Revelation chapter 20, I'd like
to read verses 7 through 10. And last week we spent some time
on verse 4 about these who were beheaded for the testimony of
Jesus. And we looked in the Scriptures
that we have to look at that spiritual. It's a spiritual. I like Paul's use, an allegory. This is an allegory when he spoke
of Sarah and Hagar in the book of Galatians. In the book of
Revelation, there's a passage of scripture that talked about a place, and spiritual, this
is Jerusalem. And so they use spiritual language
in the book of Revelation. If we look at it literally, if
we interpret it literally, we're going to have some real problems.
And the world, religious world, faces those problems every time
they study this. And we're not looking at this
as... We think it's this. We just want to pick out the
parts that we have some idea of what it's about. This is the
revelation of Jesus Christ. We don't want to get into speculation. We're not setting any dates. We're not setting times. Woe
be to us if we ever set a date or ever set a time. It's enough
to have Sunday morning at 10 and 11, Wednesday at 7 and Sunday
night at 6 o'clock. That's the times we want. But
here it shares, moving past that verse 4, it talks about verse
6, "...blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection,
on such the second death hath no power." This is just another
statement found in Scripture with regard to the new birth.
the Bible of his prison, and shall go out
to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the
earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, the
number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up
on the breadth of the earth, and come past the camp of the
saints about, And that beloved city, and fire came down from
God out of heaven and devoured them. And the devil that deceived
them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the
beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and
night forever and ever." Now, when this happens and what it
entails completely, I must confess, I am not sure. Yet, in verse
3, it does tell us this. So this same chapter, verse 3,
says, He will be loosed for a little season. You'll be loosed for
a little season. Now, there's many that have made
statements about the Lord coming back, and yet the Scriptures
are very plain on what it will be like when the Lord comes back.
And would you turn with me to the book of Matthew chapter 24. Matthew chapter 24. In Matthew
chapter 24, we have the Lord Jesus sharing with us what it
will be like. when the Lord comes back. Matthew
chapter 24 and verse 30. Just prior to this event apparently,
when the devil will be loose for a little season. It says
in Matthew chapter 24, and I'm not a sign seeker by any means.
In fact, we find a great deal said in the Bible about being
a sign seeker. I would say this, we're not looking for the second
coming of Christ. We're looking for Christ coming
the second time. And there's a lot of difference.
If we're just looking for the second coming, we have all kinds
of things that have to happen prior to that. If we're looking
for Christ coming the second time, there's nothing that prevents
His coming the second time except all the sheep have not been saved. That's it. When the gospel gets
to that one, then it will be over. So there's no signs, there's
nothing. And this is what it says, Matthew
chapter 24, beginning with verse 30, the Lord Jesus, and this
is quite a lengthy passage that He shares with us. These are
the red words. These are the words of the Lord.
Verse 30, chapter 24, it says, And then shall appear the sign
of the Son of Man in heaven, and then shall all the tribes
of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of Man coming
in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. Nothing
said here about a secret rapture. It's not in the Bible. It's a
created thing. It has to be created to fit other
things. So it's just an event that's
going to take place. But let's go on here. And he
shall send his angels with the great sound of a trumpet, and
they shall gather together, not quiet. Gather together his elect
from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. Now
learn the parable of the fig tree. When his branches yet tender
and put forth leaves, ye know that the summer is nigh. So likewise
ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near
even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, this generation
shall not pass till all things be fulfilled. And I'm not going
to say what I have questions about what that means. It certainly
does not mean from the creation of the nation of Israel in 1948.
That's not what he's talking about. That's what is so prominent
in the religious world today and that generation that was
alive at that time will not pass away until he comes again. Sorry,
there's nothing that would lead us to that conclusion. But he
does go on to say here, heaven and earth shall pass away,
but my word shall not pass away. But of that day and hour knoweth
no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But
as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the
Son of Man be. Now this is going to tell us
what it's like. For as in the days that were before the flood,
they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage,
until the day that Noah entered into the ark. What are they doing?
everyday activities. There is nothing special going
on. Those people They ate their food,
they drank their drink, they married, they gave their daughters
and their sons in marriage. It was just everyday life. They did not believe that what
Noah was doing would be of any effect on their life. I'm convinced
of that. They did not believe that it
was going to rain because that's a new word. It's a new phenomena. It had not rained up to this
time. The earth had been watered with moisture, came up from the
earth, or mist, or dew, but they had never seen it rain, so this
is a new phenomena that Noah's talking about. And until the
rain came, they did what they had been doing. And we'll see
that in this earth, people will be doing what they've been doing.
