Welcome to Anchors Of Truth
from the 3ABN Worship Center.
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Decoding Apocalyptic
Prophecy with James Rafferty.
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Hello friends and welcome to
another Anchors Of Truth series
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here at the 3ABN Worship Center
in snowy icy southern Illinois.
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Thank you for
taking the time to tune in.
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We hope you have on your
snow shoes as you're sitting
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in your comfortable
homes there in Florida.
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We're kind of a little
jealous tonight because it's
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freezing here, but we're
going to pray that the Lord
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will warm our hearts
through His Holy Spirit
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and through the
preaching of the Word.
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Can we all say amen to that?
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And so for the next hour,
we'd like to encourage you to
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sit down and
listen as James Rafferty,
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co-director and speaker
of Light Bearers Ministry,
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continues where he
left off last night;
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the book of Revelation.
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But the most central
theme of the book of Revelation
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is Jesus Christ, the Lamb.
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Without the Lamb, all the
beasts in symbols will just
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awaken our hearts fear.
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But where we find the Lord,
there will be perfect love.
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And perfect love
casts out all fear.
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So stay tuned
tonight, whether by radio or by
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television, or whatever media.
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We thank you for tuning in.
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Before we go any
further though, tonight's music.
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I'll have a chance
to share again the song,
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There Is a Savior.
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But before we do anything, let's
open our hearts through prayer.
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Let's bow our heads together.
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Our gracious Father, we
thank You for tonight for this
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wonderful opportunity.
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The Word goes forth,
the seed always gets sown.
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But Father, we pray that
the hearts that receive it
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will be good soil tonight.
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Not stony grounds,
not thorny grounds,
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not shallow grounds.
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And so we send Your Holy Spirit
forth by the power of the Word
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to reach those hearts that
need to know about the Savior
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in this world that's gone awry.
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We need to know
that the Lamb still lives
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and He still makes
intercession for us.
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So Lord, tonight,
bless not only the message,
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but also bless Your messenger.
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And may hearts be
transformed and changed.
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We pray in Jesus' name, amen.
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There is a Savior,
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what joys express.
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His eyes are mercy,
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His word is rest.
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For each tomorrow,
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for yesterday,
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there is a Savior
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who lights our way.
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Are there burdens in your heart?
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Is your past a
memory that binds you?
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Is there a pain that
you've carried far too long?
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Well strengthen your
heart with this good news.
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There is a Savior
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and He's forgiven you.
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There is a Savior,
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what joys express.
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His eyes are mercy,
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His word is rest.
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For each tomorrow,
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for yesterday,
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there is a Savior
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who lights our way.
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There is a Savior,
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what joys express.
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In His eyes there's mercy,
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in His word you'll find rest.
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For each tomorrow,
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and for yesterday,
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there is a Savior
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who lights our way.
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There is a Savior
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who lights our way.
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Amen, thank you John.
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I love those words. Don't you?
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There is a Savior
who lights our way.
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That is very appropriate for our
focus in the book of Revelation.
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Because we need,
according to a lot of people,
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this very dark book, we need
a Savior who will light our way.
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So last night, we
talked about a mystery number.
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145, 715, 2122
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And I know you figured it out.
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Caleb figured it out.
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I know others figured it out.
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What is the
mystery number all about?
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That mystery
number has to do with
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reading the book of Revelation.
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If you read Revelation
chapter 1, chapters 4 and 5,
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chapter 7, chapter 15,
and chapter 21 and chapter 22,
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you read those chapters and
you're going to get the picture
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of Christ and the plan of
salvation that is powerful.
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You're going to see that
all the way through the book of
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Revelation there is this theme
of the Lamb, there is this theme
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of salvation, this theme
of the the everlasting gospel.
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So that was the mystery number.
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It wasn't a telephone number.
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It wasn't a
number to dial and call.
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You were going to get an
answer that was going to say,
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"You have dialed this
number that cannot be connected.
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And if you have
misdialed, please dial again."
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And as you keep dialing
that number, well 145, 715, 2122
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is not going to get you anywhere
as far as dialing a number.
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But it's going to
get you a lot of places
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if you're looking for
Jesus in the book of Revelation.
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Now tonight we're
suppose to be talking about
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beasts and
dragons, but guess what.
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We're not going
to do that quite yet.
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I have spent many
hours developing a list
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of Bible verses in the book of
Revelation that focus on Jesus.
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I just was curious,
I'm a curious person.
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I think curiosity is good.
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I think God wrote
the book of Revelation
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so that He could
reach curious people.
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Not just Christians.
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Many Christians
don't even read it.
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But people in the world.
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Before I was ever a Christian,
there was one book that
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I had an interest in as I would
sit around with my friends.
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It was the book of Revelation.
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Ooh, it was
spooky, it was strange;
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the symbols and that number 666.
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I really wanted
to figure it out.
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And even today, I have asked...
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I've taught several classes
with young people, Bible classes
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on the book of Revelation.
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And I'll ask young people,
academy and high school kids,
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I'll say, "Now, when you
look at the book of Revelation,
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what kind of book is it?"
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Think about media today.
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Think about the way the media
isolates different types of
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movies, for example.
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What kind of movie
would Revelation be?
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Would it be a romance?
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Well yes, there's romance
in the book of Revelation.
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There's a
marriage that takes place.
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Would it be horror?
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Well actually,
there is some horror
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in the book of Revelation.
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What about Sci-Fi?
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Well yeah, there's Sci-Fi
in the book of Revelation.
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I mean, you've got a beast
with seven heads and ten horns.
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What about drama?
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Or action?
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How about family?
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It's all there.
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Everything is in
the book of Revelation.
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This book is written by
a God who knew the future,
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knew what we were
going to be facing,
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understood the environment
that we would be living in today
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as well as down through
the years, and He put this
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book together calculated
to reach out, even to me
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when I was out there
in darkness, to reach out
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to a lost world with
one major theme or focus.
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And that is the everlasting
gospel, Jesus Christ.
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Revelation chapter 1.
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Do you have your Bibles?
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And you viewers at home tonight,
I want to encourage you;
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get your Bibles out, put
them down in front of you,
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and get ready to
start turning pages.
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You're going to
want to mark these verses
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or you're going to
want to have a piece of
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paper and write them down.
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We're going to be looking at...
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I'm not going to
tell you how many verses.
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Maybe you can count
them and when we get done
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you can tell me how
many verses we've looked at.
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But we're going to be
looking at a lot of verses.
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We're going to back
up just a little bit.
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We left off last
night in Revelation 6.
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We're going to go back
to Revelation chapter 1.
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And I'm going to just
give you some one-liners.
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I want you to think about
these, because these one-liners
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are going to speak to you
specifically and individually.
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Some of us are going
to be very touched by the
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truths that we're going
to be looking at tonight.
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Some of us are going to
say, "Oh, that is so significant
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for me specifically."
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So look at these
verses, these one-liners,
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in the book of Revelation.
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Count them if you can.
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And when we get done,
we're going to look at some
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comparisons with
other books in the Bible.
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Revelation chapter 1
verse 1, the book of Revelation
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is the revelation of Jesus.
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Revelation 1 verse 5,
the one who loved us and
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washed us from
our sins is Jesus.
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Revelation 1 verse 7,
the one who was pierced
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for our sins is Jesus.
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Revelation 1:10, the Lord
whose day John was in the Spirit
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is Jesus.
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Revelation 1:11,
the Alpha and Omega,
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the first and
the last, is Jesus.
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Revelation 1:13, the Son of man
among the lamp stands is Jesus.
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Revelation 1:14, He
whose head and hair is white
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like wool is Jesus.
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Revelation 1:15, He whose feet
were like fine brass is Jesus.
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Revelation 1:16, He
whose countenance was like
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the sun is Jesus.
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Revelation 1:17, He
who touches John and says,
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"Do not be afraid," is Jesus.
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Revelation 1:18, He
who has the keys of Hades
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and death is Jesus.
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Revelation 1:19, He
who tells John to write
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past, present,
and future is Jesus.
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Revelation 1:20, He
who unlocks the mystery
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of the symbols is Jesus.
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Revelation 2:1, He who
holds the seven stars is Jesus.
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Revelation 2:8, the one who was
dead and came to life is Jesus.
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Revelation 2:12, He who has a
sharp two-edged sword is Jesus.
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Revelation 2:18,
the Son of God is Jesus.
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Revelation 3:1, He who has the
seven Spirits of God is Jesus.
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Revelation 3:7, He who is
holy, He who is true, is Jesus.
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Revelation 3:14, the
Amen, the faithful and
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true Witness is Jesus.
00:14:00.39\00:14:03.40
Revelation 4:1, the
voice like a trumpet
00:14:03.81\00:14:05.90
speaking with John is Jesus.
00:14:05.93\00:14:09.25
Revelation 5:5, the
Lion of Judah is Jesus.
00:14:09.83\00:14:14.38
Revelation 5:6, the
Lamb as though it had
00:14:14.41\00:14:17.82
been slain is Jesus.
00:14:17.85\00:14:20.67
Revelation 6:1, 3, 5, 7,
00:14:20.87\00:14:27.75
9, 12, and 8:1,
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the Lamb opening
the seals is Jesus.
00:14:34.46\00:14:39.78
So that's where we
left off last night.
00:14:42.15\00:14:44.14
That is the first page.
