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Series Code: TT
Program Code: TT000409A
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00:10 [Music] 00:20 >>TY: Revelation chapter 14 is an extremely significant 00:24 chapter in the overall scheme of things in Revelation and 00:29 there are a number of reasons why it's so significant, but 00:32 first of all, we've just come out of chapters 12 and 13, 00:36 where there's been significant history that's been delineated 00:40 for us. 00:41 We've moved from the time of Christ, where he is brought 00:45 into the world through the woman, Christ is crucified, he 00:49 ascends in victory over Satan and the satanic regime by 00:54 self-sacrificing love. 00:57 Then, in chapter 12, we have a hint, in chapter 12 and verse 01:02 11 that the church of God will overcome, continue the 01:07 overcoming enterprise of Christ. 01:10 >>DAVID: I like that. 01:11 >>TY: Will overcome the devil by the blood of the Lamb and 01:14 the word of their testimony and love not their lives to 01:17 the point of death. 01:19 That's just a little snapshot of the fact that the church of 01:21 God will be bearing testimony. 01:23 The church of God will be giving a message. 01:25 The church of God will be speaking in the world. 01:29 And then, as we came to the conclusion of chapter 12 and 01:32 verse 17, you remember we saw that again, the church of God 01:36 and the end time portion of human history is identified as 01:40 under the rage, the wrath of the dragon, but they bear the 01:44 testimony of Jesus, they have a message to give, they keep 01:48 the commandments of God, and they have the testimony of 01:51 Jesus. 01:52 So, again, there's an indication, but it's 01:54 abbreviated. 01:55 They just, keep the commandments of God, they have 01:57 the testimony of Jesus, but it's not elaborated on. 02:00 Then, when we come to chapter 13, we have the sea beast 02:03 identified, the land beast identified, the mark of the 02:06 beast mentioned, okay. 02:08 Then, when we come to chapter 14, the people of God are 02:13 described in greater detail now, both their character and 02:17 how they interact with the powers of the world around 02:21 them, in verses 1-5, and then, in verses 6-12, it describes a 02:29 series of three crucial messages that they give, which 02:34 is kind of like panning out now in a bigger picture of 02:38 what 12:11 and 17 mentioned. 02:41 And so, you have the message that they give in the world, 02:44 which then brings on or initiates or precipitates 02:49 world events so that, according to verses 14-20 of 02:53 Revelation 14, the world comes to maturity. 02:56 Both good and evil come to mature manifestations and the 03:00 earth is prepared for harvest. 03:03 >>DAVID: That was an awesome summary. 03:06 That was outstanding. 03:07 >>TY: So, where we're at, then with chapter 14, is verses 1-5 03:11 is where we'll begin, is a description of the people of 03:16 God in the world. 03:17 So, let's begin there and then, we'll break down the 03:19 messages. 03:20 >>DAVID: So, we have said, repeatedly, in this series 03:22 that Revelation 12, 13, and 14 is the interpretive lens 03:25 through which Revelation is viewed. 03:27 That summary that you just gave right there was 03:29 outstanding. 03:31 That's the point, that you have these picture motifs and 03:36 we've dealt with Revelation 12, which is sort of the back 03:38 story, Revelation 13 is sort of the front story, here's 03:40 these two powers, Revelation 14, which I had never even 03:43 seen before, the tie-in with 12:11, they overcame by the 03:48 blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony, and then 03:50 they had the testimony of Jesus, verse 17, that that is 03:53 then further expanded or explicated in 14. 03:57 >>TY: That's right. 03:59 >>DAVID: Alright. 04:00 That's all I needed out of this session, you guys carry 04:01 on, I'll be thinking about that. 04:02 That's awesome. 04:04 >>TY: Why don't you, just for speed here, so we can move 04:06 into the text, would you just read through verses 1-5? 04:10 >>JAMES: I like that. 04:11 David, just for speed, just so we can move through the text, 04:15 you read, David. 04:16 You read. 04:17 >>TY: So, read verses 1-5. 04:20 >>JAMES: Purity and the clarity. 04:21 >>DAVID: Okay, I'll strive for it. 04:23 Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, 04:25 and with Him 144,000, having His Father's name written on 04:27 their foreheads. 04:28 And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many 04:30 waters, and like the voice of loud thunder. 04:32 And I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps. 04:35 They sang as it were a new song before the throne, before 04:38 the four living creatures, and the elders, and no one could 04:40 learn that song except the 144,000 who were redeemed from 04:43 the earth. 04:44 These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for 04:46 they are virgins. 04:47 These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. 04:49 These were redeemed from among men, being first fruits to God 04:53 and to the Lamb. 04:54 And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are 04:56 without fault before the throne of God. 04:58 >>TY: Okay, so the first thing that we noticed here is the 05:00 message that they give is gonna be described in the 05:04 following verses. 05:06 But this is kinda, I guess we could say a description of 05:08 their character. 05:09 >>DAVID: Like a portrait. 05:10 >>TY: It's a portrait of these people. 05:11 And these people are described, first of all, as 05:14 standing symbolically, obviously, on Mount Zion. 05:17 Now, I believe that, again, John is quoting, continually 05:23 from the Old Testament. 05:24 You guys all see that as well, of course. 05:26 And he's quoting here, he's quoting here from Isaiah 05:29 chapter 2. 05:30 Now, I won't go there, but I'll just point out that 05:33 Isaiah chapter 2 is where the prophet Isaiah says that 05:36 finally, someday in the future, in the last days, the 05:42 law will go forth from Zion and when the law goes forth 05:46 from Zion, people from all the unbelieving nations will begin 05:51 to flow from the mountain of the Lord, to Zion. 05:53 They will begin to be attracted to what they see 05:57 going on among God's people, and God will rebuke the 06:01 nations for their warmongering ways and they will learn war 06:06 no more. 06:08 >>DAVID: That's Isaiah 2? 06:10 >>TY: Yes. 06:11 >>DAVID: Okay. 06:12 >>TY: So, that's the Mount Zion connection. 06:15 Mount Zion is biblical symbolism for God's system of 06:21 governance, benevolent system of governance, without war. 06:25 Without violence, which we've been mentioning over and over 06:28 and over again. 06:30 The people of God are associated with Mount Zion and 06:34 they have the Father's name written in their foreheads. 06:40 That's the point. 06:41 The Law of Moses, the entire, the law of God is written in 06:45 their hearts. 06:46 The name of God is written in their foreheads. 06:49 An interesting way to say this is that God has a particular 06:52 interest in your forehead, in my forehead. 06:55 God wants access to the content of the frontal lobe. 06:58 And the content of the frontal lobe, that's where the 07:01 thinking and feeling and believing and decision-making 07:04 process occurs in a human being, right? 07:06 So, when it says the name of the Father is in their 07:09 foreheads, those who stand on Mount Zion, it's a biblical, 07:12 symbolic way of saying, these people now comprehend, they 07:16 understand, they appreciate, and they are living in harmony 07:19 with the character of God. 07:22 >>JEFFREY: Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ 07:23 Jesus. 