Revelation of Hope (Pacleb)

The Gospel in the 7 Last Plagues

Three Angels Broadcasting Network

Program transcript

Participants: Taj Pacleb

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Series Code: ROHB

Program Code: ROHB000017


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?


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Revised 2014-12-17