Participants: Taj Pacleb
Series Code: ROHB
Program Code: ROHB000017
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00:39 Our message tonight is entitled
00:40 The Gospel in the Seven Last Plagues. 00:44 Friends, when it comes to the topic of Seven Last Plagues 00:48 we need to see if this topic indeed 00:51 reveals the love of God. 00:52 And we're gonna see tonight that absolutely yes. 00:54 The topic of the Seven Last Plagues 00:56 shows the love of God. 00:58 You see many people feel like Revelation is a scary book. 01:01 Many people are afraid to read it and study it. 01:04 They think it's a scary book, 01:05 it talks about beast and dragons and plagues 01:08 because it seems so foreign 01:09 and so inconsistent to God's 01:11 character of love, 01:13 His loving nature. 01:14 But here's the question 01:15 I want to answer tonight from God's word. 01:17 What is the true nature of God's character of love? 01:21 Because many people think that God's character of love 01:24 is such that He will excuse sin and He will save people 01:29 even though they continue to break His law. 01:31 Well, friends, that's not love. 01:33 That's not love at all. 01:35 Notice the true nature of the character of God's love. 01:38 In the Book of Exodus 34:6, 7 the Bible says, 01:43 "The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, 01:47 and abundant in" what? 01:49 "Goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, 01:52 forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, 01:55 and that will by no means clear the--" 01:58 I want you to notice, friends, 02:00 God's character is that He is completely merciful. 02:03 That's' the first thing it say's, 02:04 merciful, gracious, longsuffering and goodness, 02:06 having mercy and forgiveness. 02:08 God is completely merciful but the last part says, 02:10 He will by no means clear the guilty 02:12 which shows that God is not only a merciful God 02:15 but God is a just God as well. 02:18 Can you say, amen? 02:20 By no means is He going to clear the guilty. 02:23 You see, God is born along 02:25 with sin and evil in the world. 02:27 The Bible says that He is longsuffering. 02:30 Friends, do you know what longsuffering means? 02:32 What does longsuffering means? 02:34 It simply means to suffer long, isn't that right? 02:37 God is one that has suffered long and with sin 02:40 you see, not only causes mankind to suffer, 02:43 sin breaks the heart of God. 02:45 Sin causes suffering to the creator Himself. 02:48 And as long as sin is in existence in this universe 02:51 God is suffering, friends. 02:53 Don't ever think 02:54 that you are the only one that is suffering, 02:56 God is suffering far more than we are 02:58 and no matter how intense your problems and your suffering is, 03:01 can you imagine God is infinite therefore 03:05 He is capable of experiencing an infinite amount of suffering. 03:10 And so He has suffered long, friends. 03:12 He's been patient with the wickedness in this world 03:14 and the Bible tells us 03:15 that there's gonna come a day of reckoning 03:17 that He will by no means clear the guilty. 03:20 The Bible teaches friends, 03:21 that one say sin and evil and sinners 03:23 who cling to sin are going to be destroyed and eradicated 03:27 because God is not only a God of mercy 03:29 but He is also a God of infinite justice. 03:32 Can you say, amen? 03:33 And friends, I want us to remember 03:35 that God's justice is in perfect harmony with God's mercy. 03:39 In other words our God does not have mood swings. 03:43 Can you say, amen? 03:44 Our God, brother and sister, 03:46 is completely consistent in His character. 03:49 His justice and mercy are two sides 03:52 of the exact same coin. 03:54 It's the character of God's love. 03:55 His love is demonstrated in mercy 03:57 but it's also demonstrated in justice. 04:00 And friends, how's that? 04:01 You can see this up the cross. 04:03 I have mentioned it before, let me say it again. 04:04 At the cross, friends, 04:05 we find that "The perfect life of Christ 04:08 satisfied the justice of the law 04:11 and His vicarious death provided mercy to the man." 04:14 You see, God's justice and mercy are 100% consistent 04:18 with each other, 100% of the time, 04:21 including when the seven last plagues are poured out. 04:26 Amen. 04:28 You see at times God's cup of wrath 04:30 becomes full against wickedness 04:32 that it overflows with punishment. 04:34 And we find glimpses of this all throughout the Bible. 04:36 We see the example of the flood 04:38 and how man's cup of inequity was full 04:42 and their thought was only evil continually 04:45 and this was hurting the human race. 04:48 And so in mercy He put them out of their misery 04:51 by destroying the world with a worldwide flood. 04:55 You also see it in Sodom and Gomorrah, 04:57 the fire that reign down 04:58 that destroyed those wicked cities. 05:00 It was not just an act of justice, 05:02 it was an act of mercy 05:03 because their wickedness was hurting themselves 05:05 and hurting the righteousness. 05:06 And so God put them out of the misery. 05:08 We find this also on the plagues of Egypt. 05:11 Over and over again, friends, we find that at times 05:13 the cup of God's wrath toward sin 05:15 and evil and wickedness 05:16 becomes full that it overflows in the judgments of God 05:21 which are in reality 05:23 an expression also of the mercy of God. 05:26 And so to friends, with the seven last plagues 05:28 we're going to see tonight. 05:31 The final abomination 05:34 in these last days will bring about desolation to the world 05:38 a desolation upon wickedness. 05:40 And friends, all of God's just judgments 05:44 are an act of His infinite Mercy. 05:46 We're gonna see, friends, that the gospel 05:48 is even demonstrated in what is known 05:51 as the scariest part of the Bible. 05:53 Friends, the seven last plagues, 05:55 that's the scariest part of the Bible. 05:57 But even in this part of the Bible 05:59 we find the love of Jesus demonstrated. 06:02 Can you say, amen? 06:03 And so I want to give you five reasons. 06:04 How many? 06:05 Five reasons why the seven last plagues 06:08 are actually good news. 06:10 How we can see the good news 06:12 gospel message of Christ in these seven last plagues 06:14 and the first reason, I hope you'll write them down 06:17 is that the seven last plagues 06:20 God allows this or pours this out of the wicked. 06:22 Why? 06:23 For the eternal security of the righteous. 06:28 God does it, friends, 06:29 to secure the universe from affliction and suffering 06:32 that sin would bring about. 06:34 You see, brothers and sisters, 06:35 "God's mercy compels Him to pour out 06:38 His just wrath in the destruction of sin." 06:41 Why? For our sakes 06:43 because humanity brothers and sisters, 06:45 we are not only perpetuators of evil 06:48 but we are also victims, aren't we? 06:51 And friends, listen, 06:52 even in the destruction of wickedness 06:54 the Bible even calls it God's strange act. 06:58 A what kind of act? 07:00 You see it's strange to God because God by nature 07:03 is a God that creates not destroys. 07:06 He's the God that blesses not curses. 07:09 You see, God is love 07:12 and because God is love, God also must hate. 07:19 What I mean by that? 07:20 Well, listen very carefully. 07:21 God is-- our God is a God that loves sinners 07:24 with the perfect love. 07:25 Can you say, amen? 07:27 And if He truly loves sinners with the perfect love 07:30 then God at the same time must hate sin 07:34 with a perfect hatred. Why? 07:37 Because sin hurts the ones that He loves so much. 07:43 I love children, how about you? 07:46 And friends if we truly love children 07:48 then by nature we're going to hate child molestation. 07:52 Isn't that right? 07:53 You see our-- the proportion of our love towards children 07:57 will be as equal to our hatred towards 08:00 the things that hurt children, is the same with God. 08:03 Is this making sense, yes or no? 08:05 But friends, listen, those who chose not to allow 08:07 God to separate them from their sin 08:09 are gonna perish with it. 08:10 And instead of receiving the promise of God's blessing 08:14 they are going to receive the punishment of the curse. 