Revelation (Revelation 19: 11-21)

[00:00:00] Speaker A: When Danae and I were deciding on a name for our first child, we went months with girl names and boy names, and I got her permission to share this. Just so you know, I do that when I'm going to talk about my wife. I did not get my son's permission, so I do apologize to him publicly for this. But Danae really wanted to name Titus Zayd. Now, some of you may have never heard of that name Zayd. I didn't even think it was a name. I thought it was something that she made up. I found out it's a Turkish name that means son. But that has nothing to do with our family heritage. No one from Turkey that I know of, and I have never in my life met a Zayden. And so if you're here today and your name is Zaid, no offense to you, but I think your name is weird. And every time Dene would say the name Zayd, it never fit with what I thought or who I thought my son was going to be. All I could hear was the commercial for the roach spray Raid. And I thought, he's going to be humiliated in school. But Dene still. She has not given up. She still thinks this is a really cool name. And when we share this with folks, mostly millennials, and Danae was ahead of her time in her millennial tendencies, they always say, ah, that's a cool name. [00:01:47] Speaker B: Wow. [00:01:49] Speaker A: And I'm always like, what does it mean? We just made up a sound to name our child. But that's cool. [00:01:58] Speaker B: But when we would tell people during [00:02:00] Speaker A: that time, 2000, 2001, most people's reaction, it was complex, to say the least. Many people would just stare as if that was a joke. Okay, what does that mean? But she was committed to that name right up until the moment we saw the first ultrasound and found out this is a male, this is a boy. And I just blurted out, his name's Titus before she could say and associate the vision of her son with Zayd. I waited until that moment and said, titus. [00:02:44] Speaker B: And she in tears. [00:02:45] Speaker A: You got her in the moment. [00:02:46] Speaker B: She's in tears. [00:02:47] Speaker A: Yes. Titus. Never checked up. He's still Titus. I look at him sometime and think, Zade. No. If we have a dog, we may name it Zade. Sorry. Sorry for all the Zades. [00:03:07] Speaker B: But in this passage, there are several [00:03:11] Speaker A: names or titles for Jesus. [00:03:15] Speaker B: And as we move through each of his names or titles, what he's called [00:03:23] Speaker A: it is like a boxer who is headed to the ring for his final fight. And all of these attributes are being [00:03:31] Speaker B: listed all of these names, history has piled together. And this is what we are to think of Jesus as he comes to [00:03:41] Speaker A: his final fight with his enemies. But as we hear these names, it is to invoke different reactions from us. It will invoke different reactions. [00:03:56] Speaker B: There will be some who will hear his names and there will be hope. There will be some who hear the same title, the same name, the same attribute. And it doesn't invoke hope. [00:04:10] Speaker A: It invokes terror. [00:04:13] Speaker B: And the question as we move through this passage of Scripture is how do [00:04:17] Speaker A: you hear his name? The first name. Verse 11. We see Jesus, who is Lord, who will write all wrongs. This is who he has described in this first section of this passage. Notice verse 11. Then I saw heaven opened up. Now remember, that is what revelation is. It is a letter to seven churches where heaven is opened up, revealed. [00:04:45] Speaker B: So from heaven we can see what [00:04:48] Speaker A: is happening now and into the last days until Jesus comes. And here, as we move to the [00:04:55] Speaker B: final vision, Heaven opens up and there [00:04:58] Speaker A: is a white horse. Now, a white horse is a symbol of conquest. [00:05:04] Speaker B: So there is one who's coming, who's [00:05:06] Speaker A: going to conquer all. Who is this one? The one sitting on this horse is called Faithful. Now the word faithful just means trustworthy. He does what he says. And true, it's a very similar word. [00:05:21] Speaker B: He means he's true to his word. And so here Heaven opens up and there is one who is trustworthy and true to His Word, who is coming to conquer. [00:05:31] Speaker A: And we know this is Jesus. [00:05:34] Speaker B: Jesus is described as faithful and true. [00:05:37] Speaker A: And what does that mean? [00:05:38] Speaker B: That means he is coming to do everything God has said he would do. He is trustworthy and he is true to do all that God has promised. [00:05:49] Speaker A: All that God has warned, injustice, notice. [00:05:52] Speaker B: And in righteousness he judges and makes war. So he's going to do all God has said. What has God said? He will