07:24 So, they've basically identified with the mind of 07:27 God, with the mind of Jesus. 07:29 >>DAVID: When you were talking, I just went back and 07:31 read that section in Isaiah. 07:32 It's awesome. 07:34 >>TY: It's one of my favorite passages in the whole bible. 07:36 >>DAVID: Isaiah 2:1-4, it's awesome. 07:38 >>TY: Yeah, it really is. 07:39 And so, that's the Mount Zion and the name of their Father 07:41 in their forehead reference. 07:43 >>JAMES: I read Psalm 133 while he was talking and 07:45 that's awesome, too. 07:46 Yeah. 07:47 >>TY: What is that one? 07:49 >>JAMES: Behold, now, how good and pleasant it is for the 07:51 brethren to dwell in unity. 07:53 It's like the oil that dripped down Aaron's beard, and then 07:56 it ends up with, the verse ends up with, on Mount Zion. 07:59 It's also a connection to Mount Zion. 08:01 >>JEFFREY: This thing about their foreheads, too, chapter 08:04 14, there's a mark on their forehead, on their hand. 08:08 So, the dark power puts a mark on the forehead and here, in 08:13 chapter 14, the people of God are identified having the 08:16 Father's name written on their foreheads, so. 08:19 >>TY: Well, I think it's interesting, Jeffrey that 08:21 what, here in chapter 14, verse 1 is called the Father's 08:24 name in the forehead, back in chapter 7 is called the seal 08:27 of God in the forehead. 08:30 These are synonymous terms. 08:32 They're describing one and the same thing with different 08:34 language. 08:36 So, the seal of God concept figures prominently into the 08:40 identity and the character of God's people, right? 08:46 So, they are sealed in their foreheads. 08:50 The word sealed, the concept of sealed is the idea of being 08:55 made immoveable, settled. 08:58 The content of a letter, the content of a document is 09:03 closed and sealed. 09:05 >>DAVID: It's settled, I like that. 09:07 >>TY: It's settled. 09:08 >>JAMES: It's also protected. 09:09 >>TY: It's protected, yeah. 09:11 And the thing is, is that a seal, the concept of seal in 09:14 the bible is the idea that not only is it closed and settled, 09:18 but it's changeless. 09:20 When a monarch puts his seal on a document or a law or a 09:27 decree, you can't change that law because it's now 09:31 established by the authority of the king. 09:33 So, these people are settled, they are established in, 09:40 protected, they're established in and protected and they are 09:43 settled into the character of God as their mode of 09:46 existence. 09:47 >>JEFFREY: There's another parallel here because it says, 09:49 then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion 09:52 and with this people. 09:54 And we pointed out in our last discussion that the word Lamb 09:56 keeps occurring in the book of Revelation in the reference of 09:59 Jesus. 10:00 But the last time that that word came up was in chapter 10:03 13, verse 11, where this power rises with lamb-like horns, 10:11 but yet it misrepresents lamb-likeness in the very next 10:16 scene you have is the genuine people of God, standing... 10:21 >>JAMES: So, you have lamb-likeness, and then you've 10:24 got the Lamb people. 10:25 >>TY: Not only is the point that this is the genuine, the 10:27 point is that while this power is abandoning lamb-like 10:31 principles, these people are retaining. 10:33 >>JEFFREY: And it comes up over and over. 10:35 In verse 1, you see it, in verse 3, it comes up. 10:38 Sorry, verse 4, also, follow the Lamb wherever he goes, 10:41 they were redeemed among men, being first of God and to the 10:44 Lamb. 10:45 So, Lamb, Lamb, Lamb, Lamb, Lamb. 10:46 In other words, John is trying to make a point, I've just 10:48 painted a picture of this beast with lamb-like horns, 10:51 but it's not consistent, and now, here is the other image 10:55 I'm painting to you, and the Lamb is all over it, with a 10:58 people who resemble the Lamb. 11:00 >>JAMES: Okay, I got my hand up, I got my hand up, I got my 11:02 hand up. 11:02 >>TY: I call on James. 11:04 >>JAMES: Okay, so at my house, what we do is we pass the 11:05 saltshaker, this is the saltshaker, and we pass it, 11:07 whoever's, okay, you're next, okay, you got it. 11:08 I got the saltshaker. 11:09 It's that intense. 11:10 And there's only four of us. 11:13 >>TY: What we do in our house is we just pause. 11:16 [Laughter] 11:18 Go ahead, though. 11:19 >>JAMES: No, you don't, I've been at your house. 11:20 I know better than that. 11:20 Nice try, though, nice try. 11:22 Okay, so the other thing that's really cool is, and 11:25 we're gonna see this, we're gonna flesh this out, I say 11:27 we're gonna flesh this out as we go through the verses, but 11:30 we see this and that is we also just got done looking at 11:33 the characteristics of the dragon and the characteristics 11:37 of the beast, what is its character like? 11:39 And now, we're looking in contrast at the 11:41 characteristics of the Lamb, and like Jeffrey said, here's 11:44 this beast with Lamb-like horns, how are we gonna be 11:47 able to distinguish the difference? 11:49 Oh, well, here's the lamb-like people that are following 11:52 Jesus, and here's what they look like, and we look at the 11:55 context, and I'm telling you, this is the final issue. 11:59 When people try to sort it all out, they're gonna have a hard 12:01 time, maybe with the doctoral issues and the prophetic 12:03 issues and figuring that out, but there's gonna be a clear 12:07 distinction between the people who are lamb-like and the 12:09 people who are beast-like. 12:10 >>TY: That's right. 12:11 >>DAVID: That's why they both go together until the harvest. 12:13 >>TY: Now, what do you guys think of this? 12:15 In verse 3, it says they, speaking of the people of God, 12:17 the people of Mount Zion, the 144,000, they sang as it were 12:22 a new song before the throne, before the four and twenty 12:27 elders, the 24 elders, and the living creatures. 12:29 So, you remember when we were in chapters 4 and 5, we saw 12:34 that there is this element in the story of Revelation of 12:37 testimony and witness being given. 12:40 So, what's happening here is these people are not only 12:45 having the Father's name in their forehead, they're not 12:47 only bearing testimony in the world, but their lives and the 12:53 message they give is testifying before the throne 12:55 of God and before heavenly beings. 12:58 So, they are contributing evidence to the case that is 13:02 being made against God and their lives, I mean, we need 13:06 to be very clear about this, Jesus achieved absolutely 13:10 complete and total victory over the enemy and God's 13:14 people don't add any new virtue or glory or victory or 13:20 merit, but God's people do take on the victory that Jesus 13:26 gained. 13:28 And they experience what he achieved for them and their 13:31 lives become a witness and a testimony before, that's 13:34 right. 13:35 >>JEFFREY: What do you think about this idea of singing, of 13:38 singing a new song? 13:39 'Cause in Revelation 15, it mentions that in verse 3, they 13:41 sing the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb and this, of 13:45 course, is borrowed language from the Old Testament, after 13:49 the deliverance from Egypt, it says in chapter 15 that they 13:53 sang this song. 13:55 So, in other words, you can only sing the song if you've 13:57 had the experience, right? 13:58 >>TY: Yeah, I've heard some people say that it's the song 14:00 of Moses and the Lamb and asked, what are those two 14:04 songs? 14:06 I don't think it's two songs. 14:07 It's one, the song of Moses is the song of the Lamb. 14:09 And it's the song of deliverance by the Passover 14:12 lamb's blood. 14:13 It is the song of Calvary. 