08:17 You see God must destroy sin 08:19 and He is longing to save sinners. 08:22 But how is it possible for God 08:24 to save the sinners without saving the sin 08:27 and to destroy the sin without destroying the sinners? 08:30 He must separate sin from the sinner. 08:33 And how does He do that? 08:35 By His death upon the cross and us receiving it by faith. 08:38 Could you say, amen? 08:40 And friends, that blood not only cleanses us of the past 08:42 but it gives us power in the present 08:44 to live a brand new victorious life 08:47 to actually gain the victory over the sin that enslaves us. 08:50 The Bible tells us in Jude verse 24, 08:53 "Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, 08:57 and to present us faultless 08:58 before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy." 09:01 You see, brothers and sisters, 09:03 it's only by the love of Christ 09:04 and the bloodshed at the cross that we can let go of sin 09:08 and grab hold of the gift of God 09:10 which is Jesus and as a result of accepting Jesus 09:13 we have-- the results of that is having His life 09:18 that is eternal life. 09:19 Can you say, amen? 09:20 The second reason why the seven last plagues 09:22 is a good news message 09:24 is because "The punishment of the curse 09:26 will be in proportion to the crime." 09:30 In other words it's going to be fair 09:33 and it's going to be just. 09:34 The punishment of the curse is gonna be in proportion 09:37 to the crime that has been committed, 09:39 it's a just punishment, it's a just judgment. 09:43 Notice what the Bible says in the Book of Luke 12:47, 48. 09:46 Please write it down. 09:47 The Bible tells us, Jesus is speaking and He says, 09:52 "And that servant who knew his master's will and did" 09:56 what? 09:57 "Did not prepare himself to do according to His will, 09:59 he shall be beaten with" what? 10:02 "Many stripes." The Bible tells us the one 10:04 who knows God's will but does not do it 10:07 is going to suffer many stripes. 10:09 In other words their punishment is going to be more 10:12 because God holds us accountable 10:14 to the light and opportunities that He has given to us. 10:18 Can you say, amen? 10:19 So the one that knows it but does not do it 10:21 will be beaten with many stripes. 10:23 And then the Bible tells us, 10:25 "But he who did not know, 10:28 yet committed things deserving of stripes, 10:30 shall be beaten with" what? 10:32 "Few." 10:33 In other words their punishment is going to be less. 10:35 Even though they did things worthy of stripes 10:37 because they did not know that they were doing wrong 10:40 their punishment is going to be less. 10:41 Do you see friends, that God is just and fair God. 10:44 The punishment will be in proportion to the crime. 10:49 Are you with me, yes or no? 10:51 "For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be, 10:55 " what? 10:57 You see the punishment will always fit the crime. 10:59 And some of you might be asking, well, 11:00 why is there suffering in the seven last plagues? 11:04 I mean the wages of sin is death and so why is it 11:07 that there are sufferings? 11:08 Why not just put the wicked to death? 11:10 Why is there's suffering before there is death? 11:13 Why is this a punishment for sin? 11:16 Because friends, listen very carefully, 11:18 sin not only brings death 11:22 but it also brings suffering, 11:23 isn't that right? 11:24 When that lamb died, you think the lamb hurt 11:27 and suffered first before it died? 11:28 Absolutely yes. 11:30 So friends, sin brings death but it also brings suffering. 11:33 And when you look at Jesus, 11:35 Jesus died but before He died 11:37 He suffered, isn't that right? 11:39 You see this is not God getting even with the wicked. 11:42 No, no, friends, God is not been dictate angry God, 11:45 He takes no delight in the punishment 11:48 or destruction of the wicked. 11:49 He's not trying to get even, friends. 11:51 The wicked are simply reaping that which they have sown. 11:56 I want you to notice in Galatians 6:7, 8, 11:58 the Bible says, "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked, 12:01 for whatsoever a man sows, that he will also reap." 12:04 In other words we reap what we sow, 12:06 what goes around, comes round 12:07 as that's what the Bible teaches. 12:09 And then it says "For he that sows to his flesh 12:13 will of the flesh reap" what? 12:15 "Corruption." Another word for corruption is destruction. 12:18 When we sow to the flesh when we live our lives for the flesh 12:20 for the carnal nature for our sinful desires 12:23 we are going to reap 12:25 that which brings corruption and destruction. 12:29 "But he that sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit 12:32 reap," what? 12:34 "Everlasting life." 12:35 So friends, this is a universal law. 12:37 It's the law of cause and effects. 12:40 Sin brings about suffering and friends, 12:42 when we sow to sin we will reap 12:45 the consequences of the sin that we have chosen. 12:47 So it's not the God is angry 12:50 and trying to get even and trying to hurt us 12:51 because we hurt Him. 12:52 No, friends, our sin is hurting us. 12:55 In fact notice what it says in Obadiah 1:15, 12:58 the Bible tells us, "For the day of the Lord 13:00 is near upon all the heathen, 13:02 as thou hast done," has thou as what? 13:05 "As thou has done, it shall be done unto thee, 13:09 thy reward shall return upon thine own head." 13:13 We reap what we sow. 13:14 In the seven last plagues the wicked are gonna suffer, why? 13:17 Because they have caused this suffering to us. 13:20 They are reaping the suffering 13:21 that they have sown in the world 13:23 and in the heart of God. 13:25 That's what it is, friends. 13:27 And God is a God that will allow us 13:29 to choose our own destiny. 13:31 Notice what it says in Proverbs 8:36, 13:35 God will never force us to repent. 13:37 He will never force us to accept 13:38 His mercy and grace and forgiveness. 13:40 We chose our own destiny and notice, 13:42 when we rebel against God who are we really hurting? 13:45 Not just God, we're hurting ourselves. 13:47 it says, 13:49 "But he that sins against me wrongs," who? 13:52 You are just wronging God you are wronging your own soul. 13:55 "And all that hate me love--" 13:58 You see when we hate God what we really love is death. 14:01 In rebelling against God we're just asking for death. 14:04 That's what we want. 14:05 We're reaping something or we are sowing something 14:08 that we are going to reap eventually. 14:10 And then it says in the Book of Hosea 4:17, 14:14 it talks about God's people that fell into apostasy 14:16 that rebelled against Him. 14:17 God said, "Ephraim is joined to idols, let him" what? 14:24 God will never force us to repent. 14:26 God will never force us to turn to Him. 14:28 Our God is a loving God that gives us freedom 14:30 to choose our own destiny. 14:31 Can you say, amen? 14:33 And so He lets us alone, 14:34 He lets us chose that which we want. 14:37 And then it says in the Book of Hosea 13:9, 14:40 "O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself." 14:45 You see, friends, 14:47 the wicked are gonna end up destroying themselves 14:49 by choosing rebellion, by choosing sin, 14:51 by choosing to cling to the things that cause God 14:55 pain and causes pain upon those around them 14:58 and themselves as well and so the wicked. 15:01 During the seven last plagues 15:02 the Bible tells us in Revelation 16:5, 6, 15:06 "Thou art righteous, O Lord, 15:08 which art, and wast, and shalt be, 15:09 because thou hast judged thus. 15:12 For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, 15:14 and thou hast given them blood to drink, 15:16 for their" what? 15:18 Why are they worthy? 