make all things right. Notice the word righteous. How will he do it? He will judge and make war against all that is not right. [00:06:09] Speaker A: This is what Jesus comes to do. [00:06:11] Speaker B: God has said, I will make right [00:06:14] Speaker A: all that is wrong. So Jesus is the one who comes to do it. Notice his eyes are like flame of fire, meaning he sees everything. [00:06:27] Speaker B: There is no hiding or running from him. So the one who is true to God's word also sees everything that's not [00:06:36] Speaker A: true to God's word. [00:06:37] Speaker B: And he will write everything that is wrong. [00:06:41] Speaker A: There is nothing that we hidden or unpunished. And notice the attribute and on his [00:06:48] Speaker B: head are many diadems. [00:06:50] Speaker A: This just refers to crowns. And remember throughout Revelation we've seen this imagery of heads wearing crowns. We think of the beast, we think of Satan. The dragon had seven heads with seven [00:07:04] Speaker B: crowns, the beast had 10. And it just refers to all of the earthly kingdoms that Satan and his forces used. But there was a limited number to the kingdoms that they used. Here Jesus comes and he has many crowns. All that means it's not as though Jesus has many heads with crowns on them. No, he is the one who rules over all kingdoms. [00:07:32] Speaker A: It's unlimited crowns. [00:07:35] Speaker B: There are no rogue kingdoms before Jesus. And so he's going to do all that God has said. He's going to make justice. He will see all that is unjust and there will be no one who escapes his authority because he rules over it all. And notice he has a name written that no one knows but him. [00:07:55] Speaker A: Now this probably refers to the name Yahweh, which was a sacred name of God. It wasn't spoken or written much, it was holy. And the word Yahweh or Lord sums up who God is as a covenant keeping God. [00:08:16] Speaker B: And so Jesus comes as God's covenant keeper again. He's going to do all that God has said. [00:08:25] Speaker A: But in Rome there was this idea that if you knew a person's name, sort of a mystical spiritual idea that you had power over them, you could invoke their name in a way to assert power over them. [00:08:41] Speaker B: So one of the things that is being said here is Jesus has the [00:08:45] Speaker A: name of God which is untouchable. [00:08:47] Speaker B: There's no power beyond God's power. And so he comes with God's power. He's going to do everything God has said he would do. He's going to make every wrong right. He sees it all. There will be no hiding from him. He will rule over it all and [00:09:06] Speaker A: he will have all power. So as you hear of that, how do you hear his name? [00:09:15] Speaker B: How do you hear these attributes in your heart? He is trustworthy and faithful. [00:09:22] Speaker A: I'm not trustworthy. And I am unto you faithful. [00:09:26] Speaker B: How do you hear these names? He is right, [00:09:31] Speaker A: I'm wrong. [00:09:34] Speaker B: How do you hear that? How does it make you feel? There will be no secrets before him. [00:09:41] Speaker A: What about the sin that you are hiding? No one will escape his authority. How are you trying to oppose him in your own life as king? No one will be able to oppose his power. And maybe you think, well, what if he does what I don't like? Well, you won't be able to stop him. [00:10:07] Speaker B: He has all power. [00:10:10] Speaker A: I don't always like what Jesus does well, you will have to in the end because he is ultimate authority and power. How does his name make you think, feel angst? Terror? Well, next we see his name provides hope for his people. Because we see next, Jesus is the Word who has provided everything for his bride. His name, the Word of God signals to us that he has given us everything we need. Look at verse 13. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood. Now we hear that [00:10:50] Speaker B: Jesus on a [00:10:51] Speaker A: horse coming from heaven to conquer, and he's already got blood on him. [00:10:59] Speaker B: And so what blood is this? As we get to the end of this chapter, it is very gory and there's lots of destruction. There is blood rising on the earth. Is this the blood of his enemies? Well, the word dipped. [00:11:17] Speaker A: See the word dipped in blood. This refers to sacrifice. [00:11:24] Speaker B: Sacrifice. [00:11:25] Speaker A: There were things that were dipped in the blood of sacrifices to make things holy in the Old Testament. And here, his robe has been dipped in blood. [00:11:38] Speaker B: This refers to his own blood. Remember, throughout Revelation, at the center of it all is the Lamb who was slain. He is the one ruling. And it is through his death on the cross that he has ransomed a people by his