14:14 It is the song of grounding in the truths that were 14:18 manifested at Calvary. 14:20 >>JEFFREY: So, they're singing this song because they've had 14:22 an experience. 14:23 >>TY: With Jesus and their experience, again, is grounded 14:27 in what was revealed at Calvary. 14:29 >>DAVID: I have never made the tie, which, I'm embarrassed, 14:33 almost, to say it, between Revelation 14:3 and Revelation 14:36 4 and 5. 14:37 And the reason I say I'm almost embarrassed to say it 14:39 is that the 24 elders show up here. 14:44 And the four living creatures are here. 14:46 So, the fact that I wouldn't have made that connection is 14:48 really... 14:49 >>TY: Don't you think it's kinda neat, David, that in 14:50 chapters 4 and 5, the direction of the testimony and 14:53 witness is from the living creatures and the 24 elders 14:57 testifying outward toward the world, but here, you have a 15:02 group of people in the world who are testifying toward 15:04 them. 15:05 So, it's a reciprocal testimony. 15:07 In other words, it's syncing. 15:10 The whole universe is coming to one mind, one agreement 15:13 regarding one pulsive harmony. 15:16 Everybody's realizing heaven and earth that God is just and 15:20 true in all his ways. 15:21 >>DAVID: That's the thing that jumped out at me was the 15:24 144,000, the redeemed of God are lending their voice of 15:29 worship. 15:30 'Cause back in 4 and 5, it was they cease not to praise, 15:32 holy, holy, all of that. 15:34 So, now, we have the whole thing about how his throne was 15:37 set in heaven. 15:39 Okay, now, this is, the throne is being set and settled on 15:42 earth. 15:43 >>JAMES: And also, the redeemed. 15:45 >>Hey, I just wanted to let you guys know, we're live 15:49 right now on Facebook. 15:49 Say what's up, say what's up. 15:51 >>TY: Hey, what's happening? 15:52 [Laughter] 15:53 >>DAVID: Are you serious? 15:54 >>TY: Table talk. 15:55 >>DAVID: Season 4, book of Revelation. 15:59 >>TY: The Revelation series. 16:00 >>DAVID: When he came up to you right there, I thought 16:01 maybe the building was on fire or something. 16:03 >>TY: I thought there was an emergency. 16:04 [Laughter] 16:05 >>DAVID: Well, there was, a social media emergency. 16:08 >>JAMES: No, here's the deal, so building on that, in the 16:11 picture in Revelation 4 and 5, you have the four living 16:14 creatures, you have the 24 elders and then, you have the 16:16 Lamb in the midst of the throne that's slain. 16:18 Now, adding to that, you have the 144,000. 16:21 The Lamb that's in the midst of the throne in Revelation 4 16:23 and 5 is the one that answers the questions, Ty was saying 16:26 we're supplementing that. 16:27 We're part of the answering of that big question. 16:29 So, we're in the throne, 'cause notice the words here, 16:33 it says, and they sang a song, as it were, a new song before 16:36 the throne, before the throne, that's where the Lamb is, in 16:40 Revelation 5. 16:41 That's where the, they're before that throne now. 16:44 They've come into that great controversy and they've come 16:47 in to help answer the question of the great controversy, 16:49 which ties into Revelation 12:11. 16:51 They love not their lives unto the death. 16:53 Jesus loved not his life unto the death, they love not their 16:56 lives unto the death. 16:57 This is a maturing, if you will, of this character of 17:00 God's people. 17:02 >>TY: So, the love of Jesus, manifest at the cross, is now 17:03 their experience. 17:05 >>JEFFREY: It says right here, no one could learn that song 17:07 except for those who were redeemed from the earth. 17:09 Go back to that same point. 17:10 If you haven't had that experience, you can't sing the 17:12 song. 17:13 >>DAVID: Amen. 17:15 Ty said at the end of the last session about, or maybe it 17:17 was, somewhere in the last session, I thought, about the 17:20 principle of self-preservation and how that is built into 17:25 what's happening in Revelation 13. 17:27 But if Jesus didn't love is, greater love has no man than 17:31 this, that a man would lay down his life for his friends. 17:34 These people are embodying that same song. 17:36 So, I love this idea that's really coming clear in my mind 17:39 right now that there is a synchronicity, there is a 17:42 unity, everybody's now on the same page, you and you and 17:46 you, and I think, in the context of Revelation 13, 17:49 these people are radically in step with God and his kingdom 17:53 and the elders and the creatures and the lamb and 17:55 they are radically out of step with this whole coercive 17:59 enterprise that's going on between the two beasts. 18:01 >>TY: The Father is in their foreheads. 18:04 >>JAMES: That's what the next verse says. 18:06 Notice what the next verse says, the next verse says, 18:08 these are they which are not defiled with women, for they 18:10 are virgins. 18:11 These are they which follow the Lamb wherever he goes. 18:14 So, they've been defiled with women, but they're no longer 18:17 defiled with women. 18:18 You could say, in a sense... 18:20 >>TY: We better identify what all that means. 18:22 >>JAMES: Let me just give you one scripture on this that I 18:25 think is so brilliant. 18:26 Paul here is talking, in 2 Corinthians chapter 11, and in 18:30 verse 2, he says, for I am jealous over you with Godly 18:33 jealousy for I have espoused you to one husband that I may 18:37 present you a chaste virgin to Christ. 18:39 >>TY: So, the church is a virgin body. 18:42 >>JAMES: He says, but I fear, lest by any means, as the 18:47 serpent beguiled Eve, there's the serpent language again, 18:49 right out of Revelation 12, 13, and 14, or Revelation 12 18:54 and 13, as the serpent beguiled Eve, through 18:56 suddenly, so your minds should be corrupted from the 19:00 simplicity that is in Christ. 19:02 For, he says, if he that comes preaches another Jesus, whom 19:06 ye have not preached, or you receive another spirit which 19:09 ye have not received, or another gospel which ye have 19:11 not received. 19:12 And then, he goes on to describe ministers of 19:16 righteousness and Satan coming as an angel of light. 19:19 In other words, here are our people now, this is a 19:22 consummation of events, it's the climactic picture of the 19:28 victory of God's people, they come into the throne room, 19:31 they are no longer, it says here, they are in no wise 19:35 corrupted with other women. 19:39 They are virgins. 19:40 They have a pure gospel, a pure spirit, they have 19:42 followed the Lamb wherever he goes. 19:45 That's the context of this. 19:47 >>DAVID: You just quoted the verse there about betrothed. 19:49 I betrothed you, yeah, did you just quote that? 19:52 >>JAMES: 2 Corinthians chapter 11. 19:54 I've espoused you, is what it says. 19:56 >>DAVID: This has been really helpful for me and I just 19:57 preached on this in my local church and maybe it'll be 19:59 helpful for you guys, but when we read texts like this, there 20:03 is a danger that we could associate and texts like it 20:07 came up in my preaching in the context of Mary and how she 20:11 gave birth to Jesus as a virgin. 20:14 And I think that there is a tendency, perhaps, for us to 20:20 regard virginity as the ideal, it's like, oh, that's holy, 20:24 that's pure, but of course, if that's the case, then the 20:27 implication is, is that those that have engaged in sexual 20:30 activity, sexual intercourse, that that's, well, that's less 20:33 than ideal. 20:34 That's dirty. 20:35 No, I'm just saying, that's dirty, but this virginity 20:38 thing is really great. 20:39 But the point that I made of my congregation and I think 20:41 it's really important here in this context is, virginity was 20:44 not God's idea. 20:46 In Genesis 1 and 2, it was not good that man should be alone. 