00:14:44.97\00:14:46.75
We have three left.
00:14:47.82\00:14:49.49
Is Jesus in the book
of Revelation, or what?
00:14:53.11\00:14:55.94
Now there's something
really powerful about this.
00:14:57.00\00:14:59.90
As I was going
through, I was just
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reading through
the book of Revelation.
00:15:01.64\00:15:03.01
I knew some of these, but
some of them I did not know.
00:15:03.04\00:15:04.67
I was just looking,
so I just started going
00:15:04.70\00:15:06.07
through the book of Revelation.
00:15:06.10\00:15:07.47
I spent several hours
today adding to the list.
00:15:07.50\00:15:10.36
And I started going through.
00:15:10.39\00:15:11.76
I started getting a picture
that I'd never seen before
00:15:11.79\00:15:15.18
that makes it very
clear that what Jesus says
00:15:15.95\00:15:18.21
in the beginning of
the book and what He says
00:15:18.24\00:15:19.65
in the end of the book is true.
00:15:19.68\00:15:21.32
Jesus says in the beginning,
"I am the first and the last,
00:15:21.35\00:15:24.39
the Alpha and the Omega."
00:15:24.42\00:15:25.79
"I'm the first and the last.
00:15:25.82\00:15:27.19
I am A to Z."
00:15:27.22\00:15:28.63
You know, you've heard
of A To Z Rentals, right?
00:15:28.83\00:15:30.95
A To Z Rentals, you can just
get anything at A To Z Rentals.
00:15:30.98\00:15:33.42
Well, Jesus is saying,
"I'm the first and the last.
00:15:33.45\00:15:36.08
I'm the beginning and the end.
00:15:36.11\00:15:37.77
I am A to Z.
00:15:37.80\00:15:39.28
I'm everything and
anything that you need Me to be.
00:15:39.31\00:15:43.36
I'm here for you."
00:15:43.61\00:15:44.98
I love that.
00:15:45.01\00:15:46.38
I love this picture of Christ.
00:15:46.41\00:15:47.92
Revelation 7:9 and 10,
the Lamb giving salvation to a
00:15:47.95\00:15:51.37
countless number is Jesus.
00:15:51.40\00:15:54.09
That's Revelation 7:9 and 10.
00:15:54.12\00:15:56.39
Revelation 7:17, the
Lamb leading to living
00:15:57.40\00:16:00.86
fountain of waters is Jesus.
00:16:00.89\00:16:03.51
Anyone know how
many we have so far?
00:16:03.54\00:16:05.11
Anyone been counting?
00:16:05.95\00:16:07.32
I'm not going to
count them right now.
00:16:10.03\00:16:11.40
I know the total.
00:16:11.72\00:16:13.09
When we get done,
I'll tell you the total.
00:16:13.12\00:16:14.67
The total is fantastic.
00:16:14.70\00:16:16.07
Revelation 8:3 and 4,
the angel and the incense
00:16:16.23\00:16:21.29
in Revelation 8:3 and 4
are symbols of the mediation
00:16:22.07\00:16:25.44
and sacrifice of Jesus.
00:16:25.47\00:16:28.39
Revelation 8:5, the angel
throwing fire from the altar
00:16:28.85\00:16:31.97
into the earth is Jesus.
00:16:32.00\00:16:33.75
Revelation 10:1, the mighty
angel clothed with a cloud
00:16:34.52\00:16:37.86
is a symbol of Jesus.
00:16:37.89\00:16:40.70
Revelation 10 verse
2, the one who opens the
00:16:41.41\00:16:44.86
little book is Jesus.
00:16:44.89\00:16:47.86
Revelation 10 verse 3,
the one who cries like a
00:16:48.60\00:16:51.95
lion roars is Jesus.
00:16:51.98\00:16:55.50
Revelation 10 verse
5, the one raised up
00:16:56.47\00:16:58.57
His hand to heaven is Jesus.
00:16:58.60\00:17:01.56
Revelation 10:6, the one
who swore that there should be
00:17:01.97\00:17:04.91
time no longer is Jesus.
00:17:04.94\00:17:08.66
Revelation 10:7, the one
who said the mystery of God
00:17:08.94\00:17:11.37
would be finished is Jesus.
00:17:11.40\00:17:14.27
Revelation 10 verse 9,
the one who told John to
00:17:16.37\00:17:18.81
take the little book is Jesus.
00:17:18.84\00:17:22.21
Revelation 10:11, the
one who told John he must
00:17:22.56\00:17:28.08
prophecy again is Jesus.
00:17:28.11\00:17:31.73
Revelation 11:1, the
altar is a symbol of the
00:17:32.21\00:17:35.82
sacrifice of Jesus.
00:17:35.85\00:17:38.10
Revelation 11:8, the Lord
who was crucified is Jesus.
00:17:38.80\00:17:43.78
Revelation 11:15, the kingdoms
of the world are given to Jesus.
00:17:44.11\00:17:48.25
Revelation 12:1, the sun that
clothes the woman is a symbol
00:17:49.74\00:17:54.34
of the righteousness of Jesus.
00:17:54.37\00:17:56.68
Revelation 12:2, the
child of the woman is Jesus.
00:17:57.27\00:18:01.44
Revelation 12:4, the one who the
dragon seeks to devour is Jesus.
00:18:02.03\00:18:07.50
Revelation 12:5, the child born
and caught up to God is Jesus.
00:18:08.17\00:18:13.94
Revelation 12:13, the male
child of the woman is Jesus.
00:18:14.14\00:18:18.21
Revelation 12:7-9,
Michael who casts Satan
00:18:19.04\00:18:22.87
from heaven is Jesus.
00:18:22.90\00:18:25.71
Revelation 12:10, the
accuser is cast down by Jesus.
00:18:26.25\00:18:33.15
Revelation 12:11, the
blood of the Lamb by which
00:18:33.80\00:18:36.47
we overcome is the
sacrifice of Jesus.
00:18:36.50\00:18:40.19
Revelation 12:17, the
woman's offspring have the
00:18:40.86\00:18:43.99
testimony of Jesus.
00:18:44.02\00:18:46.93
Revelation 13:8, the
Lamb slain from the foundation
00:18:47.57\00:18:50.79
of the world is Jesus.
00:18:50.82\00:18:53.76
Revelation 13:11, the two
horns like a lamb represent the
00:18:54.77\00:18:59.28
religious and
civil liberty of Jesus.
00:18:59.31\00:19:03.26
Revelation 14:1, the
Lamb on Mount Zion is Jesus.
00:19:04.13\00:19:09.85
Revelation 14:4, the
Lamb the redeemed follow
00:19:10.41\00:19:16.15
wherever He goes is Jesus.
00:19:16.18\00:19:20.10
Are you keeping up with me?
00:19:20.85\00:19:22.22
Am I going too fast?
00:19:22.38\00:19:23.78
I don't want to go too fast.
00:19:23.93\00:19:25.30
I don't want to
lose anyone here.
00:19:25.33\00:19:26.70
Because I believe that every
single one of these verses,
00:19:26.73\00:19:29.33
every single one of
these thoughts is foundational.
00:19:29.36\00:19:33.52
Before we meet the
dragons and the beasts,
00:19:33.55\00:19:35.79
we have to have Jesus.
00:19:35.89\00:19:38.14
Anywhere with
Jesus I can safely go.
00:19:38.17\00:19:41.06
And so as we see Jesus moving
through the book of Revelation,
00:19:41.09\00:19:44.69
He's everywhere.
00:19:44.72\00:19:46.44
He's in every
chapter, every major prophecy.
00:19:46.47\00:19:50.38
Every major vision, there
He is, we can safely venture
00:19:50.41\00:19:54.52
into that section of prophecy
and understand it in the context
00:19:54.55\00:19:58.94
of what Jesus is
doing, what He's accomplishing
00:19:58.97\00:20:01.52
in that prophecy for His people
and for the plan of salvation.
00:20:01.84\00:20:06.07
Alright, we're almost done.
00:20:07.07\00:20:08.44
We're more than
half way through.
00:20:08.47\00:20:09.84
Revelation 14:10, the
Lamb, in His presence the lost
00:20:10.29\00:20:15.01
feel tormented, is Jesus.
00:20:15.04\00:20:17.77
Revelation 14:12, the
faith of the saints is the
00:20:18.33\00:20:20.93
faith of Jesus.
00:20:20.96\00:20:23.37
Revelation 14:14, the
Son of man on a cloud with a
00:20:23.94\00:20:27.50
crown and a sickle is Jesus.
00:20:27.53\00:20:31.18
Revelation 15:3, the Lamb whose
song the redeemed sing is Jesus.
00:20:31.49\00:20:38.72
Revelation 16:15, the one
who comes as a thief is Jesus.
00:20:39.37\00:20:46.08
Revelation 17:6, the
one for whom many people
00:20:46.23\00:20:50.16
die as martyrs is Jesus.
00:20:50.19\00:20:53.69
Revelation 17:14, the
Lamb who is warred against
00:20:54.27\00:20:58.30
but overcomes is Jesus.
00:20:58.33\00:21:02.03
Revelation 18:1, the
glory that illuminates the world
00:21:02.94\00:21:07.60
is the glory of Jesus.