eating, drinking, giving their daughters, sons, and so forth. Now the term marriage may change,
but it's still going to happen. That's just everyday life will
be carried on. Nothing special is going to happen. That's what it's going to be
like. Is that what's going on today? Went on yesterday, probably
will go on tomorrow. So, That's not the signs we're
looking for. We're looking for Christ's coming
the second time. We look for a new heaven and
a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness. We're looking
not for signs, the second coming of Christ. We're looking for
Christ's coming the second time. That will be our everlasting,
eternal redemption fulfilled. And that's going to happen. Now
when? We don't know. Even the disciples ask. Turn
with me, if you would, back to the book of Acts. Acts chapter
1. Even after all the things that
had happened, the disciples asked this question. There still was
just a tinge of question in their mind. Is God going to reestablish
Israel? That's their question. Acts chapter
1 verse 6, When they therefore were come together, they asked
of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the
kingdom to Israel? Are you going to one more time
throw off the Roman empire? Will we be a kingdom again? His
answer was, He said unto them, It is not for you to know the
times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his own power.
End of question. Don't worry about it. Don't worry
about this. This is not something to be concerned
about. You shall receive power after
that the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you shall be witnesses
unto me in both in Jerusalem and in Judea and the Samaria
and the other most parts of the earth. That's what to be concerned
about. Be my witnesses. Don't worry
about the kingdom, that physical kingdom, don't worry about Israel.
And in 1948, after a lot of doing went on, the nation of Israel
was recreated. But he said, we're not restoring
the kingdom. That's not the issue. The issue
is not this. The issue is Christ will come
when he has all his sheep assembled, not before. And there's no need
to have him come afterwards. So, here it is. Now, this gathering
enemy that tells us about here, going back to the book of Revelation,
there is a gathering enemy. Satan will be loose, the devil
will be loose for a short season. And he is a gathering enemy against
Now notice who he's against. Verse 9, and they went up on
the breadth of the earth and come past the camp of the saints
about. Now this is not a physical camp
meeting. This is not the devil against
the church out at Camp Cody. It's not a camp meeting. This
is speaking about him and his influence and all of his sin
against the church. They are an assembled group of
people even if they are around the world. And they assemble,
we assemble spiritually at the feet of Christ. Those saints
that we've never met, only heard a little bit about a few of them
down in New Guinea. They gather at the feet of the
Lord Jesus spiritually in New Guinea as we do here. And wherever
His saints are, we gather at the same... There is a camp meeting!
and he's the director and we worship him and the enemy has
always been against this group. Go back to the Genesis there
when Abel offered a more excellent offering, a more excellent sacrifice.
He was having a camp meeting. He was the only one there and
the enemy came up and slew him. his own brother, typifying what
we're dealing with here. This is not some foreigner. This
is those of our own household, if you please. And they're gathering,
and they come against the saints. It says, the beloved city. And
really, not much has changed. Here's the record of it. But
not much has really changed over the ages. It's been that way. The news is full of places where,
oh my, the mosques are being built. I got an email, a mosque
is going to be built down in California, and a Baptist preacher
is really concerned about this mosque going up right next door.
Well, I wrote back to the person, I says, a gospel church does
not have to worry about that, because we're not in competition.
We're not in competition. Now the person I'm upset with
is the people who sold them the property. How can you be upset
with the people who buy the property? The property was opened up to
them. And we must be very careful if we're going to land-blast
people because of their religion and we want them somewhere else,
it's going to turn around. We have, by the grace of God,
We're the only country in the world that grants real religious
liberty. There is no state religion. There
was an opportunity for a state religion when our Constitution
was being set up, but several of the people, the groups that
were offered this said, no way, we will have a place where we
can worship God after the dictates of our own heart. We cannot,
we shall not get into a spitting contest with anybody about their
religion and having it set up somewhere. Now I'm just feeling
about this, the mosque going down in California or over there
in New York, you can have your opinions about it. There's only
one reason that God would ever bring a Muslim to America. One of them is going to hear
the gospel. I had a man tell me that's why
we had World War II, so he could be where he could hear the gospel.
That's the only reason. Now, what they do. I will tell
you this from a historical standpoint. We have had religious people,
if it wasn't for the restraining hand of God today, they still
would be slaughtering saints in America. If it wasn't for
the restraining hand of God. I've had Baptist preachers so
angry at me they could have spit me out. They would have killed
me if they could have. Why? Because I believed in the
sovereignty of God. So it's just not the Muslims.