20:50 The sexual, social isolation of man is not good. 20:54 What's good is man and woman coming together in union, in 20:58 relational integrity. 21:02 Okay, so, here's the point, yeah, that's right, I love 21:05 that. 21:06 Here's the point. 21:07 It's not that virginity is virtuous in and of itself, 21:09 what makes virginity virtuous is that you are waiting to 21:12 give yourself totally and unreservedly to that one. 21:16 >>JEFFREY: It's pending commitment. 21:18 >>DAVID: It's pending commitment. 21:20 So, what's happening here is the marriage of the Lamb is 21:22 not yet come. 21:24 You're betrothed, espoused, betrothed, in 2 Corinthians 21:27 11, so the virginity here, in other words, they're not 21:30 married to harlots. 21:32 That's the point. 21:33 They've not defiled themselves with these others. 21:35 I just think that's important. 21:36 It's really helpful for me. 21:37 >>TY: They're virgins not in a commitment to celibacy. 21:41 They're virgins in a commitment to waiting for 21:43 their husband. 21:44 >>DAVID: And I am your, what's the text there, Isaiah? 21:46 The Lord is your husband, the maker. 21:48 You know the text. 21:49 Nobody knows where it is right off? 21:51 >>TY: Chapter 55, I think. 21:53 >>DAVID: I thought it was like 54, 55. 21:56 >>TY: So, we've gotta take a break, but summarizing so far, 22:00 we've done good moving through verses 1-4, when we come back, 22:03 we'll just mention verse 5 and then go into the 3 angels 22:06 messages. 22:07 How about that? 22:08 >>DAVID: Sounds great. 22:09 [Music] 22:20 >>This is the story of Niyima, who took a bus to the 22:24 doctor and found a piece of paper with words of hope about 22:29 Jesus, which was left by a church member who unpacked a 22:33 box that came from a truck which drove in from Durban 22:37 where a ship was docked that sailed from Seattle, loaded 22:41 with containers stacked high with millions of tracts, 22:45 trucked in from the Light Bearers Publishing House, 22:49 where more than 600 million pieces of gospel literature 22:53 have been printed in 42 languages. 22:55 Here's the amazing thing, Light Bearers distributes this 22:59 literature free of charge all over the world, and each piece 23:04 costs only 5 pennies to print, transport, and deliver. 23:09 Every day, millions of people buy a $5 cup of coffee, $5 a 23:15 cup, 5 days a week. 23:18 It adds up fast. 23:20 But at just 5 cents apiece, that same $25 can also ship 23:25 500 pieces of literature and give hope to people like 23:30 Niyima, who shared that paper with a classmate, who gave it 23:35 to her cousin, who shared it with his boss, who passed it 23:39 to her grandmother, who left it on another bus, where it 23:44 will be found by someone else. 23:47 And the story continues. 23:50 Five cents doesn't buy a lot these days, but in other parts 23:55 of the world, your nickel could change someone's life. 23:58 Your gift of $25 a month sends out 6,000 pieces of gospel 24:04 literature each year. 24:06 Fifty dollars sends out 12,000, and $100 a month sends 24:10 out 24,000 messages of hope every year, all over the 24:15 world. 24:17 Empower Light Bearers to continue the story. 24:20 Send your gift through lightbearers.org, or by 24:24 calling 877-585-1111. 24:29 Who knew 5 little pennies could do so much? 24:33 [Music] 24:39 >>TY: Alright, so, we did Revelation chapter 14, the 24:43 first few verses there with identifying characteristics of 24:46 God's people, but there are two characteristics that we 24:50 haven't specifically mentioned yet and they are in verses 4 24:53 and 5, they are called the first fruits to God and then, 24:58 in verse 5, it says that they have no deceit in their 25:02 mouths. 25:03 These are two extremely important characteristics. 25:06 What is the reference to first fruits mean? 25:08 >>JAMES: James 1:18. 25:10 I mean, real simple, if you don't wanna spend a lot of 25:12 time on it, but it's really powerful because it ties in 25:14 with John 3 and verse 3. 25:16 James 1:18 says that to be a first fruit is to be born 25:19 again. 25:21 Of his own will begat he us the rod of truth that we 25:23 should be kind of a first fruits of his creatures. 25:25 So, to be a first fruit is to be born again. 25:27 Jesus says, you will not see that, you will not perceive or 25:29 understand or enter into the kingdom of God unless you are 25:31 born again. 25:32 And obviously, these people have a born again experience. 25:35 They have a genuine Christian, they're not just raised in the 25:38 church, believing these doctrines, that's my 25:40 tradition, that's the way I go. 25:41 They live and die for this. 25:42 This is, yes, this is experiential religion is what 25:45 it's saying, basically. 25:46 That's first, it's very experiential religion. 25:48 >>TY: And then, it says that they have no deceit in their 25:50 mouths. 25:51 Now, I've heard people define this various ways, I have my 25:54 opinion in the context, I don't think it's just saying 25:59 that they don't lie, although, that's a virtue. 26:03 I think the context is that there is a propaganda campaign 26:10 against the character of God, God's character has been 26:12 grossly misrepresented. 26:14 These individuals are the ones in which there is no longer 26:20 any lie about the character of God being told in their 26:24 theology. 26:25 >>DAVID: I knew that's where you were going when you 26:28 started. 26:29 I love that. 26:30 That's a connection I had not seen. 26:32 >>JEFFREY: He's borrowing language from Isaiah 53, is he 26:34 not? 26:36 Where, speaking of the suffering servant of Jesus, it 26:38 says, in verse, at the end of verse 9, nor was any deceit 26:43 found in his mouth. 26:44 >>TY: Jesus gave perfect and accurate testimony to the 26:47 Father. 26:48 >>JEFFREY: So, they are mirroring Jesus' testimony 26:50 regarding his Father. 26:51 >>TY: Isn't that great? 26:52 Tell me, real quick though, that was Isaiah 53 what? 26:55 >>JEFFREY: That was Isaiah 53, verse 9. 26:59 The last sentence. 27:01 >>TY: Okay, so with those first five verses, we have a 27:04 snapshot of the character of these people, but now, 27:07 starting with verse 6, the three angels' messages are 27:12 unfolding. 27:13 Now, that's language... 27:14 >>DAVID: This is the content of their message. 27:15 >>TY: Yeah, this is the content. 27:16 They have something to say to the world. 27:17 The first angel's message. 27:19 Jeffrey, why don't you read number one for us? 27:21 >>JEFFREY: Then, I saw, verse 6, another angel fly in the 27:23 midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach 27:26 to those who dwell on the earth. 27:29 To every nation, tribe, tongue, and people, saying 27:33 with a loud voice, fear God and give glory to him, for the 27:37 hour of his judgement has come. 27:40 And worship him who made heaven, earth, sea, and the 27:42 springs of water. 27:43 >>TY: So, the first feature of their message is what is 27:47 called here, the everlasting gospel. 27:50 Oh, wait a minute, wait a minute. 27:52 I think we shouldn't just assume that everybody would 27:54 know that angel. 27:56 'Cause it sounds like these are literally angels flying 27:58 around in the sky shouting stuff down to earth. 28:01 But, we need to call attention to the fact that the word 28:03 angel is used two ways in scripture to refer to the 28:08 actual angelic beings who are occupying a position of giving 28:14 messages for God, but sometimes, in the bible, the 28:17 word angel just means what the word means, it just means 28:21 messenger, in fact, and these are angels that are 28:25 symbolically representing the people of God giving a 28:28 message. 28:29 >>JEFFREY: Just described in the first five verses. 