00:21:07.63\00:21:10.61
Revelation 18:4, the people
who are called out of Babylon
00:21:11.78\00:21:14.83
are the people of Jesus.
00:21:14.86\00:21:17.34
Revelation 19:7, the
marriage of the Lamb is the
00:21:18.02\00:21:20.66
marriage of Jesus.
00:21:20.69\00:21:23.29
Revelation 19:9, the
marriage supper of the Lamb is
00:21:23.65\00:21:26.28
the marriage supper of Jesus.
00:21:26.31\00:21:29.79
I mean, what's a
wedding without food, right?
00:21:30.85\00:21:32.87
Revelation 19:10, the
spirit of prophecy is the
00:21:34.72\00:21:37.41
testimony of Jesus.
00:21:37.44\00:21:39.91
Revelation 19:11,
the faithful and true
00:21:39.94\00:21:42.82
white horse rider is Jesus.
00:21:42.85\00:21:46.23
Revelation 19:12, the one
with many crowns is Jesus.
00:21:47.01\00:21:52.57
Revelation 19:13, the one
who is the Word of God is Jesus.
00:21:52.95\00:21:58.16
Revelation 19:14, the
one who leads the armies
00:21:58.49\00:22:01.33
in heaven is Jesus.
00:22:01.36\00:22:04.07
Revelation 19:15, the one
who has a sharp sword is Jesus.
00:22:04.37\00:22:09.46
Revelation 19:16, the
one who is King of kings and
00:22:09.49\00:22:12.91
Lord of lords...
00:22:12.94\00:22:14.66
You guessed it.
00:22:16.22\00:22:17.59
It's Jesus.
00:22:17.71\00:22:19.08
Revelation
19:15... I did it already.
00:22:19.56\00:22:22.80
Revelation 19:19, the
one who the armies of earth
00:22:22.83\00:22:27.18
war against is Jesus.
00:22:27.21\00:22:30.24
Revelation 19:21, the
one who defeats the armies
00:22:30.27\00:22:32.97
of earth is Jesus.
00:22:33.00\00:22:36.19
Revelation 21:9, the groom
of the Lamb's wife is Jesus.
00:22:36.22\00:22:42.75
Revelation 21:22, the
Lamb or the temple of the
00:22:42.95\00:22:46.15
New Jerusalem is Jesus.
00:22:46.18\00:22:49.24
Revelation 21:23,
the Lamb or light of the
00:22:49.64\00:22:52.87
New Jerusalem is Jesus.
00:22:52.90\00:22:55.74
Revelation 21:27, the
Lamb's Book of Life is the
00:22:56.18\00:22:59.29
book of Jesus.
00:22:59.32\00:23:01.77
Revelation 22:1, the throne of
the Lamb is the throne of Jesus.
00:23:02.11\00:23:07.55
Revelation 22:3, there
is no more curse because
00:23:07.85\00:23:10.79
we serve Jesus.
00:23:10.82\00:23:13.73
Revelation 22:4, we
shall see the face and bear the
00:23:13.93\00:23:17.71
name of Jesus.
00:23:17.74\00:23:21.03
Revelation 22:7, the one
who is coming quickly is Jesus.
00:23:21.48\00:23:27.35
Revelation 22:12, the
one who rewards according to
00:23:27.84\00:23:32.60
our works is Jesus.
00:23:32.63\00:23:36.24
Revelation 22:16, the one who
sent His angel to John is Jesus.
00:23:36.63\00:23:43.82
And finally, Revelation
22:20, the one who testifies
00:23:44.34\00:23:51.46
to these things is Jesus.
00:23:51.49\00:23:55.27
How many verses all together?
00:23:58.07\00:23:59.56
Approximately, I'm not
going to nail this down,
00:24:01.14\00:24:03.76
ninety-three.
00:24:05.00\00:24:06.37
93 verses in the book
of Revelation with direct
00:24:07.41\00:24:10.34
reference to Jesus.
00:24:10.37\00:24:11.74
Now that does not
include references to God
00:24:11.77\00:24:13.90
or to the Spirit or to
angels or to God's people.
00:24:13.93\00:24:17.22
That's just references
to Jesus either literally
00:24:17.25\00:24:20.27
or symbolically.
00:24:20.37\00:24:21.74
93 references.
00:24:21.77\00:24:23.14
So what I decided to
do is I decided to look up
00:24:23.17\00:24:25.62
the direct references
to Jesus in the gospels.
00:24:25.65\00:24:28.37
Because I thought,
"Hey, the book of Revelation,
00:24:28.40\00:24:30.97
scary book, people
don't want to read it.
00:24:31.00\00:24:32.78
What about the gospels?
People love reading the gospels.
00:24:32.81\00:24:35.32
And I found that in
the gospel of Mark...
00:24:35.35\00:24:37.27
Okay, it's the
smallest gospel. True enough.
00:24:37.30\00:24:39.01
In the gospel of Mark, 16
chapters, there are exactly...
00:24:39.04\00:24:43.05
Guess how many.
00:24:43.08\00:24:44.45
93 references to Jesus Christ.
00:24:44.74\00:24:47.51
Exactly.
00:24:47.54\00:24:48.91
Now there are other references
like "the Son of man,"
00:24:49.17\00:24:52.73
which appears about 13
times in the gospel of Mark.
00:24:52.76\00:24:55.37
There are 93
references to Jesus Christ
00:24:55.72\00:24:58.80
in the gospel of Mark.
00:24:58.83\00:25:00.20
There are 93
references to Jesus Christ
00:25:00.23\00:25:02.62
in the book of Revelation.
00:25:02.65\00:25:04.05
Now we've got to recognize
that in the book of Revelation,
00:25:04.08\00:25:07.31
some of these references
are veiled in symbols,
00:25:07.34\00:25:10.14
like for example, the
lamb, an angel, a lion
00:25:10.17\00:25:15.52
or the word of God.
00:25:15.55\00:25:17.37
And these symbols identify
a certain attribute or focus
00:25:17.95\00:25:23.70
that Jesus has in
that particular prophecy.
00:25:23.73\00:25:26.43
Nevertheless, Mark has
93 references to Jesus,
00:25:27.01\00:25:31.58
and it's a gospel.
00:25:31.61\00:25:33.01
Revelation has 93 references
to Jesus, and it is...
00:25:33.04\00:25:36.73
...a scary book.
00:25:37.61\00:25:39.00
I don't think so.
00:25:39.85\00:25:41.22
It is time, friends, it is
time for us and for the world
00:25:41.25\00:25:45.42
to recognize that
the book of Revelation
00:25:45.45\00:25:48.95
is talking about Jesus.
00:25:49.88\00:25:52.03
We can no longer
continue to promote the idea
00:25:52.41\00:25:55.51
that the book of Revelation
is about beasts and dragons
00:25:55.54\00:25:58.77
and plagues, when in reality
Revelation has as much to
00:25:58.80\00:26:01.81
say about Jesus as
does the gospel of Mark.
00:26:01.84\00:26:05.81
In some ways, it has
more to say about Jesus
00:26:05.84\00:26:09.67
than the gospel of Mark.
00:26:10.20\00:26:13.30
In fact, when I think about
this, I think about other books
00:26:13.60\00:26:16.93
like the book of Romans.
00:26:16.96\00:26:18.33
I just decided to do a
little quick word check.
00:26:18.36\00:26:19.83
Because a lot of
people believe that Romans is
00:26:19.86\00:26:21.56
the clearest gospel.
00:26:21.59\00:26:22.96
How many references to
Jesus are in the book of Romans?
00:26:22.99\00:26:25.85
Thirty-eight.
00:26:26.15\00:26:27.52
Thirty-eight.
00:26:28.05\00:26:29.42
Now if Romans is the
clearest gospel and there's
00:26:30.16\00:26:31.62
38 references there...
00:26:31.65\00:26:33.18
Revelation, oh...
00:26:34.15\00:26:38.61
You know what I call Revelation?
00:26:39.04\00:26:40.41
This is my own
thing that I have decided.
00:26:40.44\00:26:43.16
I call Revelation, the
fifth gospel of the Bible.
00:26:43.74\00:26:47.54
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and
the Revelation of Jesus Christ.
00:26:47.97\00:26:51.92
It's a prophetic gospel.
00:26:51.95\00:26:53.48
It's a prophetic gospel.
00:26:54.31\00:26:55.79
Every gospel is
unique in its emphasis.
00:26:55.82\00:26:58.93
And the book of Revelation
is a prophetic gospel of Jesus.
00:26:58.96\00:27:03.38
It's talking about
Jesus in relation to prophecy.
00:27:03.85\00:27:07.92
And it's powerful
when you think about it,
00:27:07.95\00:27:09.38
because once we
realize that Jesus is the theme
00:27:09.41\00:27:13.79
of the book of
Revelation, then we can kind of,
00:27:13.82\00:27:17.16
well in a sense we
can relax a little bit.
00:27:17.19\00:27:20.12
Now we need to be careful
there because the book of
00:27:20.15\00:27:25.00
Revelation also
gives us a warning.
00:27:25.03\00:27:28.70
A warning about a power...
00:27:30.04\00:27:32.29
And I say a power
because this power works through
00:27:32.32\00:27:34.81
many different means,
but it has one core center.
00:27:34.84\00:27:39.60
And that is, the dragon.
