Revelation chapter one, the apocalypse, the light to lighten the Gentiles, the revelation of Jesus Christ. We'd like to spend our time tonight
in the final part of verse nine. Verse nine, we have spent a little
time in that verse with regard to John and that he's our brother
and he's a companion in tribulation and in the kingdom and patience
of Christ, of Jesus Christ. He was in the aisle that is called
Patmos. And this is the reason he is
there. He has been banished. This is
the reason, these are the charges that are held against him for
the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. That's the charges
against him. Now there's some discussion about
when John was on the Isle of Patmos. Most theologians in our
day like to think he was there around 90 to 96 AD. That fits their scheme of theology
much better. But it would have been just as
easy for him to be there during another Roman emperor's persecution
during the 70s, 70 AD and a little bit later. When he was there is insignificant. When he was there is insignificant. Why he is there is significant. And the vision that he was given
is significant. And this great book, this letter
of the revelation of Jesus Christ has been a comfort to God's people
ever since it was passed out to the seven churches of Asia.
It was for their comfort. It was also for their correction.
Now he had some things to say to those churches. Brother Duane
brought in a map of the area, Asia Minor, and it lists these
seven churches on there and the positions that they were on a
map. And you can notice that it was a circuit. A preacher
could travel in that day and time, could travel that circuit
over a period of time, but this letter or these letters travel
to these seven churches. Now, this letter revelation was
to benefit those seven churches, but it is also for our benefit,
just like all the rest of the books of the Bible. We go to
the Old Testament, we find a number of them were written to Israel.
I'm thankful that it was not just national Israel. And we
find the New Testament, the church at Rome, Philippi, Colossae,
the churches of Galatia. These were the recipients of
those letters, but we delight and relish in them. The book
of Ephesians was written to saints at Ephesus, but we delight in
those books. So as we look here at the book
of Revelation, John was in the isle called Patmos. This is an
island. And you can see on that map,
the island, it's still there. I read this afternoon, it's about
35 miles in circumference. It's not a big island. And it
was a place where political prisoners were banished. He was not the
only one that was ever banished to this island. And it was for
this reason he was banished for the word of God. and for preaching
Jesus Christ. Now, this morning I was in my
little library at home and perusing. Sometimes I lose books. They're
right there, but I lose them. And I found this It's the Phillips
translation of the Bible in the New Testament. And he had a statement
that I wanted to read tonight, his statement about the theme
of the book of Revelation. Now, I don't often read other
people's works about Revelation because many times their first
statement puts them in error. But I want you to listen to this.
This is his thought on the theme of the book of Revelation, even
though it was written to people many hundreds of years ago, and
it's for us to enjoy, he said this, certain themes emerged
distinctly for the modern reader's profit. Number one, in this book,
one of the themes is the absolute sovereignty of God and his ultimate
purpose to destroy all forms of evil. Now our Savior did that
on the cross, and He's displaying it here in the book of Revelation.
Now we're going to see some odd critters. If you want an interesting
article, read the article in Hawkers, and give me a minute
and I'll think of what it is. I'll think of it. Number two,
the inevitable judgments of God upon evil, upon the worship of
false gods, which include riches, power, and success. Number three,
the necessity for patient endurance, the ultimate security being the
knowledge that God is in control of history. I like that. He's in control. He's been in
control of it this way, and he's in control of it this way. We
don't know what a day may bring forth, but he does. As he thought it, it shall come
to pass. The word is locus in Hawkers. Look up locus. He has a little
blurb about the locus in the book of Revelation, and God is
going to deal with him. Now, I read the book of Revelation
with delight. I'm thankful that I don't have
to read it with fear anymore. I was taught to fear it, but
it's a book about God's sovereignty. It's a book about God's success. It's about his defeat of all
evil and the glory of God and his church. He will plant it
on high. It will be declared as the new
Jerusalem. It will be our place of permanent
refuge. There will be nothing else to
bother, but it will be our refuge. Number four. The existence of
reality represented here under such symbols as New Jerusalem,
apart and secure from the battles and tribulations of earthly life.
I like a place of respite. Now, every day we go into battle.
We go into battle. Everywhere we go, there's going
to be people that are not going to like what you believe. They're
not going to like who you believe. And it's a nice thing to have
a respite, a place of refuge. Now, our refuge is Christ, but
when we get together, it should also be a refuge. I enjoy going to church where
I don't have to do battle there. I've been in churches where it
was a battle to go to church, because you knew you were going
to do battle after you got there. And the worst part about it was business
meetings. despicable things. People get
their feelings hurt. I just like it the way the Bible
declares it. Let the men take care of it.