28:32 >>TY: And we know that for probably more than the reasons 28:35 I'm aware of, but one of the reasons is, they preached the 28:39 everlasting gospel, and that's exactly what the church was 28:42 called to do by Jesus. 28:45 Yeah, they were called, the church, the people of God were 28:49 the ones who were given the gospel commission, not the 28:51 angels. 28:52 Yeah, so they're preaching the gospel. 28:54 So, the first feature of the message is what's called here 28:56 the everlasting gospel. 28:58 >>JEFFREY: The only place in the whole bible where those 29:00 two words are found. 29:02 >>TY: It's the only place in the bible where those two 29:03 words are found together, but there's another place in the 29:05 bible where I think the same exact thing is spoken of with 29:08 slightly different words, and it's Jeremiah 31, verse 3, the 29:11 Lord has appeared to me of old saying yes, I have loved you 29:15 with an everlasting love, therefore, with loving 29:18 kindness, I have drawn you. 29:19 >>JEFFREY: Everlasting love, everlasting gospel. 29:21 >>TY: The everlasting love of God is the content of the 29:25 gospel. 29:26 >>JEFFREY: Do you think that there's a hint to what Jesus 29:31 said about the last days in Matthew 24:14, where he said, 29:34 and this gospel of the kingdom will be preached as a witness 29:39 to all the nations, and then, the end will come. 29:41 And so, the thought comes, if you were to look anywhere in 29:44 the bible to get a picture, a glimpse, an idea of the end 29:48 times, what book would that be? 29:50 It'd be the book of Revelation. 29:52 Where do we find a gospel mentioned and described in the 29:55 book of Revelation? 29:56 Chapter 14, what we're reading now. 29:58 Is it possible that Jesus is thinking, he's looking down 30:01 the stretch and he's saying, and this gospel of the 30:04 kingdom, so it's the same gospel Jesus has been 30:06 preaching, but he looks down the stretch to the end of time 30:09 and he says, this is the very gospel that will be preached 30:13 that will lead to the end, to the end. 30:16 And then, in Revelation 14, we have a picture of the end and 30:19 a gospel being preached and it's about to unfold to 30:23 describe what that gospel is like. 30:25 This is what Jesus was talking about. 30:27 >>JAMES: And even more so because in the second angel's 30:29 message, Babylon is fallen, that word fallen means to come 30:31 to an end and Babylon is a code word for the world at 30:35 that time in the book of Revelation, a code word for 30:37 the world, but before we get onto that, Isaiah 45:17 is 30:40 also another place where this phrase is used. 30:43 Now, check this out where it says, but Israel shall be 30:46 saved by the Lord, in the Lord with an everlasting salvation, 30:50 everlasting salvation. 30:51 Now, it's the only other place where you see that kind of 30:55 phrasing in relation to identifying, again, what the 30:58 gospel is. 30:59 The gospel is, as you said, God's love, right? 31:02 Everlasting love. 31:03 The gospel is everlasting salvation. 31:05 It's God's love and salvation. 31:06 From biblical perspective. 31:08 >>TY: Let me show you guys a connection that I learned from 31:11 a mutual friend of all of us, Dr. Fred Bishof, in chapter 31:15 14, and I thought of it because you went there, in 31:17 chapter 24 of Matthew is it? 31:19 Yeah, Matthew 24, we just read about the everlasting gospel 31:23 in the first angel's message, we connected that with the 31:27 language of everlasting love in Jeremiah 31. 31:31 Now, listen to these verses in chapter 24 for Matthew, 31:34 starting with verse 12. 31:37 Yeah, verse 12 and it says, in verse, yeah, why were you 31:44 going back to, go back there if you think that... 31:47 >>JAMES: No, no, no, it was the hatred and the offense and 31:49 all that stuff because that gives the context of how the 31:51 love works in the context. 31:53 >>TY: Okay, this is what Dr. Fred Bishof shared with me. 31:56 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will 32:01 grow cold. 32:02 So, lawlessness is, by definition, lovelessness. 32:08 And we know that from other passages as well, because the 32:12 law of God, it says the lawlessness will abound and 32:14 Jesus explicitly, just back in chapter 23, chapter 22, tells 32:19 us that the law is love. 32:20 Okay, so, because lawlessness will abound, the love of many 32:26 will grow cold, but, qualification, he who endures 32:31 to the end will be saved. 32:33 Now, Dr. Bishof shared with me that when it says but he who 32:36 endures to the end, that grammatically, it means, those 32:41 who keep loving when the world is not loving. 32:44 So, love is growing cold, but some people won't grow cold in 32:51 love, they will continue. 32:52 Now, watch this part. 32:54 But he who endures in love, the implication, to the end 32:58 shall be saved, and this gospel of the kingdom will be 33:02 preached in all the world as a witness, then shall the end 33:06 come. 33:07 Okay, this gospel is the gospel of enduring love. 33:11 And doesn't that make sense with Revelation chapter 12 and 33:15 verse 11 again? 33:16 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and the word 33:19 of their testimony and they loved not their lives even to 33:22 the point of death. 33:23 >>DAVID: They were so busy loving everybody else. 33:25 >>TY: Yeah, the world is growing cold with love, cold 33:29 with hatred and betrayal and selfishness and relationships 33:33 are being broken, integrity is being broken, and there's 33:38 going to be a people who continue to live out the love 33:42 of Jesus by not responding in kind to the hatred that is in 33:47 the world. 33:48 They'll draw warmth from the coldness of others. 33:50 >>DAVID: First of all, I love every bit of that, that's new 33:54 for me. 33:56 The world that we live in right now is a world in which 33:59 lots of people are really angry. 34:01 They're angry politically, they're angry socially, 34:05 they're angry financially, environmentally, like, we live 34:09 in a world right now where people are really angry. 34:12 They're frustrated. 34:13 And when you're angry about something, the natural 34:16 inclination, or the natural desire is to find somebody to 34:21 blame. 34:22 Hey, those and they and they and it creates this, like 34:26 sharp division of us and them. 34:27 >>TY: Yeah. 34:30 >>DAVID: These people at the end of time, sin is their 34:33 enemy, pride is their enemy. 34:37 >>JEFFREY: Selfishness is their enemy. 34:40 >>DAVID: People are not their enemy. 34:41 >>TY: Isn't that incredible? 34:44 >>JAMES: And in doing what Christ did, because isn't 34:46 there a verse in John, I can't find it right now, that says, 34:47 and having loved his own, he loved them unto the end. 34:53 >>TY: Chapter 13, verse 1. 34:54 >>JAMES: He loved them unto the end, that's it, chapter 34:55 13, verse 1. 34:56 And so, in that context, they're following the Lamb 34:59 wherever he goes. 35:00 They're following the Lamb. 35:02 >>TY: They're following him in a practical sense. 35:03 They're following him not just theoretically, theologically, 35:07 they're following him practically in the way they 35:10 treat people. 35:11 >>DAVID: Man, Lord have mercy, but how many times have we 35:13 heard or we ourselves been guilty of communicating that 35:17 at the end of the day, what it really boils down to is that 35:21 you've got all the right answers to the quiz? 35:24 You know what I'm saying? 35:25 That you know that you can dot all of your theological I's 35:29 and cross all your theological T's, and if you get the right 35:32 answers on the test, if you get a passing grade, then 35:34 you're in. 35:36 This is a very different picture. 