00:27:39.63\00:27:41.03
...who is seeking to undermine
what has been accomplished
00:27:41.63\00:27:45.63
for us by Jesus Christ.
00:27:45.66\00:27:48.03
Let me give you an example.
00:27:48.78\00:27:50.25
And we're searching now for
beasts and dragons, in a sense.
00:27:50.89\00:27:53.55
That's our topic
tonight, though I didn't want to
00:27:53.58\00:27:55.89
venture there until
we actually nailed down
00:27:55.92\00:27:58.78
this whole
foundation of Jesus Christ.
00:27:58.81\00:28:01.82
But look in
Revelation chapter 12.
00:28:01.85\00:28:05.48
When we look in Revelation
chapter 12, many times
00:28:06.17\00:28:09.37
we find that the very
context of Revelation;
00:28:09.40\00:28:13.42
a chapter or the verses
somewhere else in the book,
00:28:13.45\00:28:17.85
will give us an
identification of a
00:28:17.88\00:28:20.68
symbol that we're looking at.
00:28:20.71\00:28:22.08
For example, Revelation
chapter 12 and verse 7
00:28:22.11\00:28:25.18
tells us about a war that
is taking place in heaven.
00:28:26.48\00:28:29.27
And the dragon has
already been introduced in
00:28:29.67\00:28:33.39
Revelation
chapter 12 and verse 3.
00:28:33.42\00:28:36.55
But when this war is described,
Revelation 12 and verse 7,
00:28:36.75\00:28:40.83
it pits Michael and his angels
fighting against the dragon
00:28:40.86\00:28:45.40
and his angels.
00:28:45.43\00:28:47.15
Now we know,
according to Revelation 19,
00:28:47.18\00:28:49.28
that Jesus is the
leader of the armies of heaven.
00:28:49.31\00:28:52.73
We know that, so we know Michael
is another name for Jesus.
00:28:52.76\00:28:56.72
Jesus, the one who is like God.
00:28:57.12\00:28:59.14
And some people struggle
with that because they think,
00:28:59.74\00:29:01.89
"Well Michael
is a created being.
00:29:01.92\00:29:03.29
Michael is the arch angel."
00:29:03.32\00:29:04.91
Well the arch angel,
that word, that term means
00:29:04.94\00:29:07.74
He's the chief of the angels.
00:29:07.77\00:29:09.68
He is Commander-in-Chief
of the angels.
00:29:09.71\00:29:11.79
It doesn't mean
He's a created being.
00:29:11.82\00:29:13.94
Calling Jesus "Michael"
and then assuming that He's a
00:29:14.72\00:29:18.05
created being is like saying,
"Well Jesus became a man.
00:29:18.08\00:29:20.51
Therefore, He must be created."
00:29:20.54\00:29:21.91
And there are some
people who believe that,
00:29:21.94\00:29:23.88
some churches who teach that.
00:29:23.91\00:29:25.30
But we know the Bible teaches
that Jesus Christ is God.
00:29:25.33\00:29:29.18
He is God the Son.
00:29:29.64\00:29:31.21
And He can take the form
of a man and still be God.
00:29:31.24\00:29:34.68
He can take the form of
an angel and still be God.
00:29:34.71\00:29:37.04
God the Spirit can take the
form of a dove and still be God.
00:29:37.07\00:29:40.15
God the Father can take
the form of a burning bush
00:29:40.18\00:29:42.72
and still be God.
00:29:42.75\00:29:44.12
And so Jesus here is represented
in these different forms
00:29:45.41\00:29:49.57
because He is in fact
the Commander-in-Chief
00:29:49.60\00:29:53.10
of the angels of heaven.
00:29:53.13\00:29:54.56
And He's the one that fought.
00:29:55.13\00:29:56.50
He's the leader of
the armies, Revelation 19,
00:29:56.53\00:29:58.44
that fought against
the dragon and his angels.
00:29:58.47\00:30:01.40
And He prevailed, verse 8.
00:30:01.43\00:30:03.17
And no place was found
any more in heaven for them.
00:30:03.38\00:30:06.65
Now verse 9 is
the key verse here.
00:30:06.68\00:30:08.57
It says, "And the great dragon
was cast out, that old serpent,
00:30:08.60\00:30:12.55
called the Devil, and Satan,
which deceives the whole world.
00:30:12.58\00:30:19.84
He was cast out into
the earth, and his angels
00:30:19.87\00:30:22.68
were cast out with him."
00:30:22.71\00:30:24.17
Now this tells us
very clearly and succinctly
00:30:24.20\00:30:27.70
who the dragon is.
00:30:27.73\00:30:29.41
As soon as we identify
a symbol in literal terms,
00:30:29.67\00:30:35.43
we can drop the symbolism.
00:30:35.46\00:30:37.38
The dragon is Satan.
00:30:38.09\00:30:39.46
Whenever we see that word
in the book of Revelation;
00:30:39.49\00:30:42.66
dragon, dragon, dragon,
and actually in other places
00:30:42.69\00:30:46.09
in the Bible, we can understand
that it's a symbol for Satan.
00:30:46.12\00:30:48.85
And we can do the
same thing with the beast.
00:30:48.88\00:30:50.57
A beast in prophecy
represents a kingdom or a power.
00:30:50.60\00:30:56.23
Now we see this in
another prophetic book in
00:30:56.26\00:30:58.99
the Old Testament, and
that is the book of Daniel.
00:30:59.02\00:31:01.24
If you look in Daniel
chapter 7 at verses 17 and 23,
00:31:01.58\00:31:09.81
you're going to find here that
Daniel was told by an angel,
00:31:09.84\00:31:13.85
Daniel 7:17 and 23, what a
beast symbolizes or represents.
00:31:14.30\00:31:19.76
Daniel had a dream in chapter
7 and he saw in this dream
00:31:20.86\00:31:24.48
different beasts
rising up out of the sea
00:31:24.51\00:31:27.02
different from one another.
00:31:27.05\00:31:28.42
The first was like a lion.
00:31:28.45\00:31:30.01
And then there was a bear.
00:31:30.04\00:31:32.07
And then there was a leopard.
00:31:32.10\00:31:34.50
And then there
was a strange beast.
00:31:34.53\00:31:38.27
And he wanted to understand
what these beasts represented.
00:31:39.02\00:31:42.22
And so someone
came and stood near him,
00:31:42.25\00:31:45.23
in verse 16 of Daniel 7.
00:31:45.26\00:31:48.01
And he made him know the
interpretation of these things.
00:31:48.43\00:31:52.26
And he said in verse 17, "These
great beasts which are four,
00:31:52.29\00:31:55.89
are four kings, which
shall arise out of the earth."
00:31:55.92\00:31:58.90
So once we identify a symbol,
we can drop the symbolism.
00:31:59.96\00:32:04.83
Why is this important?
00:32:05.46\00:32:06.88
Well because people
can be easily offended
00:32:07.21\00:32:09.75
if you identify them as a beast.
00:32:09.78\00:32:12.86
Try it sometime and see.
00:32:16.95\00:32:20.04
It's not nice to
be called a beast.
00:32:21.35\00:32:25.06
That's one reason why it's
important for us to drop the
00:32:25.84\00:32:29.08
symbols once we identify
the literalism of this truth.
00:32:29.11\00:32:33.51
Another reason is because...
00:32:34.07\00:32:35.57
Well God is communicating to us
in the language even of our day.
00:32:35.60\00:32:39.57
In other words, beasts
have all along through history
00:32:39.60\00:32:43.30
always represented or
symbolized powers or nations.
00:32:43.33\00:32:46.33
For example today, when
we think about an eagle,
00:32:46.36\00:32:49.21
what nation do we think of?
00:32:49.24\00:32:50.61
United States of America.
00:32:51.06\00:32:52.43
What about a dragon? China.
00:32:52.46\00:32:55.73
What about a lion?
00:32:55.76\00:32:57.68
Great Britain.
00:32:59.14\00:33:00.51
You're good, you're good.
00:33:00.54\00:33:01.91
What about, one more, a bear?
00:33:01.94\00:33:03.86
Russia.
00:33:04.41\00:33:05.78
So we don't go, notice
this, we don't go to the symbols
00:33:05.81\00:33:09.46
of today and try to
place them into the Bible.
00:33:09.49\00:33:12.47
In other words, because a
bear today represents Russia,
00:33:12.74\00:33:15.41
I don't go back now
to Daniel 7 and say,
00:33:15.44\00:33:17.49
"Oh, one of these
beasts was a bear.
00:33:17.52\00:33:18.89
That must be Russia."
00:33:18.92\00:33:20.29
That would be using
current events to interpret
00:33:20.32\00:33:23.20
Bible prophecy.
00:33:23.23\00:33:24.60
A lot of people
make that mistake.
00:33:24.63\00:33:26.00
We don't want to do that.
00:33:26.03\00:33:27.40
We allow the Bible
to interpret itself,
00:33:27.53\00:33:30.55
and then we look for
that fulfillment in history.
00:33:30.58\00:33:34.10
And we've seen the
fulfillment of these beasts
00:33:34.23\00:33:36.72
in Daniel chapter 7 in history
past; Babylon, Medo-Persia,
00:33:36.75\00:33:40.89
Greece and Rome.
00:33:40.92\00:33:42.29
Then we have the
ten kingdoms under which
00:33:42.74\00:33:45.14
we're living right now.