15:19 Because that's exactly what they did. 15:21 But first, brothers and sisters, 15:23 God is gonna make clear the consequence of our choices, 15:26 in mercy He's going to appeal to us and plead with us 15:30 to let go of our sins and give it over to Jesus. 15:34 You see, I want you to notice the third reason 15:35 why the judgment and the seven last plagues 15:38 message is good news 15:39 is because mercy always comes before judgment. 15:42 Can you say, amen? 15:43 Always friends, over and over again 15:45 before judgment is executed and poured out upon 15:48 the wicked mercy always come first. 15:52 You remember during the times of Noah, 15:54 when the entire human race was in rebellion against God, 15:58 not one drop of water fell 16:01 before the ark was complete. 16:03 You see God built an ark, God told Noah to build the ark 16:07 and only after the ark was complete 16:10 and only after everyone in the whole world 16:13 had an opportunity to get on board the ark 16:16 was the door then shut and then the rain began to fall. 16:20 Mercy always comes before judgment. 16:23 Can you say, amen? 16:24 Not only that but even with the city of Sodom and Gomorrah, 16:27 before one spark of fire fell from heaven, 16:30 God sends some messengers to that city to call His people 16:34 to come out of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. 16:38 And so too in His last days 16:39 before the judgments of the seven last plagues poured out, 16:41 God again is going to send three angels 16:45 to warn the world, an invitation of mercy and grace to everyone. 16:50 These three angel's messages are found in Revelation 14:6-12. 16:55 I want to invite you to open there with me in your Bible 16:56 as we see that the reason why judgment 16:59 and seven last plagues is good news 17:00 is because God's mercy always precedes God's judgment. 17:04 Notice what the Bible says, Revelation 14:6. 17:07 If you are there would you please say, amen? 17:09 The Bible says, "And I saw another angel 17:12 fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting--" 17:15 what is that next word? 17:16 And that word gospel, does it mean bad news? 17:19 Does it mean scary news? 17:20 What is it mean? 17:22 Good news. 17:23 Friends, this is a good news message. 17:25 It's a gospel message not a scary one. 17:27 Notice what is this message, "Having the everlasting gospel 17:30 to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, 17:32 " to how many nations? 17:33 "Every nation, and kindred, and tongue and people." 17:36 It's a global worldwide message given to the whole world. 17:39 Why? Because God loves everyone in this world. 17:41 Can you say, amen? 17:42 It does not matter the way that we live, 17:45 it does not matter how dark our past maybe, 17:48 it does not matter how many times 17:49 we have spit in the face of God 17:51 and slapped Him and beat Him by our sins God loves us. 17:55 His love for us is infinite and everlasting. 17:58 And so this everlasting gospel of the three angels 18:00 is gonna go through out the whole world, 18:02 to every nation, kindred, tongue and people. 18:04 This is the final message of mercy 18:08 before the plagues are poured out. 18:10 And notice what it says in verse 7, 18:12 "Saying with a loud voice, 18:13 fear God, and give glory to Him." 18:14 Give what to Him? 18:16 "For the hour of His judgment is come." 18:18 Notice the warning, judgment is about to take place. 18:21 "And worship Him that made heaven, and earth, 18:25 and the sea, and the fountains of waters." 18:26 And so here in the first angel we find God calling the world 18:29 world to give Him the glory by worshipping Him 18:33 as our creator and as our maker 18:35 because the judgment, the hour of God's 18:37 judgment has come. 18:38 And then notice verse 8, "And there followed another angel, 18:40 saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, 18:42 because she made all nations 18:44 drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication." 18:46 A part of this message is a warning against end time 18:48 Babylon and how this system is a falling system. 18:51 And God is going to call His people 18:53 to come out of these apostate church systems in the last days 18:57 because these systems before they are finally destroyed, 19:01 God in mercy is going to bring His people out 19:04 just like he brought Lot 19:06 and his family out of Sodom and Gomorrah 19:08 before that city was destroyed. 19:09 Can you say, amen? 19:10 And so once again, mercy comes before judgment. 19:12 And then notice verse 9, "And the followed another angel, 19:15 saying with a loud voice, if any man worship the beast 19:17 and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, 19:21 or in his hand, The same--" 19:22 notice here's the warning against the seven last plagues. 19:25 "The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, 19:28 which is poured out without mixture 19:29 into the cup of his indignation, 19:31 and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone 19:33 in the presence of the holy angels, 19:35 and in the presence of the Lamb, 19:36 and the smoke of their torment ascended up forever and ever, 19:39 and they have no rest day nor night, 19:41 who worship the beast and his image, 19:43 and who so ever receive the mark of his name." 19:46 And friends, we are gonna see 19:48 that there is no wrath for the wicked. 19:51 Those who refuse the gospel of love of Christ, 19:54 those who are refusing God's mercy 19:56 are inviting God's holy justice. 19:58 And some people think that we're gonna be ruptured-- 20:00 the righteous are gonna be ruptured out of tribulation 20:02 but the Bible is clear, 20:03 that God's people are gonna go through it 20:05 but they are gonna be preserved and that's the fourth reason 20:08 why the seven last plagues is a good news message 20:11 is because God's people are preserved, 20:14 they are safe during the plagues. 20:16 Can you say, amen? 20:17 Just as Noah was saved during the flood, 20:20 God's people are gonna be saved during the plagues. 20:23 In fact, I want you to notice 20:24 when the seven last plagues begin to be poured out. 20:27 The Bible tells us in revelation 15, 20:29 the timing of when the plagued will began to fall. 20:32 Notice what it says in Revelation 15:5-8. 20:35 Please write it down. 20:36 The Bible says, "And after that I looked, and, behold, 20:39 the temple of the tabernacle 20:41 of the testimony in heaven was opened. 20:44 And the seven angels came out of the temple, 20:46 having the" what? 20:48 "Seven plagues." 20:49 So notice in Revelation 15, 20:51 John the revelator in prophetic vision 20:53 he sees the heavenly sanctuary 20:55 and the temple of the tabernacle, 20:57 the testimony in heaven is open. 20:59 And friends the testimony that he sees 21:02 is none other than the law of God. 21:03 The law of God was called the Ark of the Covenant, 21:06 it was also called the Ark the Testimony. 21:08 And so what John is looking into is the most holy place 21:13 of the heavenly sanctuary. 21:14 The which place? 21:15 And you remember, we studies on the previous nights 21:17 what happens in the most holy place? 21:19 That's where Jesus investigates the judgment. 21:23 That' where Jesus stands for us and pleads as our heavenly 21:26 high priest, our intercessor, that's where Jesus 21:29 is cleansing the sanctuary in preparation 21:33 for the second coming of Christ. 21:35 It's the place where we receive full atonement 21:39 where our sins are blotted out forever. 21:41 This is the place that John sees 21:43 and from this place where Jesus is working 21:47 he now sees seven angels leaving with seven last plagues. 21:51 This shows us that Jesus is wrapping up 21:53 on finishing His work. 21:55 And once He finishes His work of intercession, 21:58 that's when the angels come out 22:00 to pour the wrath of God upon the world. 22:02 In fact notice what happens when this takes place. 