This brings out the worst of every religion, the gospel. And
it brings it out, and it brings it out clearly. And they just,
if it wasn't for the restraining hand of God. Now, we had a lot
of people lose their lives here in America over religious liberty,
or the lack of it, because they were on the opposite side. So
we just have to be very careful, but we know the outcome. Would
you turn with me to John 15? John 15. this great time for a short season
in some way this one the great enemy is going to be released
for a short season and he is going to get together a host
like the sand of the sea and bring it up against the church
now the church knows this has been going on what that's going
to do and what that's going to be like I have no idea I don't
know. And it may be worse than we've
ever seen. I don't know. I just know the
outcome of it. It's going to be defeated. There
will be no resistance. God will destroy them. And He
will destroy them with His Word. You don't have to send fire down
from heaven like he did with Sodom and Gomorrah to destroy
the buildings and so forth. His word destroys. It's a fire. It destroys. Alright,
I do want to get over here to John 15. John 15, verse 18. Get along this line and see some
of these things. It just brings out some of the
verses that we've had recently more. John 15 and verse 18, it
says, If the world hate you, ye know it hated me before it
hated you. That's pretty clear. It hated Christ. The world hated
Christ. And he said, if it hates you,
it's because it hates me. You're the delivery person. You're
the mailman for the gospel. And the world will hate you because
the world has hated me. Verse 19, If ye were of the world,
the world would love its own. That's why all the religions
of the world can shake hands and get along because they all
agree doctrinally. There might be a little bit of
nuances on baptism. There might be a little bit of
nuances on this or that. But essentially, and I read,
I used to love to watch Cassius Clay box. Now I was just a kid
when he was boxing, but he was a master. There was, he's what
I wanted to be sometimes. Boy, could he thump on people.
He was mouthy and lippy, but he could thump on people. Well,
he became a Muslim. Black Muslim. And his name was
changed to Muhammad Ali. Whoa. Long time before it became
one of the most prominent names in America. And I read in the
Reader's Digest an article that he wrote about what he believed. And I could have said it side
by side with what almost every Baptist believes and there would
have been almost total agreement if you had taken off the names.
No one wants to believe what the Muslims do. But he believed
in salvation by works. The more works you did, the better
off you are. He called him Allah. the Western
world calls him God, Allah means God, just almost identical. Now, they may not have had any
of the ordinances that the Christian world quote-unquote has, but
the essence of what they believe for eternal life was almost identical. Go to the Eastern religions,
works is so prominent. If you're good, you'll be made
into something higher in reincarnation. If you're bad, you'll be made
into something lower in reincarnation. But it's all dependent upon what
you do. And that's the religious world. What we do. The Kingdom of God
is based upon this. What God has done. That's this
camp. That's this city. And that's
why the world is so angry and willing to pay anything to have
it removed. They thought they were doing
that when they got rid of Christ. We're getting rid of this. Going on there in John chapter...
John chapter 15, if you were of the world, the world would
love its own, but because you are not of the world, and the
only one that makes a difference is Christ. Boy, far be it from
us to ever try to get along this way, because you are not of the
world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the
world hateth you. Remember that the word that I
said unto you, the servant is not greater than his lord. If
they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they have not kept my saying,
they will keep your saying. If they have kept my saying,
they have kept yours also. But all these things will they
do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that
sent me." Here it is. the world, and all this great
host of people that come up against the church. There in Revelation
chapter 20, verse 9, the whole host as the sand of the seashore,
this whole host based on one thing. We hate this God. And we hate His people. They always are talking about
grace. They never boast in their works. They always are bragging on God. They're never bragging on themselves
or their preacher or their system or their church name or whatever. And it just rubs and rubs and
rubs. Ask me. We read about Saul of
Tarsus. He brought that same charge up.
Now, when God dealt with him in fire, He dealt with him in
grace. And that's what He's done with all of us. He's dealt with
all of us with His fire, His Word. But if we've ever been
saved, it's because of His grace. This whole host will deal with
Him, with the fire of His Word, in judgment. And they will face
God on that term of judgment. Turn with me, if you would. to
the book of Matthew chapter 16. Now, the assault may come, it may become much worse as the
great day approaches, yet the outcome has always been known. Church has never doubted the
outcome. We've always trusted Christ, whatever He wants. We've always trusted Christ.
The outcome has always been known. God's will be done. Mary said, being unto me according
to thy word. That's the outcome. God's will
will be done. Now look here in Matthew chapter
16, verse 17 and 18. This is such a much better verse
out of religion. Just having hold of Christ. Matthew
16, verses 18. I probably could quote this,
but I won't. I want to read this. Jesus said, chapter 16, verse
18 of Matthew, And he said, I say also unto thee that thou art
Peter, and upon this rock I'll build my church. Now he's not
talking about Peter as the rock, he's talking about himself being
the rock. Peter's confession, flesh and blood have not given
this, but my Father which is in heaven." What's the confession?
Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. That's the
confession. The one who gave it is the one
who this rock is. Now notice here, I'll build my
church upon this rock, the Lord Jesus Christ as the rock, and
the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. That's the promise. We find that in the Old Testament.