00:33:45.17\00:33:46.54
But here's the key.
00:33:46.62\00:33:48.08
In the book of Revelation,
we have these two beasts;
00:33:48.42\00:33:51.56
one that arises out of
the sea, Revelation chapter 13
00:33:51.84\00:33:56.13
and verse 1, and the other one
that arises out of the earth.
00:33:56.16\00:33:59.75
These two beasts come together
to enforce what is called,
00:34:00.32\00:34:04.48
the mark of the beast...
00:34:04.51\00:34:05.88
We'll be talking
about that later.
00:34:05.91\00:34:07.48
...on all of the earth.
00:34:07.91\00:34:10.04
These two beasts are
supported by the dragon, Satan.
00:34:10.30\00:34:14.90
These two beasts represent
kingdoms, powers, or nations.
00:34:15.96\00:34:20.40
There's two of them.
00:34:20.43\00:34:21.80
Two kingdoms, earthly powers
or nations, that come together
00:34:21.83\00:34:24.41
to enforce a mark
upon all of the world.
00:34:24.44\00:34:27.44
So we can drop the
symbolism of the beasts
00:34:28.11\00:34:31.40
and we can identify these two
powers as kingdoms or nations.
00:34:31.43\00:34:35.74
We're not calling a certain
nation or kingdom a beast.
00:34:35.77\00:34:39.26
They are a nation,
they are a kingdom.
00:34:39.78\00:34:41.49
And they are identified
as such in the symbols
00:34:41.79\00:34:44.77
of the book of Revelation.
00:34:44.80\00:34:46.17
Now here's something
else we want to look at
00:34:47.02\00:34:48.57
that I think is really
important for us when we study
00:34:48.60\00:34:51.79
dragons and beasts.
00:34:52.39\00:34:54.57
Have you ever felt like
you were a little dragon-like
00:34:55.75\00:35:00.95
on certain days?
00:35:00.98\00:35:02.68
Or a little beast-like in
the way that you related to
00:35:03.28\00:35:06.37
your wife or
another certain person?
00:35:06.40\00:35:09.90
Maybe you stayed up a little
late, maybe you were a little
00:35:10.93\00:35:13.32
stressed out, a little nervous.
00:35:13.35\00:35:15.84
Today, I
ventured out in the car.
00:35:16.46\00:35:20.13
I had some dry cleaning to pick
up just down the road in Benton.
00:35:21.06\00:35:23.99
And it was 4:30, they
close at 5:00 and I just thought
00:35:24.02\00:35:27.52
I've waited as long as
I can wait for the ice and
00:35:27.55\00:35:30.66
the snow to melt.
00:35:30.69\00:35:32.06
It's not melting,
it's getting worse.
00:35:32.21\00:35:34.00
I need to go.
00:35:34.03\00:35:35.40
If I'm going to
go, I need to go.
00:35:35.43\00:35:36.80
Now I spent 30 years of my
life driving in ice and snow,
00:35:36.83\00:35:39.14
so I have a
little bit of experience.
00:35:39.17\00:35:41.49
But it's been several
years since I moved to
00:35:41.52\00:35:44.24
Eugene, Oregon
where it rarely snows.
00:35:44.27\00:35:47.08
And so I was nervous.
00:35:47.11\00:35:48.59
I got out of Angel
Lane, which was really bad,
00:35:48.62\00:35:52.81
to the main highway,
which was somewhat clear.
00:35:53.52\00:35:56.29
I was driving down the highway
trying to stay right in the
00:35:56.63\00:35:59.49
tracks of the tires where the
wheels of other tires have gone.
00:35:59.52\00:36:02.93
Because that's where it
was wet, but it was clear.
00:36:02.96\00:36:05.88
No ice, no slush.
00:36:05.91\00:36:07.41
I made my way to the
dry cleaners in Benton,
00:36:08.20\00:36:10.43
picked up my dry
cleaning, got back in the car,
00:36:10.46\00:36:13.19
pulled into the parking
lot, cleaned off my windshield
00:36:13.22\00:36:15.77
wipers again, and began
venturing out onto the highway.
00:36:15.80\00:36:20.27
As I did so, another car
just a little ways down from me
00:36:20.30\00:36:24.03
was sitting there.
00:36:24.33\00:36:25.70
And as I pulled
out, he pulled out also.
00:36:25.73\00:36:27.18
He was in a hurry.
00:36:27.21\00:36:28.58
And he pulled out in
such a way that I thought...
00:36:29.63\00:36:32.35
And I'd just been talking to the
dry cleaning lady about this.
00:36:32.64\00:36:34.78
She told me, she said,
"My husband drives in this
00:36:34.81\00:36:36.82
kind of weather all the time.
00:36:36.85\00:36:38.22
And he tells me, 'It's
not me that I worry about.
00:36:38.25\00:36:40.30
It's the other
drivers who are in a hurry.'"
00:36:40.33\00:36:42.25
She had just told me this.
00:36:42.28\00:36:43.65
And as he pulled out, I thought,
"Oooh, why did he do that?"
00:36:44.10\00:36:50.59
On any given day, on any
other day, it wouldn't have
00:36:51.58\00:36:53.81
bothered me one bit.
00:36:53.84\00:36:55.35
Because, you know,
just slow down a little bit.
00:36:55.38\00:36:58.61
But it bothered me this
time, or at least it tried to,
00:36:58.71\00:37:01.22
because I thought, you
know, this could be dangerous.
00:37:01.25\00:37:05.34
This isn't the weather to
pull out in front of people.
00:37:05.37\00:37:07.76
Have you ever had an
experience driving down the road
00:37:11.71\00:37:15.45
where the beast and
the dragon grab a hold
00:37:15.48\00:37:19.80
of your thoughts and feelings?
00:37:19.83\00:37:21.77
See, sometimes...
And this is the danger.
00:37:22.23\00:37:24.83
Sometimes we want
to identify this dragon
00:37:25.40\00:37:28.44
and we want to identify
this beast as some other
00:37:28.47\00:37:31.47
institution, power,
nation, or denomination.
00:37:31.50\00:37:34.42
That puts us in a safe zone.
00:37:34.80\00:37:37.05
"Oh, that's them. That's him.
00:37:37.47\00:37:39.87
That's not us."
00:37:39.90\00:37:41.56
I'm reminded of
when Jesus said to Peter,
00:37:41.59\00:37:44.28
"Get thee behind Me, Satan."
00:37:44.31\00:37:46.92
And I recognize the
danger that all of us face
00:37:47.52\00:37:51.02
if we're not
connected with Jesus.
00:37:51.44\00:37:53.35
And that's why I
believe Jesus is...
00:37:53.38\00:37:55.18
Well, in 93 verses in
the book of Revelation.
00:37:55.38\00:37:58.42
There are about 470 verses
in Revelation, so that means
00:37:58.45\00:38:02.05
He's in at least 25% of them.
00:38:02.08\00:38:04.06
Direct reference.
00:38:04.45\00:38:05.82
Why? Because we need
Him all the time in life.
00:38:05.85\00:38:08.82
We need Him all the time through
history and through prophecy;
00:38:08.85\00:38:11.56
eschatological
prophecy, last day events.
00:38:11.59\00:38:14.39
We need Jesus.
00:38:14.42\00:38:16.12
We have in Revelation
chapter 12, well I would
00:38:17.21\00:38:21.01
say about 8 or 9 reasons.
00:38:21.04\00:38:22.65
I'm going to give them
to you tonight in relation
00:38:22.68\00:38:25.86
to the beast and the dragon.
00:38:25.89\00:38:27.26
And I want you to
write these down if you can.
00:38:27.29\00:38:30.06
Our viewers, I want
you to write these down.
00:38:30.09\00:38:32.04
Because before we ever
identify the beast or the dragon
00:38:32.07\00:38:36.43
as some kind of
power or entity out there,
00:38:36.46\00:38:38.58
we need to recognize
that this entity or power is a
00:38:38.61\00:38:41.53
composite of us.
00:38:41.56\00:38:43.04
That any one of us at any given
time can become part of this
00:38:44.72\00:38:48.85
dragon beast power,
even as we are professing to
00:38:48.88\00:38:51.93
follow Christ, as Peter did.
00:38:51.96\00:38:53.64
And therefore, if we can
identify the characteristics
00:38:54.97\00:38:57.96
of the dragon and the beast,
we can recognize when we are
00:38:58.36\00:39:03.00
developing the character
attributes of that power
00:39:03.03\00:39:06.76
and preparing to
stand with that power,
00:39:06.79\00:39:08.98
unconsciously to ourselves.
00:39:09.01\00:39:11.04
Peter was not aware of the
fact that he was developing
00:39:11.07\00:39:14.15
these attributes that would
cause him to deny his Lord.
00:39:14.18\00:39:17.65
We may not be
aware of it either.
00:39:18.13\00:39:19.55
Revelation chapter 12
00:39:20.96\00:39:26.75
verses 12 and 17.
00:39:27.77\00:39:31.13
Attribute number one, Revelation
chapter 12 verses 12 and 17.
00:39:31.61\00:39:36.57
"Therefore rejoice, ye heavens,
and ye that dwell in them.
00:39:38.19\00:39:40.55
Woe to the inhabiters of
the earth and of the sea,
00:39:40.58\00:39:42.92
for the devil is come down unto
you having great wrath," anger,
00:39:42.95\00:39:48.53
"because he knoweth that
he hath but a short time."