22:04 The very next verse, 22:05 "And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God," 22:08 that smoke represents the prayers of the saints. 22:11 "And from his power, and no man was able to" what? 22:15 "Enter into the temple," till the seven plagues-- 22:19 excuse me, "the seven angels were fulfilled." 22:22 And so the Bible tells us 22:24 that once the angels got to pour the seven last plagues 22:27 no one can enter into the temple. 22:29 No one can enter into the sanctuary above by faith. 22:32 Why? Because probation is closed 22:34 just like the door of the ark was shut 22:36 and no one could enter in. 22:38 Once probation is shut no one can now enter into the temple 22:41 and no one can receive the benefits 22:43 of what Jesus was doing right there 22:45 in that heavenly sanctuary. 22:47 It's only after the door shut, 22:49 that the plagues began to pour out. 22:51 But here's the point that I want us to understand tonight 22:54 that is a good news point. 22:56 And that is this, the door will not be closed 22:59 until God's people are sealed with the seal of the living God. 23:03 Can you say, amen? 23:05 That door of mercy where we can enter by faith 23:09 to boldly come before the throne of grace 23:11 in the heavenly sanctuary to receive mercy and help, 23:13 it will remain open all the way 23:17 until God's servants are sealed. 23:19 And once we've been sealed 23:21 with the seal of living God on our foreheads 23:23 only then will the door be shut, 23:24 no one can enter in because all those 23:27 who have decided to come in are in already. 23:30 All those who refuse to come in, 23:33 they've made up their mind. I don't want to come in. 23:34 I don't want to have anything to do, 23:35 well, what you are doing for me Jesus. 23:38 We are not talking about literal friends, 23:39 we're talking about by faith. 23:41 Those who have accepted what Jesus is doing for them 23:43 in the heavenly sanctuary 23:44 they are in that sanctuary by faith. 23:46 The door is shut and no one else can come in. 23:48 Why? Because that place. 23:51 is where God's people are going to be preserved by the plagues. 23:55 Can you say, amen? 23:57 God's people are in there by faith 23:59 and then the seven angels come 24:00 and they pour out the seven last plagues. 24:02 The point is that we're gonna be preserved during the plagues. 24:04 In fact, I want you to notice, 24:05 please take your Bible and turn with me 24:06 to the Book of Psalms 91. 24:08 Oh friends, you need to memorize this song. 24:10 This is the song for the last days. 24:12 One of the most powerful parts of the Bible. 24:15 You know verse 1 if you're there would you please say amen? 24:18 The Bible says, "He that dwelleth 24:20 in the secret place of the most High 24:23 shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." 24:25 Friends, do you know what that is the reference to? 24:28 That is the reference to the most holy place. 24:30 That most holy place is the secret place of the most high. 24:34 It's where we abide under the shadow of God, 24:36 the almighty Lord. 24:38 And it says, "I will save the Lord. 24:40 He's my refuge and my fortress. 24:42 My God, in Him will I trust. 24:45 Surely he shall" what? 24:47 "Deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, 24:49 and from the noisome pestilence. 24:51 He shall cover thee with his feathers, 24:53 and under his wings shalt thou trust, 24:56 his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. 25:00 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night, 25:02 nor for the arrow that flies by day, 25:05 nor for the pestilence that walks in darkness, 25:07 nor for the destruction that wastes at noonday. 25:09 A thousand shall fall at thy side, 25:11 and ten thousand at thy right hand, 25:13 but it shall not come nigh thee. 25:15 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold 25:17 and see the reward of the wicked." 25:18 In other words the righteous would be able to see 25:20 the wicked experiencing the seven last plagues 25:22 but we are not going to be touched by it. 25:25 All chaos, all around us 25:27 but it's not going to come near to us. 25:28 And then verse 9 it says the reason why. 25:31 It says, "Because thou has made the Lord, 25:33 which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation, 25:36 there shall no evil befall thee, 25:38 neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. 25:42 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, 25:45 to keep thee in all thy ways, 25:46 and they shall bear thee up in their hands, 25:48 lest thou dash thy foot against a stone." 25:50 You are not even going to fall and trip and scrape your knee 25:52 during this time period, friends. 25:53 God is gonna protect us all, amen. 25:55 And then it says, in verse 13, 25:58 "Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder, 26:00 the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet." 26:03 Those are symbols of Satan, the dragon, 26:05 the serpent and the lion that walks around 26:08 seeking whom he may devour. 26:10 The Bible says that God's people were trample upon the enemy. 26:13 And then in verse 14, it says, 26:14 "Because he has set his love upon me, 26:18 therefore will I deliver him, I will set him on high, 26:21 because he has known my name." 26:24 He has known my character, He has a relationship with me. 26:28 He is mine, I am His and He is mine. 26:31 "And He will call upon me, and I will answer him. 26:34 I will be with him in trouble, 26:36 I will deliver him, and honor him. 26:38 And with long life will I satisfy him 26:41 and show him my salvation." 26:43 Can you say, amen? 26:44 Friends, the topic of the seven last plagues would be scary 26:48 if you were not for these glorious promises of protection 26:51 and preservation during the plagues. 26:53 Can you say, amen? 26:54 Now turn with me to Revelation Chapter 16 26:57 and we're gonna go through them very quickly. 26:59 Revelation Chapter 16, 27:01 as I mentioned this is not something 27:03 that I particularly enjoy preaching about 27:05 but friends, this is in the Bible, 27:06 to reveal God's holy hatred towards sin 27:09 and His infinite love towards His people. 27:11 Notice, Revelation 16, 27:13 now friends, as you are turning there 27:15 let me remind you 27:16 that when you look at the ten plagues of Egypt 27:19 that is a example of seven plagues of the last days. 27:24 And when you study the ten plagues 27:25 that God poured out upon the Egyptians, 27:28 each plague was poured out upon a false god of Egypt. 27:34 You see, when the waters of the Nile river 27:37 was turned into blood, 27:38 God poured that plague upon the water 27:40 because the Egyptians they worship the Nile as god. 27:43 Did you know that? 27:45 They believed that God was in that Nile river, 27:48 it was a false god therefore God pours the plague upon the object 27:52 of their false worship. 27:54 So too with the frogs, you see those Egyptians 27:56 believe that the frogs were gods 27:59 therefore God send the plague of frogs to bother them 28:02 and tested them to see that, 28:03 that god is not a God that they should serve. 28:06 Amen. 28:07 And so too with the sun 28:12 that went off, all of these things. 28:13 And so in the same way just like in the Egyptian plagues 28:17 the seven last plagues is also gonna hit an area 28:20 of false worship or sin that the world 28:24 is choosing a head of God's will. 28:26 And so we see that the wicked are destroyed 28:27 by the very thing that they love the more than God and truth. 28:33 They are destroyed by what? 28:35 The very thing that they loved 28:37 more than God and truth. 28:39 Again friends, they are simply reaping 28:42 that which they have sown. 28:45 And if that make sense would you please say, amen? 28:47 Now let's go to the seven plagues. 28:49 Revelation 16, notice the first one in verse 1. 28:51 Revelation 16:1, the Bible says, 28:54 "And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying 28:56 to the seven angels, go your ways, 28:58 and pour out the vials of the wrath 28:59 of God upon the earth. 