Everybody's happy. And we don't have to vote on
what to buy for the restrooms, do we? I was in churches where
you had to do that. I'm thankful it's just taken
care of and we don't have to do battle. My pastor said, when
you take a vote, you're going to have a split. So save everybody a heartache. Don't take a vote. All right. apart and secure from
the battles and tribulations of earthly life, promises complete
spiritual security to those who are the faithful to God and his
Christ. And the glimpses of worship and
adoration constantly offered to God and the Lamb are a kind
of pattern of man's ultimate acknowledgement of the character
of God when he sees him as he is. Now we're gonna see John
see in the Lord as he is, and John in his human form fell down
as a dead man. Now that just tells us a lot
about who he saw. It's the glory of our Savior, the Lord Jesus
Christ. We're going to get to see him
in this book as the Lamb, as they saw him on the Mount of
Transfiguration. It's a glorious, glorious journey
to travel through this book. Now there are some things that
we will not, I won't, understand. You may. but there's so much
that we can understand, so much we can be thankful for, and so
many victories we can see God performing for his church, and
for his glory, and for his praise, and the angels will praise him,
and so shall we. So we're just thankful. Now,
looking at this verse nine, I'd like to finish the latter part
of this where it says, He was in the isle that is called Patmos
for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. Now,
I am convinced that John, when he was arrested and sent to this
island, he did not know what was going to happen. He knew
that he was being sentenced. Now turn with me, if you would,
over to the Proverbs. I'd like to read two verses in
the book of the Proverbs, Proverbs 16 and Proverbs 21. We don't
know the hand of God, how it moves us. We are like John. One day, he's sitting in his
home, or he's out somewhere preaching, and someone comes along and arrests
him. Now most people feel it was the
Roman authorities. It could have just as easily
been the Jews. the religious people of the day.
They're the ones that would betray God's people today, the religious
people. I don't think that the government
would have much interest, but religious people would report
it. Now he is there, and one day he's arrested, and his judgment,
his sentence is to be exiled, to be banished to the Isle of
Patmos. There's not going to be his friends
there. There's not going to be his comforters there. He's an
older man. He's close to at least 80, old. So he's going to lose a lot. And I don't think he thinks that
things are going to happen like they are. He doesn't know ahead
of time, just like we don't know. We don't know what God's going
to do with us tomorrow. how he's going to move us to
do what he wants us to do, and how he's going to get us in the
right place at the right time. We don't know, but God does.
Notice here in the Proverbs, Proverbs 16. I appreciate this
about God when it's done. In the process, sometimes it's just
a pinch, isn't it? It's a pinch. I guess I'll go
to my grave thinking about that church I was pastoring when the
Lord saved me and they asked me to get out of the church parsonage
and gave me 45 days and I just could not understand that. In
retrospect, it was the best thing God could have ever done for
me to get me out of that religion. Get me out. Now it pinched. But
he moved me out, got me free from that, and I wasn't hanging
on to that. Proverbs 16, verse 9, the scripture
says, a man's heart deviseth his way. Isn't that the truth?
We're going to make our plans. We're going to make our plans.
We're going to make our plans. John's plan was to preach the
gospel. His plan was to die in the harness. His plan was to preach Christ
and Him crucified as long as he possibly could. And who would
want to interrupt that? Who would want to interrupt his
purpose of preaching the gospel? This is what's held against him,
the word of God and preaching the gospel. Who would not want
him to continue preaching the gospel? God, he made his plans. I'm going
to go out of this life telling people about Christ. Now notice
the other part of that verse though. A man's heart divides
it this way, but the Lord directeth his steps. All right, you've
made your plans, but I'll move your feet. And we find that directly
about John. And we find that about you, and
find that about me. That we make our plans, but God
moves the steps. And we just don't know why sometimes
things happen as they do. But we know that John ended up
on the Isle of Patmos just like he was supposed to, so God could
give him the rich blessings of his grace right there on that
barren island. Now, turn with me to chapter
21 of the book of Proverbs. Proverbs 21. Proverbs 21 and
verse one, the scriptures say of this. The king's heart is
in the hands of the Lord. Amen. Oh, isn't that good? We're just about to get us a
new king here in America, male or female, we don't know yet.