00:39:48.56\00:39:50.55
Verse 17, "And the dragon,"
that is the devil, Satan.
00:39:50.58\00:39:53.12
"And the dragon was
angry with the woman,
00:39:53.15\00:39:55.55
and went to make war
with the remnant of her seed,
00:39:55.58\00:39:57.84
who keep the
commandments of God, and have
00:39:57.87\00:40:00.12
the testimony of Jesus."
00:40:00.15\00:40:01.62
Anger.
00:40:01.65\00:40:03.02
Anger is one of the
chief attributes of Satan.
00:40:03.05\00:40:05.40
Now I did a series of
meetings not long ago,
00:40:05.43\00:40:08.96
and you can find
these on our website,
00:40:09.62\00:40:13.31
about what to do with anger.
00:40:14.12\00:40:16.70
Because all of us to
one degree or another
00:40:17.34\00:40:19.39
have to deal with anger.
00:40:19.42\00:40:20.79
And I really like that verse,
though I've never understood it
00:40:20.82\00:40:23.14
until recently, in the
New Testament that says,
00:40:23.17\00:40:26.62
1 Timothy, "Be
angry, and sin not.
00:40:26.98\00:40:32.37
Don't let the sun
go down on your wrath."
00:40:33.71\00:40:35.88
Now I didn't understand,
"Be angry and don't sin?
00:40:36.78\00:40:38.84
How can you be
angry and don't sin?"
00:40:38.87\00:40:40.34
You know that the
wrath is bad because you're
00:40:40.37\00:40:41.95
not suppose to let
the sun do down on it.
00:40:41.98\00:40:43.69
So how do you... What is that?
00:40:44.32\00:40:46.79
My wife has helped me with
this because she always wants
00:40:46.82\00:40:49.39
to talk about it,
talk it out, get it off.
00:40:49.42\00:40:51.53
I just want to bury
it, bury it, bury it.
00:40:51.56\00:40:53.19
Go to sleep, I'll
be good in the morning.
00:40:53.23\00:40:54.83
But it always pops
up in some future time.
00:40:55.40\00:40:58.08
"Be angry, and sin not."
00:40:58.47\00:40:59.84
In other words, go ahead
and communicate that anger out.
00:40:59.87\00:41:02.69
This is what we find
David doing often in the Psalms.
00:41:02.72\00:41:06.78
Have you ever struggled at times
with reading some of the psalms
00:41:06.81\00:41:11.35
and some of the anger
that you encounter in David?
00:41:11.69\00:41:14.34
For example,
look here in Psalm 59.
00:41:14.74\00:41:18.89
This is a
powerful Psalm, Psalm 59.
00:41:19.73\00:41:22.67
David, here, is
asking for deliverance.
00:41:23.62\00:41:27.79
And in the context of
this psalm, he says this.
00:41:27.82\00:41:31.11
Verse 13, "Consume
them in wrath, consume them,
00:41:31.14\00:41:35.57
that they may not be:
and let them know that
00:41:35.60\00:41:37.38
God ruleth in Jacob
unto the ends of the earth."
00:41:37.41\00:41:39.59
"Just take them out, Lord.
00:41:40.12\00:41:41.49
Just consume them,
just destroy them."
00:41:41.52\00:41:43.06
Every feel like that?
00:41:43.09\00:41:44.46
Aargh.
00:41:44.49\00:41:45.97
I like this because
this psalm is how David
00:41:50.17\00:41:54.43
deals with his anger.
00:41:54.46\00:41:56.06
Let me explain.
00:41:56.52\00:41:57.89
The context of this
psalm finds David being hunted
00:41:59.91\00:42:03.33
by Saul unfairly.
00:42:03.36\00:42:05.37
David is in his
house with Michal,
00:42:05.99\00:42:09.46
Saul's daughter, his wife.
00:42:09.49\00:42:11.17
Saul has sent spies to watch the
house so that when David leaves
00:42:11.67\00:42:16.22
they would kill him.
00:42:16.25\00:42:17.62
That's the context of the psalm.
00:42:17.65\00:42:19.25
So David is being watched.
00:42:19.85\00:42:21.38
And Michal puts a dummy in
the bed with some hair on it,
00:42:21.41\00:42:25.37
and David slips out the
back window and takes off.
00:42:25.40\00:42:27.98
He gets out far enough
away, enough time away,
00:42:29.30\00:42:32.53
with this dummy coverage
to where he gets to safety.
00:42:32.56\00:42:36.36
In this context,
David is praying.
00:42:37.23\00:42:39.41
Now you can
imagine how David feels.
00:42:39.84\00:42:41.96
This is unfair,
it's wrong, it's unjust.
00:42:41.99\00:42:44.16
And he's upset about it.
00:42:44.19\00:42:45.77
He's done
nothing negative to Saul.
00:42:46.29\00:42:48.22
He's loved him,
he's nurtured him,
00:42:48.25\00:42:49.83
he sung for him,
he's fought for him.
00:42:49.86\00:42:51.91
He's given everything for Saul.
00:42:51.94\00:42:53.83
So he says this, number one.
00:42:54.99\00:42:56.94
"Deliver me from
mine enemies, oh God."
00:42:57.24\00:42:59.48
I think the first
way to deal with anger
00:43:00.73\00:43:02.95
is to ask God to help you.
00:43:02.98\00:43:04.70
This is what David
does, step number one;
00:43:04.73\00:43:07.09
"Deliver me from the
workers of iniquity."
00:43:07.12\00:43:10.06
Then step two.
00:43:10.09\00:43:11.48
Write these down if you'd like.
00:43:12.26\00:43:13.94
He explains his situation.
00:43:14.98\00:43:16.99
Verse 3, "For, lo, they
lie in wait for my soul.
00:43:17.02\00:43:20.58
The mighty are gathered against
me; not for my transgression,
00:43:20.61\00:43:23.68
nor for my sin."
00:43:23.71\00:43:25.08
Verse 4, "They run and prepare
themselves without my fault."
00:43:25.11\00:43:28.07
So he asks God
for help, number one.
00:43:30.26\00:43:32.66
And then he
explains his situation.
00:43:32.69\00:43:34.07
"Here's why I'm angry."
00:43:34.10\00:43:35.47
"This is why I'm angry."
00:43:35.50\00:43:36.87
"This is why I'm
upset with my wife.
00:43:36.90\00:43:38.27
I'm upset with my wife because
she just doesn't understand."
00:43:38.30\00:43:41.41
Is that okay?
00:43:43.08\00:43:44.45
Or do we need to pretend
that we don't ever get angry
00:43:45.70\00:43:48.44
with our wives or husbands.
00:43:48.47\00:43:50.26
Can we be real with God?
00:43:51.72\00:43:53.24
I may not be able
to tell my wife that.
00:43:54.01\00:43:56.02
The problem is, many
times I will tell my wife that,
00:43:56.05\00:43:58.38
but I won't tell it to God.
00:43:58.41\00:43:59.78
David is
reversing that situation.
00:43:59.81\00:44:01.18
He's saying,
talk to God about it.
00:44:01.21\00:44:03.20
Tell God how you feel,
and why you feel that way.
00:44:03.57\00:44:06.00
And then number
three, let God have it.
00:44:06.03\00:44:10.73
In other words,
let go of your anger.
00:44:10.76\00:44:16.23
"Oh God, just consume
them. Just take them out."
00:44:16.93\00:44:19.53
Vent everything that you feel.
00:44:19.56\00:44:21.44
Just vent all that emotion.
00:44:21.47\00:44:22.84
Just talk about
it, just get it out.
00:44:22.87\00:44:24.64
Just tell God
exactly how you feel.
00:44:24.67\00:44:26.20
That's what David is doing here.
00:44:26.23\00:44:27.60
He's just venting.
00:44:27.74\00:44:29.11
You know, sometimes
we vent to the person
00:44:30.21\00:44:32.41
rather than venting to God.
00:44:32.44\00:44:33.97
We tell people, or even
other people who aren't the
00:44:34.00\00:44:36.82
people we should
be communicating to,
00:44:36.85\00:44:38.45
but other third party
people about our situation.
00:44:38.48\00:44:41.57
And then we get
reconciled with the person that
00:44:42.41\00:44:44.19
we're struggling with,
but we've got this damage
00:44:44.22\00:44:46.19
that we've done over here
to these third party people.
00:44:46.22\00:44:48.71
God says, "Don't talk
to these other people about
00:44:50.97\00:44:52.70
what you're struggling with.
00:44:52.73\00:44:54.10
Talk to Me. Let Me have it.
00:44:54.66\00:44:57.54
Be angry, and sin not.
00:44:57.57\00:45:00.61
Be angry toward Me
and sin not toward them.
00:45:00.64\00:45:03.14
I understand what
you're going through.
00:45:03.17\00:45:04.54
I can relate to your
struggle, your situation."
00:45:04.57\00:45:06.70
And then he says,
and this is verse 16,
00:45:08.31\00:45:10.54
"But I will sing of
thy power; yea, I will sing
00:45:11.47\00:45:13.81
aloud of thy mercy..."
00:45:13.84\00:45:15.21
Praise God.
00:45:15.24\00:45:16.61
Let the anger go out, and then
let the praise of God come in.