29:01 And the first went, and poured out 29:02 his vial upon the earth, and there fell a noisome 29:06 and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast 29:10 and upon them which worshipped his image." 29:13 I want you to notice friends, 29:14 the first plague is a plague of grievous sours. 29:18 A plague of what? 29:20 Grievous sours upon those who have worshiped the beast 29:23 and who have received the Mark of the beast. 29:25 Then friends, as God pours out this plague 29:27 upon the flesh of the wicked 29:29 this first plague what it's going to do, 29:32 it's going to immediately reveal 29:34 who is God's people and who is not God's people 29:37 because all those who receive the plagues, 29:39 all those who have the grievous sours 29:42 many of them professed to be God's people. 29:44 But now they realize that they all along, 29:47 they were following the beast and worshipping the beast 29:50 instead of God. 29:51 And what this is going to do, 29:52 it's going to automatically reveal 29:55 and expose the false miracle workers 29:59 and the false worshippers of the last days. 30:03 And these individuals who are experiencing 30:06 these grievous sours they are gonna go 30:08 to these false miracles and they are gonna say, 30:10 would you please heal me now? 30:12 I mean, you are a miracle worker 30:13 you do it in the name of the Jesus, 30:14 would you please heal me? 30:15 But they are gonna realize 30:16 that these false miracles can heal them 30:19 because they are experiencing 30:20 those same grevious sours in their own flesh. 30:24 You see friends, false shepherds are not going to be able to cure 30:28 the grievous sours of their sheep. 30:30 And now the members go to their ministers 30:32 and they began to blame them, 30:34 why did you not tell me the truth. 30:37 Even you knew these things but you did not tell me. 30:40 You told me something different. 30:42 And now the members as well as the ministers 30:45 are experiencing the same afflictions. 30:48 You see friends, this first plague that falls upon the flesh 30:51 it shows to mankind the folly of trusting in the arm of flesh, 30:56 trusting in spiritual leaders 30:58 instead of trusting in the Holy Spirit 31:00 to lead us into truth of God's word. 31:02 And by the way friends, this judgment upon the flesh, 31:05 the grievous sours is also a judgment 31:07 against the sins of the flesh. 31:09 Like the adultery and fornication 31:11 and homosexuality and lustful 31:12 thoughts these are flesh driven sins. 31:16 And friends, the reason why God does this 31:18 is because we are flesh driven society. 31:21 Isn't that right? 31:22 We celebrate the lust of the flesh, 31:24 lust of the eyes in the part of life. 31:26 We flock our flesh in the face of God 31:28 and now the wicked see in the folly of watching flesh 31:32 on the television, glorifying flesh, flaunting flesh, 31:35 adorning and making beautiful the flesh, 31:38 trusting in flesh and following flesh 31:42 instead of the Spirit of God. 31:44 And friends, this is gonna be a terrible thing, 31:46 they are going to hate the very thing that has caused then 31:51 to disregard and to rebel against the Lord. 31:55 And friends, we don't have to worry though. 31:57 If we trust in Jesus 31:58 we are not gonna suffer the sin, 32:00 the punishment of the sins of the flesh. 32:02 Why? Because God's people they don't follow the flesh, 32:04 they follow the Holy Spirit. 32:05 Can you say, amen? 32:06 We walk in the light of the spirit of God 32:09 and therefore we will not experience 32:11 the grievous sours upon the flesh. 32:13 That's the first plague. 32:14 Now notice the second plague, it's a plague of blood. 32:16 Notice what it says in verse 3. 32:19 And by the way the second and third plague go together, 32:22 they are both plagues of blood. 32:24 It says, "And the second angel poured out 32:26 his vial upon the sea, 32:27 and it became as the blood of a dead man 32:30 and every living soul died in the sea. 32:32 And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers 32:34 and mountains-- and the fountains of waters 32:37 and they became blood. 32:39 And I heard the angel of the waters say, 32:40 Thou art righteous, O Lord, 32:41 which art, which wast, and shalt be, 32:44 because thou hast judged thus. 32:46 For they have done" what? 32:47 What have they done? 32:48 "They have shed the blood of saints and prophets, 32:51 and thou hast given them blood to drink 32:54 for they are worthy. 32:55 And I heard another angel out of the altar 32:57 say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, 32:59 true and righteous are thy judgments." 33:03 Here we find in the second and third plague, 33:04 all the water in the oceans and the river 33:06 and the fountains and the springs 33:08 they all turned to blood. 33:10 Here is a judgment a plague of blood and friends, 33:13 the reason why God does this 33:15 is because our world loves blood. 33:17 Isn't that right? 33:18 We glorify vampires who suck blood, 33:22 we glorify people who beat themselves to a bloody pulp 33:26 in UFC and MMA and all of these thing 33:28 and books and movies and media. 33:30 You see war has caused the bloodshed of millions 33:33 and millions of people. 33:35 And during the dark ages 33:36 the medieval church spilled the blood of God's people. 33:39 Over 50 million Christians died, their blood was shed. 33:43 This is what sin has done, brother and sisters. 33:46 And not only they-- well, they content to shed 33:48 the blood of God's people 33:50 but the human race has been content to shed 33:52 the blood of God himself. 33:55 Those people said, 33:56 "Let His blood be on us, and on our children." 33:59 They were thirsty for blood, they didn't care. 34:02 Humanity the human race crucified the Messiah 34:05 and then they said, let His blood be upon us, 34:07 we are-- let us be guilty for His sacrifice. 34:11 And so friends, because the world loves blood so much 34:15 God now gives then exactly what they love. 34:18 He gives to them blood for them to drink. 34:22 We drink blood, we watch it, we listen to, 34:24 we are entertained by blood 34:25 and now there's nothing but blood. 34:27 They turn on the faucet, nothing but blood. 34:30 The wicked will see that blood does not satisfy. 34:33 They will see that blood cannot quench the thirst 34:36 and the desires of our hearts. 34:39 Friends, as the wicked have nothing 34:41 but blood to drink the righteous don't have to be afraid 34:44 because the Bible tells us 34:45 that our bread and our water is gonna be sure. 34:48 Can you say, amen? 34:50 And God will provide water for His own people. 34:53 Friends, don't worry, God is gonna take care of his own. 34:56 But what we are seeing here is that God is pouring out 34:58 His judgment upon the sins of the flesh 35:00 and areas of false worship. 35:02 And the fourth one, 35:03 is just as God knows the fourth plague 35:05 in verse-- in verse 8. 35:09 Notice what it says, the fourth plague, 35:11 "And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon" the what? 35:14 "Upon the sun, and power was given unto him 35:17 to scorch men with fire. 35:19 And men were scorched with great heat, 35:21 and blasphemed the name of God, 35:23 which hath power over these plagues 35:25 and they repented not to give him" what? 35:29 So the fourth plague is plague over the sun 35:31 and the sun is scorching men with fire. 35:34 Friends, this is the terrible plague. 35:36 And friends, the reason why 35:37 God pours His judgment upon the sun 35:39 and the sun is scorching men and women is 35:42 because the sun was the main God of the world. 35:46 You see the human race loves the sun. 35:49 Since the very beginning of time 35:50 man has worshipped and venerated the sun god. 35:54 Not just in pagan Babylonian worship 35:56 but also in modern Christianity in the form of Sunday worship. 