The king's heart. The king's heart is in the hand
of the Lord. As the rivers of water he turneth it whithersoever
he will. Now why did he act on that Roman
emperor to pick on John? Why did God select now that he
would raise up an emperor that would not only arrest John and
banish him to this Isle of Patmos, but at the same time there would
be hundreds and hundreds of Christians lose their lives and, as worse,
be stuck in some Roman prison somewhere? But God moved on this
Roman emperor, whether it was in 70s or 90s, we don't care,
but he did move on a Roman emperor to move John from where he was
to the Isle of Patmos. And the purpose, or the arrestment
papers were, he's preaching Christ and him crucified. He's preaching
the word of God. And that was contrary to the
Romans, but it was also contrary to the Jews. They did not like
him preaching Christ. Now, turn, if you would, to Acts
chapter 4. Acts chapter 4 and verse 17,
we find that the disciples were preaching the name of the Lord
Jesus. And they're warned about this.
They're warned about this. They're going to suffer arrest
several times. Now John, toward the end of his life, is banished.
He's put out of the country. He's put on an island where he
can't hurt anybody. And it's there that God gives
him the book of Revelation. And we delight in God's great
sovereignty as it's recorded in that book. We delight in God
defeating all our enemies as it's recorded in that book. We
delight in what we have in Christ as it's recorded in that book.
We delight in the names that are written down in the Lamb's
Book of Life, singing songs of praises as it is written in that
book. We delight in what it says that
all things were created by God and for God and for God's purpose
as it's written in that book. It declares to us joy that we
can go one more day knowing God Almighty is in control of history. forward and backwards. He's in
control of it. Now, notice here, Acts chapter
four, verse 17, but that it spread no further. They're being warned
here. They're being warned here. It says, but that it spread no
further among the people. Let us straightly threaten them
that they speak henceforth to no man in this name. Now you can talk all you want
to about religion, but when it comes about this name, Jesus,
stop it. We don't want him mentioned.
He's a thorn in our side. We thought we had taken care
of him, but the word has got out that he's raised from the
dead and now it's worse than ever. Worse than ever. Now, chapter five and verse 28
of the book of Acts, chapter five and verse 28, we read these
words, saying, did not we straightly command you that you should not
teach in this name? And behold, ye have filled Jerusalem
with your doctrine, intend to bring this man's blood upon us.
Whoa. As these men preaching the gospel,
Peter, James, and John, And the rest of the apostles preaching
Christ, it really brought to bear, you intend to bring this
man's blood up on us. You are saying that we're to
blame for crucifying the Messiah. Shut up. Don't speak in his name
anymore. They got through warning him,
and they got through warning him, and they got through warning
him. Now, I just can feel they warned and warned and warned
him. Finally, he says, you're going to Patmos. We're banishing
you. We're putting you out there.
Let's do this. Now, look in Acts chapter 17.
This is what the religious world had said about the disciples,
about John, about Peter, and others of the disciples. Acts
chapter 17. I like this term. This is really
an interesting way to say something. Acts chapter 17 and verse 6.
And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren
into the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned
the world upside down are come hither also." They've turned
our world upside down. Those that were our friends are
preaching Christ. Those that were following us
and paying into the coffers are no longer doing it. They're following
Christ, and they've turned the world upside down. John, we've
warned you, and we've warned you, and we've warned you. Now
you're exiled. You're banished. You can no longer
be around the saints at Ephesus. Some people believe that he was
living there in Ephesus, which would be a good place to live.
They're getting letters like the letter to the Ephesians.
And he's just saying, amen, brother, amen. So they banish him to the
Isle of Patmos for the word of God and for preaching Christ
and him crucified. Now, they turned the world upside
down. That's what they said. These
have come and they've turned the world upside down. Now, as
I think about the Isle of Patmos and what took place there, this
whole book of Revelation given to John while he's there, camping
on the edge of the world, as much as I can read about it,
it's a pretty barren place, and not many inhabitants. He wasn't
there on a mission journey. He's been banished, and God gives
to him this book. Now, as we go through the Bible,
Just a few brief thoughts from the Old Testament, some of the
greatest visions, some of the greatest views, some of the greatest
aspects of God were given to people when they were in exile. Daniel, Daniel, Daniel's not
home, he's in exile. And some of the greatest statements
are made in the book of Daniel about God's sovereignty. And
he is not even where he wants to be. He is in exile. He's been
taken into Babylonian captivity. And we read there, he does his
will in the armies of heaven and among the inhabitants of
the earth, and none can stay his hand or say, what doest thou?