00:45:16.88\00:45:21.63
Let the anger out, you're
emptying your heart of anger,
00:45:22.36\00:45:25.51
and then let the
praise of God come in.
00:45:25.54\00:45:27.16
And this works.
This is powerful.
00:45:28.02\00:45:29.74
You go to God and ask for help.
00:45:29.77\00:45:31.57
You tell Him your situation,
you vent all your anger
00:45:31.60\00:45:34.37
and frustration, and then He
will put praise in your heart.
00:45:34.40\00:45:37.33
And you can praise Him
and you can sing aloud.
00:45:37.36\00:45:38.99
You can rejoice, you will
have perfect peace with God.
00:45:39.02\00:45:43.43
And you will be surprised.
00:45:44.47\00:45:46.32
Now number five. And
this is an extra one.
00:45:46.35\00:45:48.14
It's not in the context of
Psalm 59, but it's an extra one.
00:45:48.17\00:45:50.74
You will be surprised at
the way God is going to work.
00:45:50.77\00:45:53.29
Now here's the
surprise that David had.
00:45:53.32\00:45:55.18
Some time later, as
David is hiding in a cave,
00:45:56.15\00:45:59.83
Saul ventures in.
00:45:59.86\00:46:01.62
David's men say
to him, "This is it.
00:46:03.99\00:46:08.21
This is the very
thing that God has purposed,
00:46:08.65\00:46:12.69
that your enemy
would come in here.
00:46:12.72\00:46:14.09
Just say the word, I'll
put my sword through that guy.
00:46:14.12\00:46:16.88
I'll put my
spear through that guy.
00:46:16.91\00:46:18.28
And I'll only have
to do it one time."
00:46:18.31\00:46:20.34
And what does David say?
00:46:23.08\00:46:24.45
"Don't do it."
00:46:25.21\00:46:26.58
Why does he say that?
00:46:26.61\00:46:27.98
Because his heart
is at perfect peace.
00:46:28.59\00:46:30.60
He's vented all his
frustrations and anger.
00:46:30.63\00:46:32.25
He's given it all to God.
God has put praise inside.
00:46:32.28\00:46:34.68
And David treats Saul
like he would treat anyone
00:46:34.71\00:46:37.49
with unconditional love.
00:46:37.52\00:46:38.89
That's the gospel, by the way.
00:46:38.92\00:46:40.29
And when Saul goes out of
there, David tells him exactly
00:46:40.32\00:46:42.69
what it was that he
could have done but didn't do,
00:46:42.72\00:46:45.07
by the grace of God.
00:46:45.10\00:46:46.47
And Saul repents.
00:46:46.50\00:46:47.87
He falls down on
his face and he says,
00:46:47.90\00:46:49.27
"You're more
righteous than I am."
00:46:49.30\00:46:50.67
This is going to be the
experience of God's people
00:46:50.70\00:46:52.85
in the book of Revelation.
00:46:52.88\00:46:54.25
Read it with me,
Revelation chapter 13.
00:46:54.28\00:46:56.16
This is the key for us to not
receive the mark of the beast.
00:46:56.19\00:47:01.40
That we would be able
to deal with our anger
00:47:01.60\00:47:03.96
and not allow it to
develop a character trait in our
00:47:03.99\00:47:06.76
own hearts; the
character trait of the dragon,
00:47:06.79\00:47:08.96
the character
trait of the beast.
00:47:08.99\00:47:10.79
Revelation chapter 13.
00:47:10.82\00:47:12.70
It says here in the
context of the final crisis,
00:47:13.22\00:47:15.80
"He that leads into
captivity," verse 10,
00:47:15.83\00:47:19.06
"shall go into captivity.
00:47:19.09\00:47:20.81
He that kills with the sword..."
00:47:20.84\00:47:22.54
And our words, our
mouths, can be like a sword.
00:47:22.57\00:47:25.64
"...must be
killed with the sword.
00:47:25.67\00:47:27.41
Here is the patience and
the faith of the saints."
00:47:27.44\00:47:32.34
Okay, characteristic number two.
00:47:34.27\00:47:36.59
Revelation 12 verse 10.
Characteristic number two.
00:47:37.73\00:47:41.08
Revelation 12 verse 10.
00:47:42.45\00:47:43.96
"And I heard a loud
voice in heaven saying,
00:47:46.04\00:47:48.91
'Now is come salvation,
and strength, and the kingdom
00:47:48.94\00:47:53.71
of our God, and the
power of his Christ.
00:47:53.74\00:47:57.59
For the accuser
of our brethren..."
00:47:57.62\00:48:01.31
Who is that? Satan.
00:48:01.71\00:48:03.70
"...is cast down, which accused
them before God day and night."
00:48:03.73\00:48:07.67
The accuser of our brethren.
00:48:07.70\00:48:09.12
The accuser of our brethren.
00:48:09.61\00:48:11.61
Have you ever been...
00:48:12.34\00:48:13.71
...tempted to be an accuser?
00:48:16.59\00:48:18.96
I know you don't accuse,
because you're Christians.
00:48:19.40\00:48:21.54
We're all Christians
here, so we don't accuse.
00:48:21.57\00:48:23.36
But have you ever
been tempted to accuse?
00:48:23.39\00:48:26.86
I mean, there are
good reasons, right?
00:48:27.38\00:48:28.92
There are times when
it's just sitting there.
00:48:29.31\00:48:30.79
I mean obvious, it's so obvious.
00:48:30.82\00:48:32.95
There it is.
00:48:32.98\00:48:34.35
Someone's got to point
it out. Might as well be me.
00:48:34.38\00:48:36.53
Right?
00:48:37.51\00:48:38.88
"The gal just isn't
dressing the way she should."
00:48:40.07\00:48:41.96
"The guy is just not eating
what he should be eating."
00:48:41.99\00:48:43.73
"He's just not acting
the way he should be acting."
00:48:43.76\00:48:45.51
"Did you hear the latest?"
00:48:45.54\00:48:47.56
Now Satan is not accusing
people of things they didn't do.
00:48:48.71\00:48:50.93
He's accusing people
of things they did do.
00:48:50.96\00:48:53.07
And he knows,
because he led them to do it.
00:48:54.14\00:48:56.96
Right?
00:48:57.44\00:48:58.81
This is an attribute that
Satan wants us to develop.
00:48:59.82\00:49:06.43
And it's one that
God wants to get rid of
00:49:06.90\00:49:09.85
so that we would not
be part of the beast.
00:49:10.77\00:49:14.96
And we can consider
ourselves out of that specific
00:49:15.16\00:49:19.26
belief system, whatever it is.
00:49:19.29\00:49:21.83
It's identified as
Babylon in other places in the
00:49:22.03\00:49:24.57
book of Revelation,
because it's so confusing.
00:49:24.60\00:49:26.58
It confuses God and
His character and His love.
00:49:26.61\00:49:29.55
But as soon as we decide to
sit on the throne of judgment,
00:49:30.31\00:49:33.37
as soon as we decide
to judge somebody else,
00:49:33.40\00:49:36.06
we put our self in the
very seat of antichrist.
00:49:36.09\00:49:39.66
Christ is Judge.
He's the only Judge.
00:49:40.33\00:49:42.37
He is the one that
we're going to stand before;
00:49:42.40\00:49:44.78
the judgment seat of Christ.
00:49:44.81\00:49:46.86
And as soon as we put someone
before our judgment seat,
00:49:46.89\00:49:50.35
we take the place of Christ.
00:49:50.38\00:49:51.93
We become antichrist.
00:49:51.96\00:49:53.53
So the good news about this
particular character trait is
00:49:54.83\00:49:59.55
that, well, we're free now.
00:49:59.58\00:50:00.95
Romans chapter 14 tells
us that we don't have to
00:50:00.98\00:50:04.01
judge one another anymore.
00:50:04.04\00:50:05.67
Romans 14 says
that we're off the hook.
00:50:05.70\00:50:07.89
That God has a judgment,
He has a day of judgment,
00:50:07.92\00:50:10.77
and He's going to have an
account for every single person.
00:50:10.80\00:50:13.47
Number three, hypocrisy.
00:50:15.80\00:50:20.00
We talked a little
bit about this last night.
00:50:20.03\00:50:22.07
God still loves
those who are lukewarm.
00:50:22.10\00:50:25.45
God still loves those
who profess, but aren't.
00:50:25.48\00:50:28.08
God loved Judas and
God loves each one of us.
00:50:28.11\00:50:31.91
But hypocrisy has to go.
00:50:32.01\00:50:34.46
Eventually, hypocrisy will
take us down the wrong road.
00:50:35.48\00:50:39.45
God longs for us
not to be spewed out.
00:50:40.03\00:50:42.57
He wants us to
receive His rebuke.
00:50:43.12\00:50:45.30
He longed for Judas
to receive His rebuke.
00:50:45.33\00:50:48.10
And the strongest
rebuke that Jesus gave to Judas
00:50:48.13\00:50:52.12
was the one where
He washed Judas' feet.
00:50:52.15\00:50:56.24
It was what I call,
the rebuke of humility.
00:50:56.27\00:50:58.71
He got down on His knees and He
took those dirty betraying feet
00:50:58.74\00:51:02.60
into His hands,
and He washed them.
