after circle, 29:59 after circle with no end point. 30:01 History had a beginning point. 30:03 God created this world in six literal days, 30:07 and rested on the seventh. 30:09 Six twenty-four hour periods, and the seventh twenty-four 30:13 hour period, the Sabbath. 30:14 History had a beginning point. 30:16 This world had a beginning point, and this world 30:19 will have an end point. 30:20 Jesus came in history once when He died on the cross. 30:24 He will come at a point in history a second time, 30:28 in a glorious, climatic event. The Bible says, 30:49 The trumpet of victory, the trumpet of triumph, 30:52 at the last trumpet. 30:53 The Bible then goes on to say, 31:00 We have corruptible bodies. 31:02 We have mortal bodies. 31:03 Our bodies are subject to disease. 31:06 They're subject to pain. 31:07 They're subject to suffering. 31:09 They're subject to death. 31:10 But one day Jesus is going to come. 31:13 The trumpet's going to sound, and these bodies of ours are 31:16 going to be raised what? incorruptible. 31:19 No more suffering, no more sickness, no more disease, 31:22 no more heartache, no more cancer. 31:30 Mortal means subject to disease, and death, and decay. 31:34 Immortality, living forever, and ever, and ever with Jesus 31:39 Christ through the ceaseless ages of eternity. 31:42 Christ comes and we are ushered through the carter of the sky, 31:47 to live with Him forever, and ever, and ever, 31:51 in eternal glory where there is no worry, no fear, no anxiety. 31:55 Sometimes does your stomach get tightened, 31:59 and you get a little worried? 32:01 Sometimes do you get headaches because you're 32:03 under such tension? 32:05 Sometimes does fear grip your soul? 32:09 Just think of what it's going to be like to live in a world 32:12 where there is no worry. 32:13 You never worry about anything again. 32:17 Think about what it's going to be like to live in a world 32:19 where there is no fear. You never fear. 32:22 Think of what it's going to be like to live in a world 32:25 where there is no evil, no sickness, no war, no heartache, 32:30 no suffering, no death. 32:31 That's going to be an amazing world, isn't it? 32:34 I don't want to miss it, do you? 32:36 Jesus is coming to usher in eternity. 32:40 And one day we, with the whole Universe, will sing from the 32:44 depths of our soul: 32:53 We will see that the way God dealt with the controversy 32:57 between good and evil, this controversy between Christ 33:01 and Satan, this great controversy in the Universe, 33:04 we will see that in the way God dealt with that controversy 33:09 has been fair, and just, and right. 33:12 It has demonstrated His love forever. 33:15 And that's why sin will never rise a second time. 33:19 Because Jesus has dealt with the controversy in a way 33:24 to reveal, before a waiting world, before a watching 33:28 Universe the majesty, the greatness, 33:31 and the beauty of His love. 33:33 Just think of what it's going to be like when He comes! 33:37 Husbands embracing their wives, and saying, It's over! 33:40 It's over! It's over! 33:42 No, honey, it's not over, it's just beginning! 33:45 And we ascend to heaven. 33:47 Think of what it's going to be like for mothers to grasp 33:51 the hands of those children again. 33:54 Think of what it's going to be like in that glorious day 33:56 to ascend through the sky. 33:58 You say, Pastor, that's too good to be true! 34:01 It's too good not to be true. 34:04 In your heart you know that you were created 34:06 for something better. 34:08 In your heart you long for that something better in Jesus. 34:12 We will look up, Isaiah 25:9, we'll cry out, 34:22 Now underline, circle, we've waited, and He will save us. 34:25 We've waited for Him. 34:26 We've not surrendered to the cheap, 34:29 tawdry pleasures of this world. 34:32 We've waited for Him. 34:33 We've not sold out like Judas did for a few pieces of silver. 34:38 In this life we have done what? we've waited for Him. 34:41 We've not accepted the false Christ. 34:43 We've not been deceived by the false Messiah. 34:46 We've not accepted the one that's come this earth 34:49 as a being of dazzling brightness, 34:51 and walked on the earth and claimed he could heal. 34:54 We have waited for Christ; He will save us. Notice: 35:04 We are rejoicing, but there is another class. 35:09 You know, the Bible says, 35:14 When is the accepted time? 35:15 The only way to be ready for Christ is to get ready 35:18 today, and stay ready. 