35:38 This is a picture not of doctrinal knowledge or of 35:40 theological depth, not that those things are unimportant, 35:43 but of experiential religion. 35:46 These people have the name of the Father in their forehead. 35:50 >>JEFFREY: It says they follow they Lamb wherever he goes. 35:52 >>DAVID: But where did he go? 35:53 He went healing, he went preaching, he went 35:55 ministering. 35:56 He gave his life. 35:58 And this is the challenge. 35:59 >>JAMES: One thing I wanna add to that, it is theological 36:02 depth. 36:03 >>DAVID: Of course it is, but I'm saying, it's not merely. 36:05 >>JAMES: It's deeper theology. 36:07 >>DAVID: It's not merely academic. 36:09 I knew you'd like that, I knew you'd like that. 36:12 >>TY: Okay, so we have the everlasting gospel on the 36:14 table, we have not really, in any sense, exhausted that, 36:20 because we've defined it, but it's even broader. 36:23 >>DAVID: It's exhaustless. 36:24 >>TY: Yeah, it's exhaustless, and I wanna point out that 36:27 it's called everlasting. 36:28 We haven't emphasized that. 36:29 It's everlasting. 36:31 So, it transcends the event of Calvary. 36:34 >>JEFFREY: Of course it does. 36:35 >>TY: This gospel, in fact, you could say that Jesus dying 36:40 in self-sacrificing love on Calvary's cross was simply a 36:44 manifestation of what was in God's heart all along for all 36:47 eternity past, right? 36:49 And then, it just comes out into the open, in this 36:52 particular form and then, Jesus dies on the cross, he 36:57 goes into the tomb, he's resurrected, he ascends to 36:59 heaven. 37:00 And that love is the sustaining principle of the 37:02 universe, it just goes on and on and on. 37:04 >>JEFFREY: Isn't that why, in chapter 13, verse 8, it says 37:06 the Lamb was slain from the foundation of the world? 37:09 So, in essence, in principle, in intent, at the heart of 37:13 God, it was a done deal. 37:15 The sacrifice was in his heart all along. 37:18 >>TY: Faithful love, relational love, is the only 37:21 eternally sustainable principle. 37:23 Everything else winds down and out. 37:27 Everything else is coming to an end. 37:29 There's only one thing that goes on and on and on and on 37:34 and on and can never be conquered, can never be 37:36 overcome, it never winds down, there's no ceiling, there's no 37:39 floor, there are no walls, and that is the everlasting love 37:43 of God. 37:44 >>DAVID: When you just said that, that's very poetic. 37:46 It reminded me of Paul's passage there, the height, 37:49 depth, breadth. 37:51 It just, it extends. 37:54 When you say that. 37:55 >>JEFFREY: It'd be a cool book, An Endless Falling in 37:58 Love. 37:59 >>TY: That's a good title for a book. 38:01 >>DAVID: And it's a good book. 38:03 I, this reminds me of Romans 1, where Paul says that in the 38:09 gospel, the righteousness of God is revealed. 38:13 It's disclosed. 38:15 It was always there. 38:16 >>JEFFREY: The rightness of God, yeah. 38:18 >>TY: Well, another way of saying that... 38:20 >>DAVID: It was always there and it's just revealed now. 38:22 The cross, the plan of salvation, the incarnation, 38:25 the resurrection, the ascension reveals what was 38:28 there all along, and check this out, if it hadn't been 38:31 revealed, it would still be there. 38:33 >>TY: That's right. 38:35 >>DAVID: Right? 38:36 It's not as though when Adam and Eve sinned and the world 38:39 has gone tumbling down into the mess in which we find 38:41 ourselves and God's like, ah, should we do something? 38:44 Help these guys out? 38:45 It was the moment there was sin, there was a Savior. 38:50 >>TY: Because he was there all along. 38:52 >>DAVID: It was there. 38:53 It was in the heart of God. 38:54 I say that the cross was tattooed on the heart of God 38:58 from eternity past. 38:59 >>JEFFREY: Again, from the foundation of the world, it's 39:01 in the text. 39:03 >>TY: We have to take a break even though we don't want to. 39:07 >>DAVID: These breaks kill us. 39:08 >>TY: They do, it slows down the momentum, but I think we 39:10 show something during the break that is okay. 39:12 >>DAVID: It's gotta be really good. 39:14 >>TY: Let's take a break and we'll come right back. 39:16 [Music] 39:28 Announcer: The Light Bearers Story is a short award-winning 39:30 video that gives an inside look at one of the boldest and 39:33 most effective missionary ventures of our time. 39:36 You will see how multiple millions of gospel 39:38 publications are flooding the nations free of charge by 39:41 surprisingly simple means. 39:43 For your free copy of the Light Bearers Story, call 39:47 877-585-1111, or write to Light Bearers, 39:52 37457 Jasper Lowell Road, Jasper, Oregon 97438. 39:58 Once again, for your free copy of the Light Bearers Story, 40:02 call 877-585-1111 or write to Light Bearers 40:08 37457 Jasper Lowell Road, Jasper, Oregon 97438. 40:14 Simply ask for the Light Bearers Story. 40:18 [Music] 40:21 >>TY: So, the first angel's message, we haven't even got 40:25 past the first part of it, which is the everlasting 40:28 gospel. 40:29 >>DAVID: And it should be that way. 40:31 It should be a pit into which you fall and just hang around. 40:34 >>JEFFREY: Like a bottomless pit. 40:36 >>TY: A bottomless pit of glory. 40:38 >>JAMES: And I'd like to say one thing about this 40:40 everlasting gospel, it'll take me 30 seconds, maybe a minute. 40:42 >>DAVID: Okay, are you ready? 40:43 I'm gonna time you right now. 40:44 >>JAMES: This phrase is unique because the end time 40:46 proclamation, the group that proclaims this faces a unique 40:49 situation. 40:50 They face this dispensationalism. 40:52 They face this idea that the gospel is a New Testament 40:56 experience only, that the Old testament, there was something 40:59 else going on back then, there was an old covenant back there 41:01 and the people were saved in a different way, and in the New 41:03 Testament, now, we're saved by Jesus, now we're saved by 41:06 grace. 41:07 And what I'd like to suggest is that the kingdom of grace 41:09 was established by the cross, but was always the way God 41:13 ever saved anyone. 41:15 And that's why this phrase everlasting gospel is blessed. 41:18 >>JEFFREY: That's why it's everlasting. 41:20 >>JAMES: Yeah, and it's placed here in the center of this 41:22 message. 41:23 Because God wants the world to understand that salvation has 41:25 always ever been through the blood of the Lamb, that's all 41:28 I wanted to say, how long did I go? 41:30 >>DAVID: You went a minute and 13 seconds. 41:32 No, I'm just kidding. 41:34 I didn't time it. 41:35 >>TY: But summarizing the everlasting gospel, we could 41:38 say this, that Jesus himself is the embodiment of that 41:41 gospel. 41:42 So, that's why Paul, I think it's in 1 Corinthians 15 or 2 41:45 Corinthians 15. 41:46 >>JAMES: 1 Corinthians 15. 41:47 >>TY: 1 Corinthians 15, Paul basically says, I'll tell you 41:50 what the gospel is, it is the death, burial, and 41:53 resurrection and ascension of Jesus. 41:55 The Christ event is, in fact, the gospel in an incarnate 42:00 form. 42:02 Jesus lived out the reality of God's relational integrity 42:05 toward the human race and therefore, he's the embodiment 42:08 of the good news, the glad tidings, the happy message of 42:11 the gospel. 42:13 Jesus is the gospel. 42:14 We preach him, we're preaching the gospel. 42:17 It's not just a theory, it's not an idea, it is a living 42:20 personification of God's love in Christ. 42:23 >>JAMES: And it needs to go to every nation, kindred, tongue, 42:25 and people. 42:26 How many places is that? 42:27 Count them. 42:28 Quickly. 42:29 >>DAVID: That's all of them. 42:30 >>JAMES: But how many? 42:31 What's the number? 