blood. We see in chapter one, verse five, he has freed us from our sins by his blood. In chapter 7, verse 14, he has purchased us by his blood. In chapter 6, he had. In chapter 17, verse 6, he has washed us by his blood. So the blood of Christ is central to his rule and reign. And so, as we think of this one who is coming to perform justice as his people, we are to remember he has already performed justice for us by his blood. [00:12:33] Speaker A: And it is through his blood he is coming to give us the kingdom. And notice this is summed up in the next part of the verse. In the name which is he is [00:12:44] Speaker B: called, is the Word of God. [00:12:47] Speaker A: Now, in the Gospel of John, John uses this phrase. The Word of God became flesh. Now, the basic meaning of the Word is that it is the reason or explanation of all things. [00:13:03] Speaker B: So the reason for everything, that everything exists. The Word that created everything took on flesh. Jesus is the explanation of all things. All things make sense in Jesus. [00:13:19] Speaker A: That's the basic understanding of the Word, the Word, the Word of God. But when we look at the narrative of Scripture, the story, Jesus is called the Word of God because he completes the story. [00:13:37] Speaker B: Essentially, he is the story. And he is the one who fulfills all of God's promises to his people. And so this imagery of blood and word of God come together here because God has fulfilled all of his promises, he has sealed his promises to us in blood. It is the blood of Christ and the work of Christ that is God's promise to us. The one who took on flesh and died for sin. The one who took on flesh and in his person. It was declared. The kingdom is at hand. What has God promised to you? A kingdom without sin and death. And Satan. And in his flesh he shows us what that's like. He cast out demons. I'm giving you a promise where Satan [00:14:29] Speaker A: will not be there. [00:14:30] Speaker B: He heals the sick. I am giving you a kingdom where the curse of sin and death, sickness will not be there. He raises the dead. I'm promising you a kingdom where there will be resurrection into life forever. This is the promise I'm giving to you. And he is that promise in flesh. And because he is the power and authority and the king who brings it to us, he is the word of God who brings to his people all of God's promises. [00:15:03] Speaker A: And notice verse 14. And the armies of heaven are arrayed in fine linen. We talked about this last week. These are the righteous deeds of the saints. [00:15:14] Speaker B: And this fine linen, it is as [00:15:16] Speaker A: a wedding dress for the bride of Christ. As we move toward this marriage supper. But notice the bride of Christ, the people of God are called an army here. And they're dressed white and pure. [00:15:34] Speaker B: And they are following him on white horses. So they come with him, and it is as if they are coming to conquer. But the reality is he will be the one who does all the fighting. They come on white horses because their enemies have already been conquered. They come to inherit the kingdom through revelation. We've seen this over and over. Those who overcome by the blood of the Lamb, those who are with Christ and faithful to the end, will be co heirs. And so these are the saints, the people of God who are coming to earth with Christ first. Thessalonians, chapter 3, verse 13 says he [00:16:16] Speaker A: will come with all of his saints. [00:16:18] Speaker B: Colossians 3, verse 4 says that we will appear with him as an army. [00:16:26] Speaker A: But we're not armed like an army. Fine linen, priests who have been ransomed, [00:16:34] Speaker B: clothed in righteousness, in purity. [00:16:38] Speaker A: And as we said, this is all he gives. And so as you think about the second coming of Christ, you think about [00:16:49] Speaker B: the Word of God. [00:16:51] Speaker A: How do you hear that name? The Word of God that will judge you, or the Word of God who has accomplished all of God's promises to you? There's a different way to hear that and think about that. [00:17:06] Speaker B: Well, the imagery here that God wants us to see is that he's already shed his blood for you, that he has already given you what you're going to wear this wedding dress that is pure for his church forever. So as you hear of the coming of Christ, the believer is to have hope. All of our promises will be fulfilled because he is the word of God. That is his name. He is coming to fulfill all of his promises to us. [00:17:39] Speaker A: You see, in a good love story, the bride, the queen, the princess, doesn't do the fighting. No, she's waiting for her hero to come rescue her. And this is the imagery of the bride of Christ. And when he comes to make war, [00:17:59] Speaker