35:26 Christ appeals to us not to get ready tomorrow. 35:30 If you're watching this broadcast, here in this 35:33 auditorium, and you said, You know, 35:36 I feel a stirring in my heart. 35:38 I sense that this world doesn't have much to offer. 35:42 But I'm hesitating. 35:44 There's something that I don't want to let go. 35:46 I just haven't come to the place of a full 35:49 commitment to Christ yet. 35:52 The longer you wait the harder it's going to become. 35:56 Now is the day of salvation. 35:59 You didn't turn in to this broadcast by accident. 36:02 You're not in this auditorium by accident. 36:04 Christ brought you here. 36:06 If there's something in your heart, something in your life, 36:09 Christ wants you to get that settled now. 36:12 Because now is the accepted time, 36:15 now is the day of salvation. 36:24 The choices that we make today either tie us, and bind us, 36:29 and lock us in sin, or the choice to accept His grace, 36:34 the choice to accept His pardon, the choice to accept His power. 36:38 That's a life changing choice that frees 36:42 us, that liberates us. 36:44 As some people say, Well, Pastor, summarize it. 36:47 Summarize all the events that happen when Jesus comes. 36:50 Here they are: First 36:55 The Bible says every mountain and every island will be 36:57 moved out of its place. 37:12 on the righteous dead and living, and they will ascend 37:15 into heaven with Christ. 37:19 by the brightness of Jesus' coming. 37:22 They will not live on earth. 37:28 as they ascend to heaven together. 37:35 Those are the events that surround the coming of Christ. 37:38 But somebody says, Pastor Mark, I really still 37:42 have some questions. 37:43 And I've heard a lot about something called 37:46 the secret rapture. 37:47 And what about this idea of the secret rapture? 37:51 Where does that come from? 37:53 And, you know, I'm a little confused because doesn't the 37:56 Bible say that Christ is going to come as a thief? 37:59 Isn't that implying secretly? 38:01 And doesn't the Bible say there'll be two in the field, 38:03 one will be taken, one will be left? 38:05 Doesn't that kind of imply that Jesus' coming is kind of secret? 38:10 I see all those texts in the Bible that you read, 38:12 and they're pretty clear, but help me with these texts: 38:15 I'm so glad you asked that question. 38:17 Let's go to the secret rapture, and take a little look about it. 38:21 First we need to keep clear on this. 38:24 Mathew 24:36. When the Bible talks about the second 38:27 coming of Christ it says: 38:34 Well, the first thing we notice is this: When somebody comes 38:37 to you with a time chart and says, This is when 38:39 Christ is going to come. 38:40 I've got all this figured out. 38:42 Beware, because Jesus says, But of that day and hour what? 38:44 nobody knows. So what then does Jesus say after that? 38:55 What's another expression for one hour? 38:57 What is that? What time the thief would come 39:06 So in other words the references in the Bible to Jesus coming as 39:12 a thief are not speaking about the manner of His coming, 39:16 but the time of His coming. 39:18 The references in the Bible that speak about Jesus coming as a 39:22 thief don't deal with the time at all. 39:24 They deal with the manner. 39:25 Rather they don't deal with the manner at all, 39:28 they deal with the time. 39:29 It's the time that these prophecies deal with, 39:32 not the manner of Christ's coming. 39:34 If a thief comes to your house, does the thief say, Get ready! 39:42 I'm coming at one o'clock in the morning! 39:45 Is that what the thief says? 39:47 Is that the way the thieves do it here around 3ABN? 39:51 No, you don't have any thieves here. 39:52 This is paradise! Ah, no, is that what the thieves do? 39:55 Do they say, Here I come! 39:57 I'm coming now! No. 39:59 So when the Bible talks about Christ coming as a thief, 40:02 it's not talking about manner. 40:04 He's coming so that every eye can see Him. 40:06 That's the manner of His coming. 40:07 He's coming so every ear can hear it. 40:09 That's the manner of His coming. 40:10 He's coming to raise the dead; lightening in heaven. 40:13 But we do not know the time, so He's coming quickly. 40:16 He's coming unexpectedly like a thief. 