42:32 >>TY: I don't know what you're getting at. 42:34 >>JAMES: It's four. 42:35 The number is four. 42:36 Four. 42:37 >>TY: Why? 42:38 >>JAMES: Because we have looked at this number 42:40 systematically, I don't wanna say systematically, but 42:42 consistently through the book of Revelation. 42:44 You've got the four horses, remember the four horses? 42:47 You've got the four winds being held back. 42:48 God is holding back all of the anger and the trouble of the 42:54 world, the four horses represent a message that's 42:57 impacting the entire world, the four types of ground, the 43:00 seed that's sown, represent all the world, this message is 43:03 to go to all the world, north, south, east, and west. 43:05 And it's interesting because... 43:07 >>DAVID: So, that's the nation, kindred, tribe, and 43:10 people, is that the point that you're making? 43:11 >>JAMES: The point is is that it's four. 43:13 >>TY: Where is four is what he's asking. 43:16 >>DAVID: So, the nation, kindred, tongue, and people. 43:18 >>TY: Oh, okay. 43:19 >>JAMES: It's gonna be nation, kindred, tongue, and people. 43:20 Because there's other places... 43:21 >>DAVID: So, you're saying there's a universality to four 43:23 in Revelation. 43:24 >>JAMES: Yes, and that's the point. 43:26 >>TY: And it says to preach to those who dwell on the earth. 43:29 So, it's global. 43:30 >>JAMES: It's global. 43:31 That's the point. 43:32 Four is symbolic of this global inclusion, if you will. 43:36 In other words, no tribe is left out, no people left out, 43:38 no one is, God isn't saying, well, you... 43:41 >>DAVID: I cannot not say this point, and that is that the 43:45 promise of the gospel, out of which, the covenant out of 43:49 which the good news of the gospel grew was a promise that 43:51 God made to Abraham all the way back in Genesis 12, that 43:55 in you, Abraham, and in my calling of you and in your 43:58 descendants and in the fulfillment of my promise to 44:00 you, all the families of the earth will be blessed. 44:05 So, there's the everlasting gospel. 44:07 There's the continuity between the Abrahamic covenant, right 44:10 down through the Old Testament to, by the way, I have this 44:15 thing, have you heard my little thing about this page? 44:17 This is the only page in the bible that's not inspired. 44:21 I fold it over because I can't stand to look at it. 44:23 I don't wanna look at it. 44:24 >>JEFFREY: Actually, the table of contents isn't inspired 44:26 either. 44:27 >>DAVID: But starting from Genesis, when you get to 44:29 Genesis to Revelation 22. 44:30 >>TY: I hadn't heard the point they have, so I don't, and I 44:33 don't think everybody who's with us in this conversation. 44:35 >>DAVID: So, this here says the New Testament. 44:39 The New Testament. 44:40 So, it's not inspired. 44:42 'Cause you go from Malachi 4 to Matthew 1. 44:45 >>TY: And you're saying it's a continuum. 44:47 >>DAVID: It's an absolute continuum as the first verse 44:50 of Matthew makes clear. 44:51 The book of the genealogy, literally, the genesis, of 44:54 Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the son of Abraham. 44:57 >>TY: It's just continuing on. 44:58 >>DAVID: To which anybody who was handed just a New 45:00 Testament, would say, who's David and Abraham? 45:05 >>TY: [Laughter] 45:06 >>DAVID: And then you got this whole list. 45:08 Who's Obed? 45:08 Who's Ruth? 45:09 Who's Jess? 45:10 Who's Solomon? 45:10 Who's Rahoboam? 45:11 >>TY: So, it's one narrative. 45:12 >>DAVID: So, that's why I say I don't like it, there's 45:14 continuity from here to here. 45:17 Jesus is not some new thing. 45:20 He's new in the sense of the incarnation, that's new, but 45:22 the means by which the good news of the gospel, the Lamb 45:25 slain, go back to the Passover, that's a lamb slain. 45:29 Go to the sanctuary service, that's a lamb slain. 45:31 Come to the New Testament, this is the substance that was 45:33 anticipated by the shadow, so that's why I don't like this 45:36 page. 45:37 I don't think it belongs there because it introduces an 45:39 artificial distinction between the old, the dusty, old, 45:43 antiquated, and the bright shiny new. 45:45 >>JEFFREY: You seem angry, you seem upset about that. 45:47 [Laughter] 45:48 Let me give you a massage. 45:51 >>JAMES: In the Old Testament, they look forward to the Lamb, 45:54 in the New Testament, they look back at the Lamb. 45:56 >>DAVID: I'll take a hug from you, 'cause I'm cold. 45:58 >>JAMES: Everything centers in the Lamb, looking forward or 45:59 looking back, we're all looking at the Lamb. 46:01 >>TY: Okay, so, if I understand correctly, we're in 46:03 our third segment. 46:05 >>JAMES: We're on our third segment. 46:06 >>TY: We're on our third segment, so, let's move 46:07 through the remainder of the first angel's message because 46:10 we got a lot to cover here. 46:12 >>DAVID: No, we don't, we only have verse 7 to cover. 46:14 >>TY: Yeah, but there's a lot in that verse. 46:16 Okay, there are elements. 46:17 Number one, and I'll just throw them out, we've already 46:19 read it, but I'll throw them out and you guys can just go 46:21 wild commenting on it. 46:22 >>DAVID: Let me throw them out and you go wild commenting. 46:23 I wanna throw, okay, no, you go ahead. 46:26 Fear God, that's element number one, give glory to him, 46:30 that's element number two, the hour of his judgement has 46:33 come, that's element number three, and worship him who 46:36 made heaven and earth, that's element number four. 46:39 So, there's four elements in verse 7. 46:43 What is being spoken of when it says fear God? 46:47 Are we really being asked? 46:49 >>DAVID: Everybody take one. 46:50 >>TY: Everybody take one. 46:51 I have fear God? 46:52 >>DAVID: Give glory, judgement, worship. 46:56 >>TY: Can I comment on give glory when someone else does? 46:58 >>DAVID: Sure, but just start with this. 47:00 >>TY: Okay, fear God. 47:03 When this passage says fear God, we can go one of two ways 47:09 with this. 47:10 It's either saying, hey, in the light of this really good 47:13 news of who God is, this everlasting gospel, tremble 47:17 and be terrified and run from him, or the passage is saying 47:22 fear God in the sense of, boy, in the light of God's love for 47:27 you, isn't that so amazing and incredible that it should just 47:31 blow your mind with awe? 47:33 It's that kind of fear that is being articulated here. 47:37 Not the tremble and run away from, but it's more the 47:41 tremble with excitement and run to. 47:44 Not tremble with terror and run away, tremble, but there's 47:48 trembling. 47:49 I mean, this God is so awesome, you can't not 47:51 tremble. 47:53 I mean, sometimes, we need to realize that love itself, 47:57 while it doesn't produce terror, it does produce a 48:01 really healthy sense of boy, he's like that and I'm not. 48:05 He's like that and I'm not. 48:08 >>JEFFREY: Can I share a verse on this? 48:11 In Jeremiah chapter 32 when it talks about the new covenant 48:15 experience where in the everlasting gospel, we will 48:18 receive a new heart. 48:19 The promise says, I will make an everlasting covenant with 48:24 them, I will not turn away from doing good to them, 48:27 another translation says, I will never stop doing good to 48:29 them, but I will put my fear in their hearts so that they 48:33 will not depart from me. 48:35 So, there's this weird paradox. 48:39 Chapter 32, verse 40, there's this weird paradox where you 48:44 normally fear somebody when they do bad to you, not when 48:48 they do good to you. 48:49 But the text says, God says, I will never stop doing good to 48:52 them, and in consequence of the way I relate to them in 48:56 only doing good to them, it will inspire fear for me. 49:00 >>TY: Okay, adding to that, I can't find it, but James may 49:04 know where this verse is quickly. 