We find that in the New Testament. We find that under the law, quote-unquote,
and they were preaching the gospel there. We find it today. They
shall not destroy the church. And that's what that whole host
in Revelation chapter 20 and verse 9. And then it tells us
that this fire comes down from heaven to destroy them, devour
them. Jeremiah chapter 23. There's
a verse over there that we'd like to put right here. Jeremiah chapter 23. Now the
day or the hour is not important. The kingdom. Having a kingdom
is not important. That's what Jesus told his disciples.
It's not important. Don't worry about it. A group
of Pharisees one time said, Master, we would see a sign. Now they're
asking for another kind of sign. Show us if you're the Messiah.
Well, my goodness. They were blind so they didn't
see the ones he had. But he answered them and it really
covers a lot of area. Only an evil and adulterous generation
seeks after a sign. We're not looking for signs.
We're looking for Christ at his second coming. Go ahead, read
the newspaper, but don't say, oh, this fits over there. No,
please, please. Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. He's the spirit of prophecy.
We're not looking for signs. Events are going to happen. People
are going to eat and drink and marry and be given in marriage
until He comes. Life will continue. And they
will say, since the beginning of time we've heard about Him
coming back, but it hasn't happened yet. And the saints keep saying,
it's going to. It's going to. Yesterday I was subbing for a
cooking teacher, and I asked this boy to go to work,
and he didn't, and they asked him to go to work the second
time, and then the third time, and I put in her notes, I think
he was probably waiting for the second coming before he was going
to go to work. And the Bible tells us it's just
going to go on this way. We've heard that story. It hasn't
happened. And for all those years that
Noah was out there building an ark, yeah, we've heard that story.
But it's never going to happen. And the church says it is. We're
convinced of it. We haven't been convinced by
some person. We've been convinced by the Spirit of God. It's going
to happen. Alright, Jeremiah chapter 23.
Jeremiah 23, 29. It says, Is not my word like a fire? It's a burning. It can get where
nothing else can get. Is not my word like a fire? And
it goes on to say, And like a hammer that breaketh a rock in pieces.
Now that's, I believe, that's how God's going to deal with
His whole host. His Word. His Word is going to be fulfilled
and it will destroy. As it says over here, in verse
9 of Revelation chapter 20, And they went up on the breadth
of the earth and compassed the camp of the saints about the
beloved city. And fire came down from God out
of heaven and devoured them. For a short season, for a little
season, for just a time, for a short period, this event is
going to take place. To describe it, I can't. All
I have is what I have right here. All we have is what we have right
here. But the outcome has been sure from creation. The outcome
has been sure from the covenant of grace before the foundation
of the world. And the people that came up,
they're really upset. They're really upset against
the Word. What does the church, the little camp, what do they
talk about? Well, I just listed two or three things here. They
talk about this and people get tired of it, but I don't. God
is sovereign. The church talks about that,
and we don't get tired of it. We appreciate it. God is Father. That's another thing that has
been really brought out in the scripture. God is Father. He
gives life. It's a hated doctrine. Hated
teaching. God has a church. and He knows every member of
it by name and laid down His life for them. He gives righteousness
hated. We're justified by faith and
not by works. He gives the resurrection. He
gives eternal life. All of these will just bring
the enemy out. Now they may not say a word,
but their heart betrays them. Mike brought out a verse in 2
Corinthians 10 about Paul. Someday I want to bring a message
on this. It may not be here first. 2 Corinthians 10. This is Paul commenting on what
he's heard about himself. Now, they didn't have email back
then, but they did have letters, and most of the people wrote
him letters because they didn't want to face him face to face. It
was much easier to just send a letter and say, this is what
we think about you, Paul. He says, for his letters, they
say, are weighty and powerful. All right. But his bodily presence
is weak. And is speech contemptible? Now it's interesting to find
out that word speech is logos. It's not chattering. Preaching Christ is contemptible. Boy, the worst thing in the world
to preach is Christ to the world. Because, oh my, they're going
to walk away and say, I hate that man. It's contemptible. It's not good. We don't like
it. Give us sweet things. Give us easy things. Give us things that we enjoy
and appreciate. The Old Testament, A priest was
without a job. A fellow found out about it and
he says, come on over here and I'll pay you to be my priest.
And you do what I say. And guess what? He did. And guess
what? He got paid. And Jesus spoke
about him and says, a hireling. They don't care about sheep. They just don't care. When trouble
comes, they run. Because they don't know the message.
They don't know the Savior. An evil and adulterous generation
seek after a sign. And the Lord, even the question
the disciples said, is it this time that this is going to happen?
It's not for you to know the date or the hour. So this is
going to happen. How it happens, I don't know. When it happens, I don't know.
What's it going to look like? I don't know. What are the people
going to be like? I don't know. What are they going
to say? Everything they've said all along.
But the outcome? God's going to destroy them and
protect His church. And they'll be with Him for eternity.
And the next thing we look at is the great white throne. Those
on the right hand, those on the left hand, That's what he's going
to talk about. Alright, we'll stop there for
tonight.