40:23 Just like in the days of Noah. 40:25 Did they expect the flood to take place in the days of Noah? 40:28 Not at all. Just like in the days of Lot. 40:30 Did they expect fire to come down and burn 40:32 Sodom and Gomorrah? Not at all. 40:39 Now here is one of the clearest references that the Bible 40:43 says to explain that. 40:45 Verse 43 says He's coming as a thief. Verse 44 says: 40:57 So the thief imagery in the Bible does not speak about the 41:01 manner of Christ's coming. 41:02 It speaks about the time of His coming. 41:05 He comes quickly. He comes rapidly. 41:09 He comes unexpectedly, like a thief. 41:13 Now Peter makes this plain. 41:16 2 Peter 3:10, and this should really answer the rapture 41:20 question about Christ coming as a thief, and the idea that 41:23 He's coming secretly. Look what it says. 41:29 You know, there was a movie about called the 41:31 Thief In the Night, about the rapture that said 41:33 that He's coming secretly. 41:35 Totally contrary to this text. 41:39 And what happens when He comes as a thief in the night? 41:45 That's not very secret. 41:47 And then it says, 41:53 So this whole thief imagery has to do with the second coming of 41:57 Christ, and subsequently, the millennial period after that, 42:02 and the coming of Jesus. 42:03 When Jesus comes the second time the earth is destroyed. 42:08 It's left desolate, and that eventually it's burned up. 42:12 This whole thief imagery has to do with He's coming quickly, 42:16 and this world will be a thing of the past. 42:25 He comes as a thief to the unprepared. 42:28 He comes quickly, unexpectedly, rapidly. 42:31 You know, somebody says, 42:36 That expression is found in Matthew 24, 42:40 and it's also found in Luke 17. 42:43 Now some people have this idea, Well, you know, we are going be 42:47 taken away in the rapture, and then other people are going 42:51 to be left alive on earth. 42:52 It's rather fascinating. 42:54 Let me just take my Bible momentarily, and take it and 42:58 turn to Matthew the 24th chapter. 43:00 Matthew 24. And I want to surprise you with this text. 43:05 What's the popular idea of those who teach the rapture? 43:08 Oh, those people are taken away in the rapture, 43:10 and the others are left alive. 43:11 Well, this is rather fascinating, Matthew 24, 43:15 Jesus says, Verse 36, But of that day and hour no one knows, 43:20 no, not even the angels of heaven, but my Father. 43:23 Then notice what it says, Verse 37, But as the days of Noah; 43:27 as the days of what everybody? Noah. 43:29 As the days of Noah, so also will the coming 43:33 of the Son of man be. 43:34 What's it going to be like? the days of Noah? 43:37 For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and 43:40 drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage, until the day that 43:44 Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came 43:49 and took them all away. 43:51 What happened to those who were taken away by the flood? 43:57 What happened to them? 43:58 They died! Well, the idea of the rapture is we're taken 44:01 away in the rapture. 44:03 The Bible doesn't say that. 44:04 When these people were taken away, they were taken away 44:07 into the flood and died. 44:09 Now when you come to Luke 17th chapter, you have something 44:14 very interesting here. 44:20 Now here it reverses the symbolism. 44:22 What happens to the people that are left? 44:25 Are those that are left left alive on earth? Not at all. 44:31 What happened in the days of Noah? 44:33 Two classes: one went into the ark, 44:35 one did not go into the ark. 44:37 The ones that went into the ark were saved. 44:39 The ones that did not go into the ark were destroyed. 44:47 So in the days of Lot. 44:50 What happened in the days of Lot? 44:51 Two classes: those that leave the city are what? saved. 44:58 Those that stay in the city are what? burned. So 45:06 There are two classes. 45:08 Two classes: days of Noah. 45:11 One saved, one lost. 45:13 Days of Lot. One saved and one lost. 45:16 Two classes: days of Noah. 45:19 Some are alive; they go into the ark. 45:21 Some are destroyed; they stay out of the ark. 45:23 Days of Lot. Some stay in the city. 45:26 They're consumed and burned. 45:27 Some come out of the city, and they are what? they are saved. 45:31 So when the Bible talks about one taken, one left, it's talking 45:36 about two classes: one class are saved, and one class are lost. 45:41 One class are alive, and one class are destroyed. 45:46 The Bible is very clear. 45:48 What happens when Jesus comes? 45:50 There is no rapture. 