36:01 We love the sun, we worship the sun, 36:02 we venerate the sun, we build monuments to the sun. 36:06 This is the God that the human race 36:07 has chosen in the last days 36:09 in receiving the mark of the beast 36:11 which is the national Sunday law. 36:14 They have chosen the sun and therefore 36:16 because they love the sun so much 36:18 now God gives them all the sun they want. 36:21 And the very God that they have chosen 36:24 is the one that destroys them. 36:26 And now, the wicked have no rest and no relief 36:29 from the heat of the God that they have chosen. 36:33 Friends, this is not been indicted, 36:34 this is not God getting even. 36:36 They are reaping what they have sown. 36:38 In fact notice what it says in Isaiah 50:11, 36:42 "Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, 36:45 that compass yourselves about with sparks, 36:48 walk in the light of" whose fire? 36:51 "Of your fire, 36:52 and in the sparks that you have kindled." 36:54 In other words they are reaping that which they had sown. 36:57 And as the sun begins to scorch them 36:59 Bible says that they still would not repent, 37:01 their hearts were so harden. 37:03 You see friends, they have gone too further, 37:05 minds are sealed with hired. 37:09 They can't be moved, they can't be touched. 37:12 They repent not to give Him glory. 37:13 Well friends, how do we give glory to God? 37:15 Bible says in Revelation 14:7, 37:18 that we give God the glory by worshiping Him 37:20 that made all things, 37:21 by acknowledging Him as our Creator 37:24 but still they cling to their false worship of the sun God. 37:28 And friends, as the wicked experience this, 37:30 the righteous need not fear 37:31 because the Bible tells us 37:32 that during this plague in Psalms 121:5, 6, 37:35 "The Lord is thy keeper, the Lord is thy 37:38 shade upon thy right hand. 37:40 The sun shall not smite thee by day, 37:43 nor the moon by night." 37:44 Can you say, amen? 37:45 God is gonna be your refuge, He's going to be a shade 37:48 from the scorching sun of the fourth plague. 37:51 Friends, it pays to follow Jesus 37:53 and trust Him with our lives. 37:55 Could you say, amen? 37:56 I want you to notice the fifth plague, just as bad. 37:59 Fifth plague is found in Versus 10 and 11. 38:01 The Bible says, "And the fifth angel poured out 38:03 his vial upon the seat of the beast." 38:05 Now I want you to notice this one is particular, 38:07 this plague is particularly for the Vatican City, 38:10 the seat of the beast, 38:11 the headquarters of the church of Rome. 38:13 And it says, "And his kingdom was full of" what? 38:17 "Darkness, and they gnawed their tongues for pain. 38:21 And blasphemed the God of heaven 38:23 because of the pains and their sores, 38:24 and they repented not of their deeds." 38:27 Here we find plague number five, 38:28 darkness covers the seat of the beast. 38:31 This is a plague especially for the Vatican City 38:34 because this was the kingdom of the dark ages, 38:37 you remember that? 38:39 This was the kingdom that reigned 38:40 during the dark ages. 38:41 A system that replaced the lights of God's word 38:44 with the darkness of their own traditions 38:46 that came from paganism. 38:47 A system the spread a spirit of gross darkness, 38:51 the permeates, the world even today 38:54 and because they love darkness so much 38:56 God enclose them with darkness all around. 38:59 And by the way, friends, 39:00 this is also a judgment upon the sins 39:03 that happened in the dark. 39:05 When we think that no one is looking 39:07 and no one is watching the secret things that we do. 39:10 You see untold evils happen in the darkness 39:13 and obscurity of the night in the clubs and in the theaters, 39:16 all of these wickedness that takes place. 39:19 People love the dark and they hate the light. 39:22 And so now God gives them all the darkness that they want. 39:24 In fact, notice what it says in John 3:20. 39:27 The Bible tells us that 39:29 "For every one that does evil hates" what? 39:33 You see, the one that is practicing wickedness, 39:36 they hate light. 39:37 "Neither comes to the light," why? 39:39 "Lest his deeds should be," what? 39:42 You see fiends, we think, the wicked think 39:45 that the darkness conceals their wickedness. 39:48 The wicked loves the darkness 39:50 because it seems to be a cover or a cloak 39:52 for the sin that they have chosen. 39:54 They think that God can't see and no one cares. 39:56 But friends, God sees what happens in the dark. 40:00 In fact, notice in John 3:19. 40:03 Jesus said, "And this is the condemnation, 40:05 that light is come into the world, 40:07 but men loved" what would they love? 40:09 "They love darkness rather than light, 40:11 because their deeds were evil." 40:14 Friends, while the world is covered in darkness 40:16 God's people are gonna shine 40:17 with the light of the glory of God in their hearts. 40:20 Can you say, amen? 40:21 Now friends, I want you to notice the sixth plague 40:24 is the battle of Armageddon. 40:26 And this sixth plague, 40:28 what happens here, let's read it. 40:30 It says in verse 5, notice what it says, 40:31 oh, excuse me, verse 10, "And the fifth angel poured out 40:35 his vial-- Oh, excuse me, verse 12, 40:37 "And the sixth angel poured out 40:38 his vial upon the great river Euphrates, 40:41 and the water thereof was dried up, 40:44 that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. 40:47 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs 40:49 come out of the mouth of the dragon, 40:50 and out of the mouth of the beast, 40:51 and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 40:53 They are the spirits of devils, working miracles, 40:55 which go forth unto the kings of the earth 40:57 and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle 41:00 of that great day of God Almighty. 41:02 Blessed that, Behold, I come as a thief. 41:04 Blessed is he that watched, and kept his garments, 41:06 lest he walk naked, and they see his shame." 41:08 Verse 16, "And he gathered them together into a place 41:10 called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon." 41:12 Friends, the only thing I want you to know tonight 41:14 or one think that I want to emphasize tonight 41:16 is that the sixth plague is when the waters are dried up. 41:19 Now friends, tonight we don't have the time 41:21 to study he sixth plague 41:22 because this is a deep plague. 41:23 We're gonna spend a whole presentation understanding 41:26 what exactly this means. 41:28 Now notice, the last plague, the seventh plague 41:30 when this world is completely destroyed 41:33 when everything is finished. 41:34 Notice verse 17, the Bible says, 41:37 "And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air, 41:41 and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, 41:43 from the throne, saying, It is" what? 41:47 "It is done. 41:48 And there were voices, and thunders, and lightning; 41:49 and there was a great earthquake," a great what? 41:52 So notice the Lord said it is done 41:53 and there was a great earthquake 41:56 "such as was not since men were upon the earth, 41:58 so mighty an earthquake, and so great. 42:00 That the great city" talking about Babylon " 42:02 was divided into three parts, 42:04 and the cities of the nations fell 42:05 and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, 42:08 to give unto her the cup of the wine 42:10 of the fierceness of his wrath. 42:11 And every island fled away, 42:13 and the mountains were not found." 42:15 Friends, when this happens 42:16 I don't want to be here in Hawaii, 42:17 I want gonna be going out. 42:18 Can you say, amen? 42:19 And all the island flee away, 42:21 friends, it's that time, it's during this time 42:23 that God's people are gonna be caught up 42:24 to meet the Lord in the air 42:26 and then we're gonna go to the true heavenly paradise. 42:28 Can you say, amen? 42:30 And then it says in verse 21, 42:31 "And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, 42:35 every stone about the weight of a talent 42:37 and the men blasphemed God 42:38 because of the plague of the hail, 42:41 and the plague thereof was exceeding great." 