B: she marches behind him. But he is the one who will do the fighting. And he has already secured for us victory in his blood and his promises. And also the righteous that he has provided for us, that he has credited to us, which he will cover us with. [00:18:19] Speaker A: And so the coming of Jesus, even for believers. [00:18:25] Speaker B: I've talked to Christians. [00:18:26] Speaker A: I don't want to think about that. I don't want to think about it. Well, the coming of Christ for believers should bring about hope. All of your hopes and dreams, everything you could ever want, will be secured in Christ forever. How do you know? He is God's word to you. He will do that for you. He's already declared at the cross in an empty tomb. He is for you. He has already achieved righteousness for you. [00:19:00] Speaker B: And so the coming of Christ is to give you hope. But a lot of times we think about it and we say, I got to get my act together. I got it. I got it. It's almost as though I'm about to [00:19:13] Speaker A: step into a light and everyone's going to see me. [00:19:18] Speaker B: They're going to see all of my blemishes, they're going to see my wrinkles. They're going to see everything that's not in place. And I'm going to step into this [00:19:28] Speaker A: light that's going to be shining on me. [00:19:30] Speaker B: And before I do that, I've got to go get it together. I got to make sure everything's in order. And for the believer, it's, I got [00:19:42] Speaker A: to atone for some of my sin. I got to build a resume so [00:19:47] Speaker B: when the sky opens up and I see Jesus, I won't be embarrassed. [00:19:55] Speaker A: I'm afraid that's not going to be the case for me. I'm afraid that when I see Jesus, [00:20:02] Speaker B: there are a lot of things that [00:20:04] Speaker A: are going to initially go through my mind, that I've been very unlovable, that in this life I've been unfaithful. That I don't have a resume to bring to Jesus on the last day that will get me into heaven. [00:20:24] Speaker B: If we saw Christ in all his glory, I don't think any of us are going to say, jesus, look how great and wonderful. Look how lovable and faithful and righteous I am. None of us are going to do that. So that can't be your hope. [00:20:42] Speaker A: Your hope is not you being lovable. It is his love that has been set upon you by his blood. [00:20:49] Speaker B: That is your hope. Your hope is not that you have been or will be faithful. It's that he is faithful and he is the word of God to you. God's faithfulness to you. And that's what you cling to, the blood of Christ and the faithfulness of Christ day in and day out. That's how you fight the fight. [00:21:11] Speaker A: And it's not that you're going to have a resume of righteousness to hold before Him. [00:21:15] Speaker B: No, you're going to look at him and you're going to see him in all of his glory and all of his righteousness. [00:21:21] Speaker A: And. [00:21:21] Speaker B: And you're going to say, that's what I need. And he's going to say, good news, [00:21:24] Speaker A: I've already given it to you. Here's what you're going to wear for eternity. Covered in righteous deeds, covered in My perfection. [00:21:33] Speaker B: And so your hope in the coming of Christ isn't any sort of grit or discipline that you're going to work up that you think, when I stand before Jesus, I'm going to be okay? [00:21:44] Speaker A: No, we're all going to be embarrassed and humiliated. [00:21:48] Speaker B: But the good news is, it's not about us. It is about his blood, his promise and his righteousness. [00:21:54] Speaker A: And so there's hope for the bride of Christ, but there's no hope for those who are not looking to him and his promises sealed in his blood. Notice the next name, Jesus, King of Kings, who will crush all counterfeit kings. Now, all of the next three images are from the prophet Isaiah. And Isaiah is depicting God as this warrior king, and he's going to come in with a sword and he's going [00:22:27] Speaker B: to come in with a rod, and he is going to slice and dice God's enemies. He's going to crush them and he's going to throw them in a winepress and they are going to be smashed forever. [00:22:43] Speaker A: And it is very scary. It is not meant to be safe because God is warning us of something here. His goal here in this picture of Jesus is to free us from counterfeit kings. And notice how he does it? First of all, from his mouth comes a sharp sword which is to strike down the nations. Now this refers again to the word of God. He is God's word to the earth [00:23:16] Speaker B: that will make all things right. [00:23:18] Speaker A: And here there is a picture of [00:23:20] Speaker B: judgment, the judgment of a sword that [00:23:23] Speaker A: will strike down the nations, that