45:52 There are two classes to make their eternal decision 45:54 for or against Christ. 46:18 How horrible it is! 46:19 Jesus created them to live with Him forever. 46:23 Jesus created them to be with Him through all eternity. 46:27 Jesus created them to live, but they run, they hide from 46:31 the face of the Lamb. 46:32 Twenty-seven times in the book of Revelation 46:35 it talks about the Lamb. 46:36 The Lamb who came, the Lamb slain from the 46:39 foundation of the world, the Lamb who provides salvation 46:42 for all mankind, the Lamb who reaches out with love, 46:46 hangs on Calvary's cross to save humanity. 46:49 But they're frightened. 46:51 They've never come to Jesus in this life. 46:53 They've never given Him their lives, and so they run in fear. 46:59 Two classes: one filled with joy, one filled with fear. 47:03 Two classes: for one it's the happiest day of their life. 47:08 For the other it's the saddest day of their life. 47:11 Two classes: for one it's a new beginning, for the other 47:17 it's a tragic ending. 47:19 And every single one of us have that choice. 47:24 What will I do with Jesus? 47:26 Will I accept Him as my Lord and Savior? 47:30 Will I give Him my life? 47:32 Will I live with Him forever, or will on that day, 47:36 in horror and agony, I run from the One who longs to save me? 47:42 You see, Jesus wants to save every human 47:44 being, but He can't. 47:46 If Jesus brought all of Chicago to heaven, would it be heaven? 47:53 or would it be Chicago? 47:55 If Jesus brought all of New York, and all of Los Angeles 47:58 to heaven, would it be heaven, or would it be 48:01 New York and Los Angeles? 48:02 See, until you have heaven up there, 48:05 you've got to have heaven down here. 48:07 Until you can live in the kingdom up there, 48:09 you have to have the kingdom right in here. 48:11 And that's what Jesus is doing right now. 48:14 He's building a people who want to live in heaven more than they 48:17 want to live on earth. 48:18 Who want to live in eternity more than they 48:21 want to live in time. 48:22 Who want to live in a land of glory rather than a land of 48:26 degradation and sickness. 48:28 And they cry out these laws 48:33 And the answer to that question is those that have been saved 48:38 and redeemed by the grace of Christ. You see, 48:46 This is no time for playing around. 48:49 This is no time for fiddling on the knife edge of eternity. 48:54 his is no time to push Christ out of your life. 49:14 Remember, Jesus promised in John 14:2, 3, 49:18 we quoted it earlier. 49:19 Here it is from the screen. 49:22 And Jesus can't wait for you to be there with Him. 49:33 That's what the second coming of Christ is all about. 49:36 The second coming of Christ is not primarily about 49:40 destroying the earth. 49:42 It's not primarily about destroying wicked people 49:46 who are destroyed because they turned from 49:49 the claims of His love. 49:50 The primary reason for the second coming of 49:52 Christ is stated here. 49:54 I am coming to receive you to Myself. 49:57 Jesus is coming for you. 49:59 He no longer wants you to live in a world of heartache, 50:01 or sorrow, or disappointment. 50:03 No longer wants you to live in a world of pain and suffering. 50:06 No longer wants you to live in a world of tears. 50:08 He cannot stand to be away from you any longer, so He's coming. 50:12 He's coming for you. Think of it. 50:15 Think of the promise that every father has, 50:19 every mother has, every son has, every daughter has, 50:24 on that day when their loved one dies. 50:27 Think of the promise. 50:28 Jesus says, I will come again to receive you unto Myself. 50:32 I will come, and lightening will flash through the sky. 50:36 I will come, and mothers will receive their babies 50:40 in their arms again. 50:41 I will come, and friends will embrace one another once again. 50:45 Jesus says, I will come. 50:48 Sin, and sorrow, and suffering, and heartache will be over. 50:51 I will come, and the dead will be resurrected. 50:54 I will come, and children will be placed in their 50:56 mother's arms again. 50:58 I will come, and dad's will embrace their kids again. 51:01 I will come, and men and women from all ages will come. 51:04 They'll be resurrected from the north, to the south, 51:07 to the east, to the west. 51:08 They'll come out of their graves. 51:10 They'll rise with Me in glory. 51:11 And Jesus says, I will come again. 51:13 Is there anything, anything, that would keep you from being 51:18 ready for the coming of Jesus? 