42:43 Friends, this last seventh plague, 42:46 God says it is done. 42:48 A great earthquake takes place. 42:49 It's the final destruction of the world. 42:52 And friends, this earthquake is gonna be so violent 42:55 that it will finally and completely 42:57 tear the world apart. 43:01 And the wicked will see that there is no foundation 43:04 for their feet to stand upon. 43:06 They have chosen to make this world their home 43:10 but now the foundation of their lives is been torn apart. 43:15 And the bible tells us that 43:16 the hail stone come from heaven. 43:18 It says that these hail stones 43:19 where about the weight of a talent. 43:21 Friends, that's about 65 pounds. 43:23 Can you imagine how heavy that is? 43:25 In Job 38:22, 23 it talks about it. 43:28 Notice what it says. 43:30 "Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? 43:33 or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail, 43:35 which I have reserved against the time of trouble, 43:37 against the day of battle and war?" 43:41 Here we find friends, destruction comes from beneath 43:43 as well as from above. 43:44 Not only there's earthquake beneath but hail, 43:46 a great hail coming from above. 43:48 And the wicked see that in this world 43:51 there is no safe foundation 43:53 and there is no sure refuge in this world. 43:56 Why does God do this? 43:57 Because the wicked wanted to make this world 43:58 their everlasting home. 44:01 They were laying the foundation of their lives 44:03 in this world instead of the kingdom of God. 44:07 And now they see that in following the world 44:11 and trying to make a home on earth does not bring 44:14 everlasting happiness. 44:16 Here's people that are storing 44:17 and hording of things in this world. 44:20 Things that were more important to them than God, 44:22 they are investing everything 44:24 and pouring their lives into the world 44:26 and now they see that this world 44:27 everything that they poured themselves into 44:29 is all going to be destroyed, its going to pass away, 44:32 its all going to be burned up, friends. 44:35 But during this time period of this last plague 44:37 with the great earthquake 44:39 God's people is going to have a sure foundation 44:41 that they can stand upon. 44:42 Can you say, amen? 44:43 It says in the Book of Isaiah 32:17-20, 44:46 "And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, 44:51 and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places, 44:55 when it shall hail, coming down on the forest, 44:58 and the city shall be low in a low place." 45:02 In other words God's people will have a sure foundation. 45:04 A quite peaceful habitation, God is their refuge, 45:08 God is their strength, He is the foundation 45:11 that enables His people to stand firm 45:13 all the way to the end. 45:16 Can you say, amen? 45:17 Friends, we've looked at these seven plagues, 45:18 I know it's terrible. 45:19 It's not something I really enjoy preaching about 45:21 but friends, it's in the Bible for a purpose to reveal God's 45:24 holy hatred toward sin, wickedness and evil 45:27 but also demonstrating God's amazing grace 45:30 and justice and mercy for those who turn to Him. 45:33 And friends, in view of both God's justice and God's mercy 45:37 it make sense tonight to follow Jesus. 45:42 Why would we not want to follow Jesus, friends? 45:45 It makes sense to let go of the world 45:48 and to chose Christ and Christ alone. 45:51 Friends, as we began to close tonight, 45:52 you know, many people will say, 45:54 oh, it's so hard to be a Christian. 45:56 It's so hard to do the right thing. 45:59 It's hard to keep the Sabbath, I might lose my job. 46:01 It's hard to keep God's law. 46:03 It's hard to come out of Babylon. 46:05 I might lose the respect of my love ones. 46:07 My business might go bad. 46:08 I might be attacked by the devil. 46:10 It's so hard to read the Bible. 46:12 It's so hard to pray. 46:13 It's so hard to stand up against my friends 46:16 and against the crowd. 46:17 But friends, it's not hard, 46:18 it's easy in light of the plagues. 46:22 The bible tells us that the way of the transgressor 46:25 is hard but Jesus says, in Matthew 11:28-30, 46:33 the Bible says, "Come unto me," 46:36 Jesus says, 46:38 "For my yoke is easy, and my burden is" 46:45 Friends, when you think about it what is really gonna be hard? 46:47 Let me tell you, it's gonna be hard 46:49 when that first plague is poured out upon the world. 46:52 It's going to be hard 46:53 when the wicked have these grievous sours 46:56 all over their body from the crown of their head 46:58 to the sole of their feet, 47:00 they are covered with boils, 47:01 with puss oozing and blood flowing, 47:03 they can't sit down, they can't stand up, 47:06 they can't lay down, they can't get any relief from this. 47:10 They are just gonna be screaming in agony and pain. 47:12 That's hard, friends. 47:15 It's hard to have those grievous sours 47:16 but God's righteous people are gonna walk around free 47:19 from pain in perfect health and that's easy. 47:22 Can you say, amen? 47:24 Don't tell me it's hard to serve God 47:26 and hard to do the right thing, friends. 47:28 It's easy. 47:30 Jesus said, My yoke is easy. 47:33 What is hard? 47:34 It's hard when the second and the third plague 47:36 is poured out and all the waters of the world 47:39 turn into blood and the wicked will go to the faucet, 47:42 trying to get something to drink and blood comes out. 47:46 They try to take a shower and blood comes out. 47:49 And with body stinking with filth 47:51 and mouths purge with thirst. 47:54 The wicked will long for a small cup of cool water 47:57 but there's nothing to drink in sight, 47:58 Oh friends, that's going to be hard. 48:01 But God's people are gonna have all the water they want. 48:03 Their bread and water is gonna be sure 48:05 and that's gonna be easy. 48:06 Could you say, amen? 48:08 Friends, it's gonna be hard when the fourth plague is poured out. 48:11 When men are scorched with the sun, 48:12 to be burn by the sun, it hurts. 48:14 Friends, have you ever had a sunburn. 48:15 It hurts, doesn't it? 48:16 And brother and sisters, the wicked will veil in agony. 48:20 Why did I not chose to serve the true God, the creator? 48:24 Why did I follow the sun God and the things of this life? 48:27 It's gonna be hard friends, 48:29 but the righteous will walk around in fire 48:31 and they are not going to be burn, 48:32 that's gonna be easy. 48:33 Could you say, amen? 48:34 And the fifth plague is gonna be hard 48:35 when darkness covers the seat of the beast, 48:38 darkness so dense that people would not know 48:40 where to go or what to do. 48:42 They will gnaw their tongues in pain, that's hard. 48:44 Whereas the righteous will have the light of life 48:46 shining from within, that's going to be easy. 48:49 Can you say, amen? 48:50 It's going to be hard when the sixth plague is poured out. 48:53 When the water's run dried in the battle of Armageddon, 48:55 when the nations gather together and the wicked realize 48:58 that they are on the losing team. 49:00 They are fighting on the wrong side. 49:02 They are overwhelmed with guilt, and regret and remorse. 49:05 And when they relies that God is the victor 49:07 in the battle of Armageddon it's going to be so hard. 49:11 But friends, God's people are gonna win the victory 49:12 because of their gracious generous Jesus Christ, 49:14 that's gonna be easy. 49:15 Can you say, amen? 49:17 And then finally in the seventh plague it's gonna be hard. 49:20 When the great earth quake destroys the world 49:23 and hail falls from heaven 49:25 the wicked will long for a safe refuge from the hail. 49:29 They are gonna long for a place 49:30 to put their feet upon a sure foundation 49:33 but when the earthquake rips the ground from under their feet 49:35 and there's no refuge from the hail, 49:38 it's gonna be hard and no one is gonna be there to help them. 49:41 Oh, that's gonna be hard. 49:43 But God's people will have a sure foundation. 