will [00:23:26] Speaker B: cut them down in all of their pride. [00:23:30] Speaker A: We read In Hebrews chapter 4, verses 12 and 13 that the word of God is living and it's active and it's sharper than any two edged sword. And what it does is that it pierces even beyond joint and marrow to the intentions of our heart. In verse 13 says, There is no creature that is not hidden from the Word of God. And on the last day when everyone sees Jesus, there will be nothing hidden. [00:23:58] Speaker B: And it will be like a sword [00:24:01] Speaker A: that opens us up before him. And that's how he will judge the peoples of the earth. That's how he will judge the kingdoms who have opposed Him. Their sin and unrighteousness will be laid bare before him. And notice, he will rule them with a rod of iron. [00:24:19] Speaker B: The word rule, it comes from the word shepherd and it refers to Psalm 23. Where in Psalm 23 what do we [00:24:29] Speaker A: hear of the shepherd staff? [00:24:32] Speaker B: The Lord is my shepherd, and his [00:24:34] Speaker A: rod and staff, they comfort me. [00:24:38] Speaker B: Why do they comfort me? [00:24:40] Speaker A: Because they keep me from falling off the path. And sometimes that staff has to be wrapped around our neck and we have to be jerked back on the path. And it's comforting. [00:24:52] Speaker B: Even the pain in that is comforting. But there's also a picture in the Old Testament of God as a shepherd [00:25:00] Speaker A: who will take the shepherd's rod, smash [00:25:03] Speaker B: the teeth of the wolves who are [00:25:06] Speaker A: seeking to devour his sheep. [00:25:08] Speaker B: If Israel is a little sheep and [00:25:11] Speaker A: the nations are going to devour her, [00:25:13] Speaker B: God steps in as a shepherd king and he smacks the wolves in the mouth. [00:25:19] Speaker A: And this is what he will do on the last day to all who oppose him. Notice he will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. All of the enemies of God will be piled up and they will be thrown in a winepress of wrath. And it is as though like grapes that are made are used to make wine, their sins will be smashed. And as Pastor Eric preached several weeks ago, it will be like blood running out their judgment. This is a scary picture. This is who Jesus is. We often think about Jesus as some sort of mousy shy kid over in the corner who's just looking for friends. I'll be your friend today. Jesus, I'll be your buddy. That's not who Jesus is. We don't want him to be that way. By the way, he's not a pushover. He is a cosmic king who will judge every enemy of God and he will judge every counterfeit loyalty and notice. Verse 16. On his robe and on his thigh, this would have been a place where the king's sword, which represented power on his thigh, would be seen. And so this place of power and on his robe, this is a messianic picture of royalty. He has the name written King of Kings and Lord of Lords for everyone [00:26:58] Speaker B: to see and is associated with the [00:27:00] Speaker A: sword of his judgment. [00:27:03] Speaker B: This is his name, King of kings. [00:27:06] Speaker A: And because that's his name, it's bad news for counterfeit kings. Think about Caesar's who took this very names. [00:27:16] Speaker B: Call me God. [00:27:18] Speaker A: Caesar is Lord. There's no one greater than Caesar. Well, there is a day. God's king is coming to smash Caesar's face in. That is the picture we're to see. Jesus will cut down. He will smash. He will crush all counterfeit kings. [00:27:36] Speaker B: And so we think about military power and might. We think about tyrants throughout history. We think about leaders, we think about [00:27:45] Speaker A: government from Rome to the United States of America, anyone who opposes Jesus will be purged in rebellion. He will smash their teeth in because he is king of kings and Lord of lords. And so as you hear that, how [00:28:05] Speaker B: do you hear it? [00:28:07] Speaker A: Is there something within you like a little tyrant that bows up and says, I want to be king? You may not say that out loud. I don't like it that Jesus gets to be king. [00:28:18] Speaker B: I don't want him to be Lord of Lords. Well, as you see this imagery of a sword, it is to be good for you. Think about the surgeon's knife. The surgeon takes a knife to cut [00:28:32] Speaker A: and to cut things out so that [00:28:35] Speaker B: he can make us better. That's good. [00:28:38] Speaker A: When the knife comes, the knife's not [00:28:42] Speaker B: good if you reach out and try to grab it. [00:28:43] Speaker A: That's why they put you to sleep. It's going to cut your hands. And some of us today would look down at our hands and say they've been sliced and diced because I've tried to grab the sword. When Jesus is trying to cut