51:21 Anything deep within your heart? 51:23 You see, there's only one thing that can satisfy, 51:27 now and forever, and that's Jesus. 51:31 And Jesus is reaching out to you today. 51:35 You know, I was 17 years old, and I didn't know 51:39 anything about the Bible. 51:41 Didn't know anything about Jesus. 51:44 And my Dad said to me one Saturday night; He said, 51:49 You're hitch hiking to the dance, aren't you? 51:51 I said, Yeah Dad, I'm hitch hiking to the dance. 51:53 He said, You know, it may rain. 51:55 You may get all wet, and you're not going to look too good 51:56 when you go to that dance. 51:58 What time's the dance start? 51:59 About 9 o'clock, Dad. 52:01 Hey, look, there's a meeting going on about 52:04 7 o'clock at night. 52:06 It's across from the dance. 52:07 And there's a preacher that's speaking. 52:09 Why don't you go? I'll take you. 52:12 And then run across to the dance. 52:13 You see, my Dad was a Seventh-day Adventist 52:15 believing in the second coming of Christ, but I wasn't. 52:17 And Dad was very wise. 52:19 I get in the car. I didn't want to hitch hike, 52:21 and stand on the cold road. 52:23 He took me to that meeting. 52:25 It was kind of boring the first night. 52:26 At least I thought it was. 52:28 I ran across to the dance. 52:30 But the second night the preacher talked about the 52:32 second coming of Christ. 52:34 And they sang a song, Open mine eyes that I may see, 52:37 glimpses of truth illumine me. 52:41 And that second night I fell on my knees. 52:44 I said, Jesus, open my eyes. 52:47 Help me see the glory of eternity. 52:49 And, Jesus, get me ready for Your coming. 52:52 Ask Jesus to open your eyes. 52:54 As Jesus to touch your heart. 52:56 Ask Jesus to speak to you right now as Celestine sings. 53:13 Open my eyes that I may see, glimpses of 53:21 truth Thou hast for me. 53:26 Place in my hands the wonderful key that shall 53:34 unclasp and set me free. 53:39 Silently now I wait for Thee, ready my God Thy will to see. 53:52 Open my eyes, illumine me, Spirit Divine. 54:13 Open my ears that I may hear, voices of truth 54:21 thou sent is clear. 54:24 And while the wave notes fall on my ear, 54:30 everything false will disappear. 54:37 Silently now I wait for Thee, ready my God Thy will to see. 54:49 Open my eyes, illumine me, Spirit Divine. 55:04 Would you like to say to Jesus right now, Lord, open my eyes. 55:10 May the things of earth fade into insignificance. 55:14 May the things of time fade into eternity. 55:19 Lord, open mine eyes. 55:21 Help me to see You in all of Your beauty, 55:24 and all of Your glory. 55:26 Lord, open mine eyes. 55:28 Help me not be so entranced with the things of this world 55:32 that I miss eternity. 55:34 The greatest event in the history of the ages is the 55:39 second coming of Christ. 55:41 And if you miss it, if you miss it, you have missed 55:46 everything in life. 55:47 Without the second coming of Christ, the grave is a dark hole 55:54 in the ground, and death is a long night without the morning. 55:57 But with the second coming of Christ there is hope; 56:01 hope to see our loved ones again, hope to be with our 56:04 children, our families again, hope that this old world will be 56:08 recreated like the garden of Eden again. 56:10 As we bow our heads to pray, would you like to say, Jesus, 56:14 open mine eyes to see the glory of eternity. 56:18 Let's pray together. 56:20 Oh Father, come, come! 56:23 And as the old song says, open up mine eyes that I can 56:25 see, glimpses of truth. 56:28 Illumine me, Spirit Divine. 56:31 Father we thank You that there is hope for this world. 56:37 We thank You that death is not a dead end. 56:41 We thank You that we were created for 56:43 a life, and not death. 56:45 We thank You that You've got a much better world. 56:49 That there's a world of tomorrow coming. 56:51 That one day we'll be caught up to meet Christ in the sky, 56:54 and travel beyond the sun, the moon, and the stars to eternity. 56:57 Oh Jesus, we surrender our lives to You, to be ready 57:02 for that great event. 57:04 In Christ's name, Amen. 57:05 Thank you for joining us for Revelation's 57:10 Ancient Discoveries. 57:12 We are going to be probing the great prophecies of this book, 57:16 and looking more deeply into each chapter of the 57:20 book of Revelation. 57:22 So stay with us here on 3ABN, and be blessed today. |
Revised 2018-03-26