00:51:02.63\00:51:05.09
And Judas was the
first to be washed,
00:51:05.49\00:51:07.54
the first to
have his feet washed.
00:51:07.57\00:51:09.23
Revelation chapter
13 and verse 11 says
00:51:11.35\00:51:14.38
that there's a beast that
comes out of the earth and
00:51:14.41\00:51:16.41
he has two horns like a lamb,
but he speaks like a dragon.
00:51:16.44\00:51:19.39
He looks like a lamb.
00:51:20.18\00:51:21.55
A lamb is
Christ-like, Christian.
00:51:21.58\00:51:23.15
These are principles
of a Christian nation,
00:51:23.18\00:51:25.93
a Christian power, Christianity.
00:51:25.96\00:51:27.58
But speaking like a dragon.
00:51:27.61\00:51:29.47
You profess to be Christ-like,
you profess to be Christian,
00:51:29.50\00:51:32.22
but the way that you
talk, the way that you act,
00:51:32.25\00:51:34.59
the way that you
are, is dragon-like.
00:51:34.62\00:51:37.22
It's hypocrisy.
00:51:38.09\00:51:39.46
God save us from hypocrisy.
00:51:40.68\00:51:44.68
Okay, that was number three.
00:51:45.23\00:51:47.16
I want to look at a
couple here that are going to be
00:51:49.40\00:51:52.79
a little bit more difficult,
perhaps, for some of us.
00:51:52.82\00:51:57.07
One of them is, control.
00:51:57.71\00:52:00.41
Revelation
chapter 13 and verse 17.
00:52:00.44\00:52:03.30
"And that no man might buy or
sell, save he that had the mark,
00:52:04.24\00:52:07.99
or the name of the beast,
or the number of his name."
00:52:08.02\00:52:10.71
When we think about
control, as a man I think,
00:52:11.27\00:52:15.63
"Whoa, I need to
have things in control."
00:52:15.66\00:52:17.44
I need to know what's happening.
I need to know what's going on.
00:52:17.47\00:52:19.64
I need to have all my
ducks in a row, so to speak.
00:52:19.67\00:52:22.94
We don't like things to
be out of control, do we?
00:52:23.29\00:52:26.12
It's hard to deal
with a situation or a world
00:52:26.83\00:52:29.76
that's out of control.
00:52:29.79\00:52:31.19
We get antsy, we get
uptight, we get stressed.
00:52:32.04\00:52:35.81
That's how I got
on my way over here.
00:52:36.54\00:52:38.12
Or at least was tempted to get.
00:52:38.15\00:52:39.55
It was really interesting,
I was very tempted, when I
00:52:39.58\00:52:41.92
missed my connection
and I felt like, you know,
00:52:41.95\00:52:44.24
United Airlines
wasn't accommodating,
00:52:44.27\00:52:47.42
to get a little bit stressed.
00:52:47.73\00:52:50.88
And I prayed about it
and I said, "You know,
00:52:50.91\00:52:52.92
the most important thing
that I have right now is peace."
00:52:53.41\00:52:57.61
And God gave me that peace.
00:52:58.02\00:52:59.55
As we allow God's peace
to replace this anxiety,
00:53:01.71\00:53:06.90
this desire to be in
control of everything,
00:53:06.93\00:53:09.63
to have everything figured
out so that, well, we do that
00:53:09.83\00:53:12.96
so that we can have
some kind of man made peace,
00:53:12.99\00:53:15.36
as we trust God, we're
going to be ready for the crisis
00:53:15.39\00:53:18.70
when we're not going to
be in control of anything.
00:53:18.73\00:53:20.67
We're not going to have
anything to be in control of.
00:53:20.70\00:53:23.10
But we can still trust Jesus.
00:53:23.13\00:53:24.80
God is preparing
us for that time.
00:53:25.70\00:53:27.46
Another one that I
think is important is found in
00:53:30.13\00:53:33.12
Revelation
chapter 12 and verse 4.
00:53:33.15\00:53:37.87
It's a little bit
trickier to understand, but it's
00:53:37.90\00:53:41.54
describing the
dragon, Revelation 12 verse 4,
00:53:41.84\00:53:46.14
and how his tail drew
a third part of the stars
00:53:46.17\00:53:48.80
out of heaven and
cast them to the earth.
00:53:48.83\00:53:50.78
This tail is identified
in Isaiah 9:15 as the prophet
00:53:51.30\00:53:57.20
who teaches lies.
00:53:57.23\00:53:58.84
He is the tail.
00:53:58.87\00:54:00.24
In other words, it was through
lies that Satan drew angels
00:54:00.27\00:54:05.08
out of heaven.
00:54:05.11\00:54:06.48
It was through lies.
00:54:06.51\00:54:07.88
Now I think that I, as a
Christian, am not a liar.
00:54:08.25\00:54:13.82
And yet, I find myself
in situations at times where
00:54:16.45\00:54:19.72
I'm inclined not to
tell the whole truth
00:54:19.75\00:54:24.70
and nothing but the truth.
00:54:24.73\00:54:26.17
"I'm not lying, really.
00:54:27.55\00:54:29.24
And it's not a
significant thing.
00:54:29.27\00:54:30.82
It's just that if I
tell the whole truth,
00:54:30.85\00:54:32.64
it makes me look kind of bad.
00:54:32.67\00:54:34.99
Or not as good as I could look."
00:54:35.61\00:54:37.09
You ever been in a
situation like that?
00:54:37.12\00:54:38.88
I don't know. Trying to...
00:54:39.32\00:54:41.45
Well I don't want to
give specifics, because
00:54:42.74\00:54:45.01
it'll make me look bad.
00:54:45.55\00:54:46.98
But the truth of the
matter is, try for one day
00:54:48.94\00:54:53.22
just to be cognizant
of everything you say
00:54:53.25\00:54:56.37
to everyone, everything you do,
and see if it's the exact whole
00:54:56.40\00:55:01.15
complete unadulterated
pure crystal clear truth.
00:55:01.18\00:55:04.78
Because Satan is
coming in and he's trying to
00:55:06.46\00:55:08.94
develop in us just a little bit,
just a little strand of lying.
00:55:09.68\00:55:15.07
He wants it to grow as
a characteristic in our
00:55:15.69\00:55:17.52
lives and hearts.
00:55:17.55\00:55:18.92
And again, it's a
form of not trusting God.
00:55:19.11\00:55:21.51
Another aspect I think that
is important for us to recognize
00:55:22.53\00:55:26.51
in this context is force.
00:55:26.54\00:55:29.07
Revelation chapter
13:15-17 talks about how that
00:55:29.10\00:55:34.21
the beast power is
going to force the world,
00:55:34.24\00:55:36.78
on pain of buying,
selling and finally death,
00:55:36.81\00:55:40.08
to receive a mark in their
forehead or in their hands.
00:55:40.11\00:55:42.40
Now as a father
of a teenager still,
00:55:42.43\00:55:46.43
and one who just left
the teenage years recently,
00:55:46.46\00:55:49.95
as in a few months ago...
00:55:49.98\00:55:51.79
My son is 20 and
my daughter is 15.
00:55:51.82\00:55:54.05
...I understand the
temptation to use force.
00:55:54.08\00:55:57.38
And I can see that it's
difficult, even now, to back up.
00:56:02.85\00:56:07.98
I wonder, I marvel,
at the God that we serve,
00:56:08.01\00:56:11.58
who is the most powerful
being in all the universe,
00:56:12.64\00:56:15.37
and who compels us and
draws us only by His love.
00:56:15.83\00:56:22.17
It amazes me.
00:56:22.46\00:56:23.83
And I realize when I try to
institute that, when I try to
00:56:24.68\00:56:29.12
apply that to my
life, in relation to my wife
00:56:29.15\00:56:32.34
and my children, how
challenging it really is.
00:56:32.37\00:56:36.22
Because I love them and I think
I know what's best for them.
00:56:36.84\00:56:39.06
Especially my kids.
00:56:39.09\00:56:40.65
And I want them to not make
the mistakes I made, please.
00:56:43.25\00:56:48.50
Can you imagine what it is
for God to look down on us,
00:56:50.55\00:56:53.85
even now, and recognize
the direction we're going in
00:56:54.78\00:56:58.61
and yet give us the
freedom, that is love,
00:56:59.46\00:57:02.54
to go in those directions?
00:57:02.77\00:57:04.50
Even as we look at
these characteristics,
00:57:04.84\00:57:06.65
friends, we need to
recognize that God's love is the
00:57:06.68\00:57:09.34
only thing that can
compel us and others.
00:57:09.37\00:57:12.43
And tonight, we need to pray for
that love to be in our hearts.
00:57:13.03\00:57:17.11
Let's pray together.
00:57:17.31\00:57:18.68
Father in heaven, as
we have considered the
00:57:19.33\00:57:21.84
characteristics of the
beast, of the dragon, as we've
00:57:21.87\00:57:24.90
recognized Jesus Christ,
the central theme of the Bible,
00:57:24.93\00:57:28.93
and as we've seen the conflict
that is taking place between
00:57:28.96\00:57:31.69
these two powers,
we are choosing tonight
00:57:31.72\00:57:35.25
to have the Lamb, to
have Jesus to be the one who
00:57:35.83\00:57:40.00
surrounds us, directs
us, the one that we follow...
00:57:40.03\00:57:43.52