And that's in a letter by a man who's in exile in Babylon. You know, we just kind of go
along and say, well, he's just home having a good time when
God gave him that. No, he's not. He's been taken
into Babylonian captivity. And we read in the book of Ezekiel,
Ezekiel's in exile. He's been carried into captivity
also. Would you turn with me over to the book of Ezekiel chapter
one, as we read this passage of scripture, some of the great
statements that are made throughout the Bible, some of the great
views of God that are found in the word of God have been given
to people when they are in exile, when they are away from the comfort
zone, when they're away from home, when they're away from
the warm fire, when they're away from family, when they've been
taken forcibly, if you please, or have been pushed forcibly
away, some of the greatest views of God are recorded by those
people. As we read about Daniel, sovereign
grace, sovereign grace, sovereign grace oozes out of the book of
Daniel. Daniel in the lion's den, three
mad Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, some of the great outstanding
statements of God's power and sovereignty are read in a book
written by a man hundreds of miles away from home. Now, notice
here in the book of Ezekiel. Ezekiel chapter one. Ezekiel chapter one. Now Ezekiel's
in captivity too. He's been taken off into captivity.
It tells us right there in verse one, now it came to pass in the
30th year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month,
as I was among the captives by the river Chebar, that the heavens
were open and I saw visions of God. Now, this kind of captivity
is as if you and I were taken to China or Siberia. These are not the friendly people. They came down and overthrew
Jerusalem and carried off these hosts of people. They left the
beggarly elements in there, and as we've heard, they intermarried
with people they brought in. These people are taken away from
home. Notice what it says there, and I saw visions of God. Now, in that same chapter, read
with me in verse 28, verse 28, and this is almost what we read
over there in the book of Revelation. As the appearance of the bow
that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance
of the brightness roundabout. This was the appearance of the
likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell
upon my face and I heard a voice of one that spake. Now, I'm just
amazed God would put this man out in captivity, banish him,
if you please, from his homeland, and God would use him. to be
given this great statement of God's sovereignty. Don't fear
Ezekiel, you're where I want you. Don't fear Daniel, you're
where I want you. Don't fear John, you're where
I want you, right where I want you. If we back up, we find that
Elijah, he just had a great victory over the prophets of Baal, and
that woman, Queens, If I get my hands on you, I'm going to
kill you. And he takes off a running, and he gets out in the wilderness,
and he says, oh, God, I'm the last one. And in exile, God spoke to him
in a still, small voice and told him, I have thousands that have
not bowed the knee to Baal. Now go, go put your mantle on
another man. In exile, away from his family
and friends and fearing for his life, he had a voice speak to
him that no one else heard. A still, small voice. Isn't it interesting where God
speaks to his people? Isle of Patmos. down in Babylon,
away from home, places that God has spoken to his people in such
clarity. Now, I just like the story of
Moses, don't you? Moses is in exile. He's running
away from Egypt. He's fearing for his life, and
he marries a woman, and his father-in-law has sheep, and he's herding sheep
for 40 years out there in the wilderness. Where was it God
spoke to him out of a burning bush? Right out there in exile. We just go to that place and
say, my goodness, Moses, God spoke to you out of a burning
bush and told you to take your shoes off your feet because you're
in holy ground. And you came before that bush.
Turn with me if you would over there to the book of Exodus.
It was in exile that Moses saw God at the burning bush. A bush
that would not be consumed. Notice in here, God speaks to
his people where he wants to speak to his people. And that's
why John's on the Isle of Patmos. It's a barren place, but he was
in the spirit on the Lord's day. It's a barren place and he saw
the great victories of God. He'd heard He'd heard the words,
you know, it was him that was assigned the care of Mary, the
mother of Jesus. He'd heard the words, it's finished. He was one of the first ones
after those ladies were to the tomb. He heard and saw the Lord
Jesus Christ in his post-resurrection agenda. He was there and witnessed
him going back to heaven. And now he's preaching Christ
in him, crucified and resurrected, and he's arrested and banished
to the Isle of Patmos for the preaching of Christ and for the
word of God. And he, I can't help but think he was just a
little bit down in the dumps. I know I would be. I'd be a little
bit down in the dumps if I had to flee from my people and go
out in the wilderness and got a sign hurting sheep for 40 years. But it was worth it all when
God spoke to him out of a burning bush. I'm thankful that God puts us
where he wants us so he can speak to us as he wants to. That's his great sovereignty.