49:06 >>JAMES: Psalm 130:3 and 4, or Psalm 147 verse 11? 49:08 >>TY: It's the one that associates forgiveness with 49:11 fear. 49:12 >>JAMES: Yeah, Psalm 130:3 and 4. 49:14 >>TY: Watch this, guys, what is it, Psalm 133? 49:16 >>JAMES: 130, verses 3 and 4. 49:18 >>TY: Verses 3 and 4, 130, verses 3 and 4. 49:23 This is amazing to me, I don't even, I don't even have it 49:28 underlined here, verses 3 and 4, if you, Lord, should mark 49:33 iniquities, or if you're keeping track of our sins, 49:36 okay, oh, Lord, who could stand? 49:39 But there is forgiveness with you that you may be feared. 49:44 Isn't that amazing? 49:46 So, God is so good that he forgives and that produces 49:53 fear? 49:54 Well, it can't be the kind of fear that would make you run 49:56 away, it's gotta be the kind of fear that puts you on your 49:58 face with awe. 50:00 Not the kind that sends you away, but sends you to because 50:04 forgiveness is such a mind-blowing thing that God 50:07 would treat us in that way. 50:09 So, in other words, I'm saying, you assigned fear to 50:12 me in the first angel's message. 50:14 I'm suggesting that the fear of the first angel's message 50:18 is the fear of awe at the forgiving mercy of God that 50:22 would drive us to him, not away from him. 50:25 >>JAMES: Alright, Ephesians chapter 2. 50:28 >>DAVID: Wait, are you going for give glory? 50:30 >>JAMES: Yeah. 50:31 >>DAVID: Okay, give glory. 50:32 >>JAMES: Ephesians chapter 2 verse 8 and it's just gonna be 50:34 one verse, it's a lot, it's gonna be one verse right here, 50:37 Ephesians 2, verse 8 basically is telling us how we're saved. 50:40 IT says, for by grace, you are saved through faith, not of 50:45 yourselves, it is the gift of God, verse 9, not of your 50:48 works, lest any man should glory. 50:50 Glory to God is to realize we're saved by grace. 50:52 >>TY: The same Greek word, isn't it? 50:54 >>JAMES: Yes, it's saved by grace through faith. 50:56 And by the way, just to tie in with what Ty said, because the 51:00 phrase everlasting gospel has to inform every phrase that 51:03 follows. 51:05 The everlasting gospel has to inform and define what it 51:08 means to fear God, what it means to glory God, what it 51:10 means to have these judgements come, what does it mean to 51:13 worship him? 51:14 >>DAVID: That's the umbrella under which... 51:16 >>JAMES: Yes, it has to fall under that. 51:18 It was grace that taught my heart to fear and grace my 51:23 fears relieved. 51:25 >>DAVID: God forbid that I should glory, save in the 51:29 cross. 51:30 >>TY: Okay, we have four minutes left, so we better 51:32 hurry up and go to judgement. 51:34 Is it judgement you have? 51:36 >>DAVID: He's got judgement. 51:39 >>JEFFREY: Fear God, give glory to him for the hour of 51:42 his judgement has come. 51:43 We've been identifying judgement as the vindication 51:47 of the character of God, and I love how it says for, fear 51:50 God, we've described, his goodness towards us, his 51:53 forgiveness. 51:54 Glory to him, salvation by grace, by faith, and then, it 51:57 says, because, for the hour of his judgement has come. 52:01 In other words, in the context of the judgement, and the 52:05 vindication of the character of God, that's the context 52:07 that scripture positions the judgment in. 52:09 So, in the judgement, we're not really the ones on trial, 52:12 God is actually the one on trial in the judgement. 52:15 And what vindicates him is the outflowing of what causes the 52:20 fear of God and he glory of God, which is the character of 52:22 God. 52:23 >>TY: Is there an instance, Jeffrey, in which the 52:24 judgement goes both ways? 52:25 >>JEFFREY: I think so. 52:26 >>TY: Okay, so it's not that we're not being judged, he is, 52:29 it's that we're assessing and judging him, which reacts in 52:35 judgement on us. 52:36 Right? 52:37 Because my opinion, the opinion I form of God and his 52:42 character is going to determine my position in the 52:46 judgement, right? 52:47 You have the next part. 52:48 >>DAVID: Anything about the hour? 52:50 >>JEFFREY: Well, we've been on timeframes, we've been on 52:53 timeframes. 52:54 >>TY: He's trying to hurry though because of the minutes 52:56 we have. 52:57 >>JEFFREY: In Revelation 10, and we talked about the 120 52:59 day prophecy and fulfillment in 1844 and so, this is the 53:03 immediacy of this message. 53:04 >>JAMES: One other thing, in 30 seconds, the woman that was 53:07 caught in adultery poured out an alabaster box on the feet 53:10 of Christ and was judged by those around, but it wasn't 53:13 just her that was judged. 53:15 When the judgement came, the accusation was, this man, if 53:20 he would understand what kind of woman this is, God and man 53:23 are in the judgement together because the way God saves us 53:26 and the way God treats us is being judged, evaluated. 53:30 And the way we respond vindicates God's character. 53:33 And that's why Jesus said, wherever the gospel's 53:37 preached. 53:38 >>DAVID: This story will be told. 53:40 >>JAMES: Yes. 53:41 Because, and then, what the woman does is she hides behind 53:43 Jesus and Jesus vindicates her. 53:44 That's the judgement, we hide behind Jesus. 53:46 >>TY: To Jeffrey's, I'll just add one bible verse to the 53:48 judgement, and that's Daniel chapter 7, where the judgement 53:53 is described and it says the judgement is made in favor of 53:57 the saints of the most high God in Daniel 7. 54:00 So, I think we can say, as James was pointing out, that 54:03 everything is defined under the umbrella of the 54:05 everlasting gospel, so we can say that the judgement, even 54:09 though that word doesn't register as good news, is a 54:12 part of the gospel. 54:13 It's good news because the judgement is in favor of the 54:17 saints from Godward toward the saints and the judgement is in 54:22 favor of God from human beings to God. 54:25 So, both ways. 54:26 >>DAVID: Just and true are your ways. 54:28 >>TY: Okay, you have a minute. 54:29 >>DAVID: Well, it says it right at the end of verse 7, 54:31 worship him who made the heaven and the earth, the sea 54:35 and the springs of water, as we've noted numerous times, 54:38 the book of Revelation is founded, grounded, and based 54:41 upon the Old Testament, it borrows language from the Old 54:44 Testament, but this passage here is probably the single 54:47 longest quotation, verbatim quotation from the Old 54:51 Testament, and it's lifted straight out of the 10 54:54 commandments, but not just any commandment, it's lifted out 54:57 of the fourth commandment, which was the Sabbath 54:59 commandment, which was a memorial and a symbol and a 55:05 day of worshipping God as the creator. 55:08 Which gives us a very strong indication that there's going 55:12 to be a return, a significant return to worshipping God as 55:16 the creator in the context of end time events, the Sabbath, 55:20 it's saying here, is going to be significant. 55:23 Keep your eyes open for the Sabbath and for worshipping 55:26 God as creator. 55:27 >>TY: Excellent. 55:28 And not only is the Sabbath a memorial of creation, but if 55:32 we had time, we could also flesh out that it's a memorial 55:34 of redemption. 55:36 Which, again, puts it where James put all of this, under 55:38 the umbrella of the everlasting gospel. 55:41 Wow. 55:42 So, the first angel's message is an extremely powerful 55:46 message that, according to Revelation 14, needs to go 55:50 global, it needs to go viral, it needs to go to the whole 55:52 world, and Table Talk itself, right now, is a part of that 55:57 taking global the everlasting gospel. 56:00 Excellent conversation. 56:02 [Music] 56:05 Excellent conversation. 56:06 [Music] |
Revised 2018-01-16