from our hearts, little tyrant kings that we serve. [00:29:03] Speaker B: So do you hear King of Kings [00:29:05] Speaker A: and Lord of Lords as a surgery knife or a sword that's going to cut you down? How do you hear his name? [00:29:15] Speaker B: Do you hear the rod as a comfort [00:29:21] Speaker A: or a source of pain for you? [00:29:23] Speaker B: Well, ask the question. [00:29:25] Speaker A: When you receive the rebuke of the word of God that says you're not King of Kings and you're not Lord of Lords, get back over here and follow my leadership. You don't know what's best for you. [00:29:38] Speaker B: Follow the shepherd. [00:29:40] Speaker A: Do you receive that as comfort? [00:29:43] Speaker B: Do you go, yes, I'm glad. Jesus is reminding me that he's King. He's taking this from me. He's making these plans really difficult. He's revealing anxiety and worry and stress in my heart. You know what he's doing. He's getting you in line. Trust me, you can't control these things. So when you feel the rod, is it comfort? [00:30:10] Speaker A: Do you lean into it? Because if you keep refusing it, you'll be judged by it. There'll be much pain on the last day. And when you see this picture of this press that is crushed down, how [00:30:24] Speaker B: do you see it? All of this is imagery of the Word of God in flesh. Jesus is a sword who comes to judge. Jesus is this rod who comes to correct or crush. And eventually Jesus is the one who with his feet, it's not this mechanical thing. It will be the feet of Christ that crushes his enemies. And so as you see that imagery, how does that make you feel? Well, if you're an enemy of God, you will be crushed. But if you're one who is submitted to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, when you see that imagery, you think about the wine press that [00:31:08] Speaker A: crushed him on the cross. And you see him as a friend who was crushed. [00:31:14] Speaker B: So you don't have to be crushed. How do you hear this name, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, as your judge or your Savior? [00:31:22] Speaker A: Well, as we see here, there's destruction for those who remain Jesus's enemy to the end. And it's a very vivid, vivid picture of destruction. [00:31:35] Speaker B: Jesus, his name will be the name [00:31:37] Speaker A: of a one who throws a party for his people, a groom who has a marriage supper, or he will be an enemy who hosts a feast of destruction. Notice verse 17. Then I saw an angel standing in the sun. This is another angel. And with a loud voice. So Jesus is coming. And with a loud voice, he called all the birds that fly directly overhead. Now, these are nasty vulture, buzzard birds. And he calls out to them, many of them, thousands of them, and they're [00:32:17] Speaker B: already circling the dead. They already know. It's as if they know what's about to happen. The King of Kings and Lord of Lords is marching in. [00:32:27] Speaker A: He's about to destroy his enemies. Verse 18. Notice the text continues. He says, come gather for the great supper of God. And this is counter the marriage feast. And so there are those who are invited to the marriage feast. And then there are those who will take part in the great supper of God. What does that look like? Verse 18. To eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the fleshes of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great. [00:33:04] Speaker B: These are every one. [00:33:06] Speaker A: This is everyone who has opposed Christ. They are gathering for this supper of God where their flesh will be eaten. Sometimes we go. [00:33:16] Speaker B: You know, I like the New Testament Jesus better. [00:33:18] Speaker A: It's not like the Old Testament. Jesus with all this wrath and destruction. I don't know that you've ever read Revelation. Birds gathered to eat the flesh of his enemies. Notice verse 19. I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who were sitting on the horse and against his army. So the announcement has been given. Come to the supper of God. But what are these kings doing in this moment? [00:33:51] Speaker B: They have gathered to fight against God [00:33:55] Speaker A: and his army to the very end. [00:33:57] Speaker B: We've talked about this in Revelation. No one goes to hell kicking and screaming. They go to hell fighting God here to the very end. The most powerful people on the earth, they gather to fight against God. Why? [00:34:15] Speaker A: Verse 20. And the beast was captured. This is the one behind this Antichrist rule. [00:34:22] Speaker B: And we've said that deceives kings and powerful men to think they can bow up and defeat God. It goes all the way back to Babel. We can defeat God. [00:34:32] Speaker A: And notice with the false prophet, this [00:34:36] Speaker B: deceptive spirit that turned the rule of Rome into a religion. And it does it all the time with tyrants. Tyrants rule. Should be worshiped. This is this Antichrist spirit that is in the world. And those on the last day who represent it. Maybe specific governments and armies that say, we're going to fight Jesus. [00:34:59] Speaker A: No, they will be captured. They will be thrown away with the beast. The false prophet will be discarded. Notice who in its presence had done signs by which deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. [00:35:21] Speaker B: Now this may represent the two literal [00:35:24] Speaker A: people who are leading this charge against God. [00:35:27] Speaker B: But they are discarded into the lake of fire. They have deceived the world into worshiping something or someone other than Jesus. And they will be cast away. [00:35:40] Speaker A: The lake of fire. We're going to talk about in the next few weeks we have Hades, which is a general place of separation from God. When an unbeliever dies now, they are separated from God. They know his judgment to a degree. But there is this final separation from God that's called a lake of fire. Why is it called a lake of fire? It burns forever. And there is the smell of smoldering [00:36:09] Speaker B: fire that will go up forever and [00:36:11] Speaker A: ever from the lake of fire. And notice verse 21 and the rest were slain. Very specific word used here. And it was used of Jesus, it's used of the martyrs. And so there are retribution for those who have been slain for their faith in Christ, retribution for the injustice of the cross. Notice they're slain by the sword that [00:36:34] Speaker B: came from the mouth of him. They're judged by his word. [00:36:37] Speaker A: The one who is sitting on the [00:36:38] Speaker B: horse and all the birds were gorged with their flesh. [00:36:44] Speaker A: They are gorged. [00:36:45] Speaker B: They've eaten so much they cannot eat anymore. [00:36:48] Speaker A: They just fall over dead on the flesh of those who oppose Christ. Now that's a very graphic description. [00:36:59] Speaker B: It's horrific. [00:37:02] Speaker A: And Revelation is at pains to give us these graphic depictions of destruction. I know for some of us the book is kind of just wearing us out. [00:37:13] Speaker B: It's judgment, judgment, judgment, judgment, judgment. [00:37:23] Speaker A: Well, hell will be judgment, judgment, judgment, judgment, judgment, judgment forever. So words can't describe the judgment that is coming upon those who oppose Christ. It will. [00:37:43] Speaker B: It can't describe it. So, [00:37:48] Speaker A: and I mean this with everything within me, these pictures are grace and mercy to you today. Do not oppose Jesus. This is a graphic gory. It's not a fairy tale. It's not happily ever after for those who oppose Jesus. [00:38:10] Speaker B: Because the Bible is at pains to say to you, when you oppose Jesus, [00:38:15] Speaker A: you're headed for destruction. [00:38:17] Speaker B: This is the mess that you are making out of your life in becoming an enemy of God and opposing him. And it doesn't have to be this way. Think about all of the grace that runs through this book. The Lamb who was slain, the bride of Christ who is decked out and covered in his righteousness. It doesn't have to be this way. So if you're here today and you've never believed in Jesus, believe in him. Today it is grace and it is goodness. And it is to put into perspective what the invitation to the marriage supper is like and the invitation to sin and destruction. You're to see those things before you when you are lured into sin. What Satan is doing to you and playing to the desires of your heart is he is dropping breadcrumbs in front of you that is leading you to destruction. A supper for vultures who will eat upon your flesh as you oppose Jesus. That's what you're being led to. Sin blinds us to that. And the word of God is to open us up to it. Because what Jesus is calling you to is a marriage feast of love and devotion forever and ever and goodness and joy and satisfaction that the breadcrumbs will never give you. This is the picture before us today. [00:39:48] Speaker A: How do you hear His Word? How do you hear his name? [00:39:53] Speaker B: Faithful to fulfill all of God's promises. True to his word, Just he will right all wrong. He is all knowing. And for those who are covered in his blood, we are able to confess our sin because he already knows it and he's already shed his blood for you. He is sovereign. There is no rule outside of his ultimate power. He is the word of God who has fulfilled all of God's promises. He is the King of kings and Lord of Lords. And he offers a banquet feast for you today if you would believe in Him. [00:40:37] Speaker A: How do you hear his name?