He didn't keep him in a church, he moved him out. Now notice
here, Exodus chapter three, verse one. Now Moses kept the flock
of Jethro, his father-in-law. My goodness, having a father-in-law
with that name is bad enough. But herding sheep for 40 years.
The priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the backside
of the desert. You know what that is? That's
at the edge of the world. That's just out there. and came
to the mountain of God, even to Horeb. And the angel of the
Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a
bush. And he looked, and behold, the bush burned with fire, and
the bush was not consumed. And Moses said, I will now go,
excuse me, I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why
the bush is not burnt. Isn't it interesting where he
got Moses' attention and how he got Moses' attention? And
now he speaks. And when the Lord saw that he
had turned aside, could he do anything else? Lord got a fishhook in his jaw.
He couldn't do anything else. He's attracted. He's attracted with such a sight. He couldn't leave. He's so interested. I just like that grace that draws
us. And when it's all over with,
we say, we wouldn't want to have it different. This is an irresistible call. Couldn't do anything else. Out
in the backside of the desert, things have gone bad. He grew
up in Pharaoh's household, one of the richest men in the world.
And he tried to take the leadership of Israel on his own and spent
the next 40 years herding sheep. And towards the close of that,
you just think the man is just about to end his life. He is
now 80 years old and just about. I don't have long to go. And
God shows him a sight that he's never seen. A burning bush that
would not be consumed. Now notice this. And when the
Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called him out of
the midst of the bush and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, here
am I. And he said, draw not nigh hither,
put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place wherein thou
standest is holy ground. Moreover, he said, now notice
this, he brings up the covenant. Brings up the covenant. covenant
of grace. I'm here because of an agreement
with people. I am the God of thy father, the
God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob. Now notice
what happens. And Moses hid his face for he
was afraid to look upon God. Moses is in exile, and great
sight he sees. Daniel is in exile, and what
a great sight he sees. Elijah is in exile, and what
a great voice he hears. And we find that even Jacob,
he's told to get over there and don't you marry the Canaanite
women. You go home. And on his way, he stops by a
place we know as Bethel. House of God. And it's there
he meets God. In exile, not at home. They're
all, every one of these people are alone with God. God's made
the appointment where they'll meet. He's determined it. I know
Moses, you're just out there herding those sheep because half
of them are going to be yours someday. and a burning bush he
had an appointment to keep. And when he got there, he saw
God. Now John, our brother, is on
the Isle of Patmos. He's on the Isle of Patmos for
a reason, for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus
Christ. He's been one of those that's
turned the world upside down. And he's had the official shake
their finger in his face so many times saying, shut up. We're
going to arrest you. We're going to put you, we're
going to do you. And finally, at the appointed time, an edict
comes from Rome and says, arrest John and banish him to Patmos. And God says, hallelujah, we're
going to speak to this man. We're going to share grace with
him. This is the appointed time and the appointed way. I'm going
to show him sovereignty like he's never seen sovereignty before. I'm going to move in him in such
a way that I'm going to bring him in his saddest moment and
make him the happiest man in the world. Most broken time. And I'm going to pick him up
and show him glory. I'm going to take you at your
most vulnerable moment, and I'm going to show you the glory of
Almighty God." And that's what we get to see with him through
his eyes as he writes about what's going on here. We're going to
see through his eyes the glory of God as a man that apparently
is broken until He's in the Spirit on the Lord's Day, and God blesses
him and blesses us with God's sovereignty and his glory on
our behalf, knowing that when we finish this book, we'll not
fear one enemy. And we'll exalt our God as if
we'd been up to the burning bush. We'll exalt our God as if we'd
been in the den of lions. We'll exalt our God as if we'd
been in the burning fiery furnace. We'll exalt our God as if the
queen is after our hide. We'll exalt our God as if we're
running away from our brother that we just stole our birthright
from. will exalt our God because he has an appointment with us.
Now, I'd just like to read a few verses that have to do with this
thought of, for the Word of God. I just, you know, the Word of
God is quick, powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword. That's
what he was using. He wasn't using some men's writings. He wasn't using the Torah. The Jewish books. He was reading
the Word of God. And he was taking the Old Testament.