49:46 Bible tells us that the righteous 49:47 will ascent to meet the Lord in the air, 49:49 to go to a city whose foundation is made of gold 49:53 and God himself is the everlasting refuge. 49:55 That's gonna be easy. 49:56 Can you say, amen? 49:58 And friends, tonight in light of the plagues 50:02 it make sense to follow Jesus. 50:06 As Jacquie get's ready to sing 50:10 I close with these thoughts. 50:13 What enables us to follow Jesus 50:15 when we don't feel like it 50:17 because to be honest friends, 50:18 if we are honest with ourselves 50:19 sometimes we wake up in the morning 50:20 and we don't feel like praying. 50:23 Have you ever felt like that? 50:25 Sometimes we wake up in the morning 50:26 and we are too busy to study the Bible. 50:29 What enables us to be faithful to God 50:33 when our feelings are going the wrong way? 50:35 What enables us to do the right thing 50:37 when we naturally do not feel like it? 50:41 It's not the fear of the plagues friends, 50:45 neither is the reward of heaven. 50:47 The only thing that is powerful enough 50:51 to keep us moving forward even though 50:52 we do not feel like it is the fifth reason. 50:58 The fifth gospel truth and the seven last plagues 51:01 and that is this. 51:02 Friends, do you realize 51:04 that Christ Jesus experienced 51:08 the pain of the plagues for us. 51:13 And He did this when He did not feel like it. 51:19 And when we look upon the blessed Christ in Gethsemane 51:22 and we see the weight of the world's sins, 51:24 we see the cup of the wrath of God 51:26 symbolically in the hands of Christ 51:30 the wrath of God that's gonna be poured upon the wicked 51:32 in the seven last plagues was in the hand of Christ. 51:35 And guess what Jesus said, friends? 51:38 He said to the Father, 51:41 "And he went a little father, and fell on his face, 51:42 and prayed, saying, O my Father, 51:45 if it be possible, let this cup pass." 51:51 He didn't feel like drinking the cup, friends. 51:54 Father, if it's possible don't let me drink it. 51:58 Let it pass from me, nevertheless, 52:02 He continues, "Not as I will but as thou." 52:06 You see friends, Jesus in that moment 52:07 did not feel like drinking the cup. 52:11 He did not feel like dying for your sins, 52:15 He did not feel like paying your debts. 52:23 I mean, He could have given up. 52:26 He could have gone back to heaven, friends. 52:29 Nothing kept Him in this world. 52:32 His back was not against the wall, 52:33 His hands was not tied. 52:37 He was free to call 10,000 angels 52:41 to punish this world for the rejection. 52:45 He could have gone back to heaven and said, 52:47 let them perish for the sin that they have-- 52:49 let them pay for their own sins. 52:53 And friends, His flesh didn't feel like drinking it. 52:57 I am thankful He didn't just prayed that, 52:59 He prayed in Verse 42. 53:01 "He went again the second time and prayed saying, 53:03 O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, 53:09 except I drink it, thy will be done." 53:20 Friends, do you realize 53:24 the significance of that prayer? 53:27 Thy will-- not my will, Father, 53:31 My will you let he cup pass but your will, will be done. 53:34 Jesus surrendered His will to the will of the Father. 53:39 Why? 53:41 Because of you friends, because of me. 53:45 He took our plagues. 53:47 The cups we deserve to drink 53:51 He drank for us. 53:54 He said, thy will be done. 53:59 And friends, what happened next? 54:03 Jesus began to suffer each plague either in reality 54:08 or in type in the experience of the cross. 54:12 Friends, no doubt Jesus experienced the first plague, 54:15 the grievous sours as He was whipped 54:18 and beaten over and over again and they Roman whip, 54:24 pieces of metal at the ends of the whip. 54:27 And every time it went across the back of Jesus 54:31 it tore His flesh wide open. 54:33 It grabbed the flesh and ripped it off of His body. 54:36 He experienced grievous sours, friends. 54:39 That's the first plague. He was drinking the cup. 54:43 Friends, whenever you feel tempted 54:45 to turn your back on Jesus 54:47 why don't you first take a look at His back. 54:50 Before you turn your back on Him, look at His back 54:52 and realize when you see all those wounds, 54:54 all those stripes recognize 54:56 because of those stripes we are healed. 55:00 What enables us to follow Him when we don't feel like it? 55:03 What enables us to live for Christ when we don't like it, 55:05 when we realize that Jesus died for us 55:08 even though humanly He did not feel like it? 55:12 Not only that but he sure experienced 55:14 the second and the third plague, didn't He? 55:17 Blood, blood and blood. 55:20 The blood flowed from those hands, 55:23 those beautiful hands that formed 55:25 Adam out of the dust of the ground, 55:27 those hands that created the sun, moon and stars, 55:30 those hands that reached out to bless 55:32 the little children and open the eyes of the blind 55:35 and calm the storm, those hands spiked to the cross. 55:42 He took our names, blood began to flow. 55:46 They place the crown of thorns on His head 55:48 and the blood began to flow down His face. 55:52 They pulled the hairs out of His beard 55:54 and the blood began to flow. 55:57 Driving those downstairs feet the blood began-- 56:00 Friends, Jesus was experiencing the pain 56:02 of having nothing but blood. 56:08 He was drinking the cup, friends. 56:11 And then surely, Christ experience the forth plague 56:16 in type being scorched by fire. 56:19 You see friends, that lamb that was sacrificed 56:22 it didn't just died and blood was shed 56:25 but then that lamb was placed upon the altar 56:27 and was consumed by fire. 56:29 It was scorched to ashes. 56:31 Friends, Jesus experienced that plague in type, 56:35 in type he was drinking the cup that you deserve to drink. 56:42 And surely Jesus experienced 56:43 the fifth plague, darkness. 56:47 Bible tells us that from the sixth hour to the ninth hour, 56:51 that's the exact time Jesus was on the cross, 56:53 the bible says that the darkness was over all the land 56:57 and the Father withdrew the light of His continence 57:00 from the sun that ran from His heart. 57:02 My God, the cry, my God, my God, 57:05 why have you forsaken me? 57:07 Jesus was dying in gross darkness all around. 57:12 He was taking the plague that would fall upon the beast, 57:18 it first fell upon the lamb. 57:21 Surely Jesus experienced the sixth plague. 57:24 The sixth plague that talked about the waters drying up. 57:27 As Jesus on the cross said, "I thirst." 57:32 No water to drink. 57:34 Oh, He was thirsty, friends. 57:37 He was thirsty so that your thirst can be satisfied. 57:43 And surely Christ experienced the seventh plague. 57:45 What was the seventh plague, remember? 57:46 God said, it is done and great earthquake took place. 57:50 Isn't that what happened at the cross? 57:52 Jesus on the cross said, "It is finished." 57:56 And then a great earthquake took place. 58:01 Friends, the plagues are fearful things. 58:07 We cannot serve God because we are afraid. 58:11 It's not strong enough to motivate us. 58:14 We cannot serve God because we just want to go to heaven, 58:17 that's not strong enough. 58:18 We must serve the Lord because 58:19 what He has done for us on the cross. 58:22 We love Him because He first loved us 58:25 and because of His perfect love demonstrated on the cross. 58:28 How many of you do want to say, Lord Jesus, 58:29 teach me to love You back 58:32 and my love for You result in a full surrender to You, 58:39 Your will, Your word and Your law. 58:42 Oh, Lord, please give us the strength 58:48 to follow you even though at times we don't feel like it. 58:54 Friends, tonight Jesus is the only refuge 58:59 during the plagues. 59:01 How many of you want Him to be your refuge in these last days? |
Revised 2014-12-17