The New Testament hasn't even been put together yet. He's taking
the Old Testament and making Jews and Gentiles alike. Saying,
we're going to get rid of you. We're going to banish you and
put you on the autopatmos. Turn with me, if you would, again,
in the book of Acts, chapter 11. Acts chapter 11, as we think
about, for the Word of God, because he spoke God's message, spoke
God's message. And I like what the Apostle Paul
had to say. We're going to read this, but
I just want to bring it up right now. Paul said, I didn't shun
to declare unto you all the counsel of God. And that got him into
trouble. Hot water. They were ready to
kill him several times. because of his view. Now, notice
here in the book of Acts chapter 11, Acts chapter 11, we read
these words about the word of God. Acts chapter 11, verse one,
scripture says, and the apostles and brethren that were in Judea
heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. My
goodness, God's work of grace goes out to the Gentiles, just
like he promised in the book of Isaiah, just like he promised
in the book of Jeremiah. The word of God going out to
the Gentiles, and it was his word that went out to them. It
wasn't a system of theology. It wasn't a book. It wasn't a
practice. It wasn't washings. It wasn't
all these state ordinances. The word of God went out to them,
and this is what changes hearts. The Word of God. Faith cometh
by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. It was the Word
of God that John had been preaching, and that's why he is exiled. Chapter 18 of the book of Acts,
if you would please. Chapter 18, and there in verse
11. We read these words about the
Word of God. This is why he's been arrested.
This is why he's been put out there. This is why. This is his
appointment. Now, God would have him do nothing
else, and John didn't want to do anything else but preach Christ
to him crucified. He'd had enough of the Jewish
religion. He grew up in it. But now God had saved him by
his grace, and he just wanted to preach Christ. And for that
purpose, he's arrested and banished and put on the Isle of Patmos.
And it isn't long, he gets to see God in his glory, in exile. Now Acts chapter 18 verse 11,
the word says, and he continued there a year and six months teaching
the word of God among them. Now that would be a enjoyable
meeting, wouldn't it? Paul continuing a year and six
months, 18 months here, preaching, teaching the word of God. Now
he just left an example. There's no other reason to teach
anything else than the Word of God. That's what he did, that's
what his example is, and that's what God expects from his people.
Word of God, that's gonna bring banishment. It's interesting, people who
say they're Christians don't even wanna talk about the Bible. They just banish you. banish
you. All right, now turn with me if
you would over to the book of 1 Peter, 1 Peter chapter 1, as
we find the reason that John has been banished to the Isle
of Patmos. He's preaching the word of God.
He's preaching Christ and him crucified. He's been like his
predecessors in exile, seeing the glory of God. In exile, seeing
His sovereign hand work out things according to His eternal purpose.
In exile, seeing Christ and Him crucified. In exile, seeing all
the glory of God. In exile, there's no other reason
to look anywhere else. Wouldn't it be worth being in
exile for a few minutes every day? To see the glory of God. I think that's our prayer room.
A place where nobody else goes. God puts us in exile so he can
show us his glory. All right. First, Peter. Chapter
one, verse 23, being born again, not by corruptible seed. Corruptible seed only brings
monstrosities. Just the hollow core. No substance. Just whitewashed sepulchers. That's what uncorruptible seed
will do. Whitewashed sepulchers. Inside
is dead man's bones. Now we go on it says, but by
incorruptible by the word of God, which liveth and abideth
forever. And that produces, we have this
treasure in earthen vessels. We know what we are outside.
Nobody has to tell us, you're a dead man. That's right. You're
a sinner. You got that one? No argument
there, but I got a treasure. I've got a treasure in this earthen
vessel. Someday this jar will be broken,
and I'll see him as he is. Got this treasure in earthen
vessels. Now, let's look at going back, if you would, to the book
of Acts. Acts chapter 9. Acts chapter
9. Preaching Christ and his resurrection. Well, that got so many people
upset in that time. And here we read Acts chapter
9. This is the chapter of Saul's
conversion. We're not going to read his conversion,
but I just want to read the aftermath, the fallout. My goodness, he dealt with fallout.
Everywhere he went, he dealt with the fallout of God's conversion. Acts chapter 9, and it tells
us there in verse 19, Acts 9, 19, and when he had received
meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with
the disciples which were at Damascus. Now, it hasn't been very long
ago he was down there to arrest these folks, and now he's fellowshipping
with them. Isn't that interesting? He's
seen a burning bush. He's heard a still, small voice. He's been up to a burning, fiery
furnace and saw one as the Son of God. He has been put in exile,
been arrested, stopped in his very tracks. I read something
about those Syrian army. They had their ears imposed upon. When they heard that rumble of
the army, their ears were imposed upon. Matthew Henry said that
about that Syrian army that fled and left all that food. They
had their ears imposed upon. You know, Saul of Tarsus had
his ears imposed upon. He had his mind imposed upon. He had his mouth imposed upon,
he had his hands imposed upon, he had his feet imposed upon,
God's imposed upon him for his own good. Stopped him in his tracks and
arrested him. Now it says he's visiting with
the brethren, those just a few days earlier he was willing to
arrest. He's having fellowship with them. Now notice what he
has to say here. In a straight way, he preached Christ in the synagogue
that he is the son of God. But all that heard him were amazed,
and said, Is not this he that destroyed them, that called on
this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that
he might bring them bound unto the chief priests? But Saul increased
the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt in Damascus,
proving that this is very Christ. And after that many days were
fulfilled. The Jews took counsel to kill
him. We're going to impose a real
banishment on this guy. Now he gets to live a number
of years longer, but he's hounded most of his life. Turn with me
to the book of Acts chapter 20. Acts chapter 20. Now this is what Saul, Paul,
has to say about this. And our brother John would just
say, I vote for that. I raised my hand to that. I consent to
that. I agree with that. This is what Paul had to say.
And as John is privileged to write this book of Revelation,
he's going to agree with every word of this statement because
he's going to agree with the word of God that's given to him.
I agree that God is righteous. I agree he has saved his people
from their sins. I agree he is just and holy,
and he will do as he will do, and he will save his people to
glory, and he will judge the rest to hell. Notice this, Acts chapter 20,
and there in verse 27, the Apostle Paul, looking back, John could
look back and say, I agree with this. If it hadn't been given to Paul
to write, I'd have wanted to write it. If he hadn't have been the one
the Holy Spirit used to pen it, I would have been the one that
would have wanted to write this. He says there, wherefore, verse
26, wherefore I take you to record this day. I am pure from the
blood of all. For I have not shunned to declare
unto you all the counsel of God." I didn't spare anything. I shared
everything. Everything that was given to
me, I shared it. I wrote to the saints at Ephesus. Old John's
living there, according to the scholars. He's living over there.
I can just, can you imagine John unfolding that original scroll
that Paul wrote over there? And says, oh man, this is so
good. I wish I'd have wrote this book. This is so good. I just agree with every word
of it. It's so good. He's there unrolling that, and
he says, this is the whole counsel of God. And I've not shunned,
I've shunned, I've not shunned to declare the whole amount,
too. I could have, and I might have, given in if it wasn't for
the upholding hand of Almighty God, because the enemy didn't
want this. They don't want God getting all
the glory. They don't want God getting all
the honor. They don't want God getting all the praise. They
don't want God's sovereign sitting on his throne. Oh yeah, he can
create the animals, but when he gets down to saving people,
and I'll have mercy on whom I'll have mercy, that's gonna stir
up a hornet's nest, and it did, but they just kept preaching
it, because it's the truth. It's the truth. And John is banished
for preaching that. And there in Ephesus, I just
see him. Oh, thank you, Lord. Predestinated us according to
the eternal and everlasting purpose of Almighty God. I raise my hand
to this. I shout over this. And there
on the Isle of Patmos, every word is fulfilled. I see a burning bush. I see a
burning, fiery furnace. I hear a still, small voice.
Everything that's written in the Old Testament about what
happens when you're in exile is right here. And then we see
him. I heard a voice. I heard a voice
as many waters and turned to see it. Oh, the sight he got
to see. He got to see everything that
Moses did. Everything that Daniel did, everything
that Elijah did, and everything we're going to get to see, the
same Lord Jesus Christ, Savior of his people, resurrected Son
of God, cried it's finished and now sitting down. That's what
he gets to see. Going over to the book of Revelation,
he said there, I was in the isle that is called
Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. And the very next verse, it says,
And I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day and heard behind me
a great voice as of a trumpet. And I wouldn't trade this for
anything. The food out here is pretty poor.
There's not much conversation out here. Television's bad. Can't get any radio. Newspapers
are all liberal. There's nothing out here that's
good. And I heard the voice of Almighty God. And I got to see
him. And I did fear and quake. For I have looked on my Savior
in all His glory. And we'll come back to this.