Revelation 14

Well, good morning, Saylorville! If you brought a copy of Scripture with you this morning, and I hope you did, you can find Revelation chapter 14. Revelation chapter 14.

And didn’t you just love the way that hymn we just sang ended? The Apostle Paul told us to sing… “I will sing with understanding.” And so that ended almost as an ode to Satan, didn’t it? But that’s because Martin Luther understood his enemy and did not take him lightly and nor should we. He understood Christians, real Christians, are the ultimate champions, right? But the game that we’re in, there involves hurt, taking hits, experiencing setbacks. And so we’ll give you an opportunity later to sing the victory part of that song.

But speaking of victory, you know, this is Super Bowl Sunday. So I thought that I should probably wear my jersey today. [CHEERING] But I didn’t want to offend any of you Eagles fans because Jesus actually died for Eagles fans too. (audience laughing) You know, in Christ there’s neither Chiefs nor Eagles, Colts or 49ers. All are one in Christ. So yeah, so we’ll just put this bad boy back for a little while, and I’ll wear it at the party tonight, how’s that?

My heart is heavy, however, this morning, as we approach a heavy path of the scripture, not because of this necessarily, but there is, I have some dear friends who suffered a real tragedy here the other day. And then I just heard of another one that some of you are probably familiar with of a death that took place yesterday. And I don’t know what liberties I have. So I’ll just simply say that my heart is heavy right now for both of those situations. And it also reminds me that in a place like this with so many people that so many of you are bringing in lots of burdens. I think it was Henry Drummond who said,

“Life is hard and men carry very heavy burdens. For Christ’s sake be kind.”

Henry Drummond

And I want to be kind to you not knowing all that you’re going through, but I want to pray for you and I want to pray for these dear friends of mine that are really hurting right now. So let’s go to prayer, shall we do that?

Our Father in heaven, we come before you, not only because you are a sovereign God and a great God, and greatly to be praised, but you’re a kind God. You’re a generous God. And you are a God who wants to be near to the broken hearted. You have told us that and we believe it. I pray for these dear friends of mine that are hurting so deeply right now. And I pray for this family that experienced an incredibly untimely death just the other day, and all who are associated with that… the trauma, the shock, the hurt, the sadness. It’s profound. I know something of that, but they’re experiencing it now, Lord. Would you experience it with them? Would you draw near to them? And I pray for everyone in this room, and those watching online who are carrying very heavy burdens right now, some known, some not so known. But I pray that you would lift them up and cause them as saints of the most high to endure! Give them your endurance, Lord, not their own, strength from on high as we ask you to bless this time in your word in Jesus name. Amen.

Revelation chapter 14. Now we do have a football game today, right? And so I’ve got some questions for you. First of all, how long is a Super Bowl? Well, it’s only 60 minutes, but with all the entertainment and the ads, it goes four hours. So speaking of all of that, how many do you think will watch the Super Bowl today just in our country? — over 120 million, a third of us or more will be watching this game. How many minutes of TV advertisements do you think they’ll be? —(Too many… That’s a good answer!) — 51 minutes, but you can’t wait for those commercials! And by the way, how much will a 30-second commercial cost them? — $8,000,000! Now, more strategically, who will make the biggest impact in this game? [Audience answer causes laughter and Pastor to get his #15 Chiefs jersey and hold it up] He’s a good friend of the rest. I should have put the rest up there. I don’t know why he didn’t. But will the coaches? — will the quarterbacks? — how about the running backs or the receivers? — how about the defenses?

The Tribulation and the Great Tribulation which we are studying in the book of the unveiling of Jesus Christ in all of his resplendent glory, this book that started off with his message of those seven churches, then took us up into heaven where God is seen with a rainbow around him, which is really cool, because before the storm comes, there’s a rainbow. And that’s opposite of the way we think. That’s the sovereignty of God over all of this. And then in chapter 6, we get into the Tribulation and the Great Tribulation that is to come. And that Tribulation that we are now studying is like the Super Bowl in this regard. It’s not linear. It’s not a straight timeline. There’s lots of replays. So for instance, in chapter 14 through 16, which we’ll be dabbling in a little bit here today, actually these events began in chapter 6. And these sort of replays and sort of expanded messages or expanded occurrences that will take place. In a Super Bowl, you have up close in personal interviews, right? — with players and coaches and today even the President of the United States is going to be interviewed.

Now likewise in the book of Revelation, this is not just a linear line, you’ve got up close in personal accounts of the two witnesses. We saw that in chapter 11 with Satan in chapter 12, the Antichrist in chapter 13. When we get to chapter 17 and 18, you have Babylon, all in all of its religious idolatry and all of its commercial idolatry. And then you have major and minor players that, like in the Super, who are the major ones and the minor ones, we have God, we have Satan, we have the Antichrist, we have angels and demons and the False Prophet, we’ve got a couple of witnesses, we got these 144,000 evangelists. All of them will impact the days to come. It’s Armageddon, not the Chiefs versus the Eagles. It’s Team Jesus versus Team Satan, and in the end only one of them gets crowned.

So without further ado, look with me briefly in the first several verses in chapter 14 here.

Revelation 14:1-5

1 “Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 (we’ve seen them before in chapter 7… Remember?) who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads.

2 And I heard a voice from heaven like the roar of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder. The voice I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps,

3 and they were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.

4 It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins. It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These have been redeemed from mankind as firstfruits for God and the Lamb,

5 and in their mouth no lie was found, for they are blameless.”

These are these evangelists we talked about, possibly converted as a result of the two witnesses ministry back in chapter 11. We saw them at the start of the Tribulation. Now we’re getting into the great or the second half of the Tribulation. The scene here seems to me to be heaven. Some expositors think this is a scene on earth, but if you look at the totality of it, I think it’s heaven. I think they’re in heaven now. We don’t know what happened. We know that in chapter 7 they were sealed so they were protected, but we’re not told how long they were protected. So we don’t know how they die. So if this is heaven, and I think it is, we don’t know exactly when they get to heaven. We do know exactly how they get to heaven and the text tells us. And I want these champions of the Tribulation to be examples to you and me in our own tribulations, because, remember what Paul said in Acts 14:22?

[Acts 14:22, “…strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.”]

“…we must through many tribulations enter into the Kingdom of God.” Have you ever read that? So these champions of the Tribulation we saw it right here, they’re redeemed. The 144,000 that were referred to in chapter 7 of the 12 tribes of Israel, they are real people. They are flesh and blood Jews who have embraced Jesus as their Messiah. Hallelujah! And we’re told not once but twice in verses three and four, they are redeemed from mankind. That word “redeemed” is one of the richest words you’ll find in all of the New Testament. The Bible tells us in Ephesians chapter one [verse 7], we are redeemed through his blood. And the word redeemed means… it’s the word “ag-or-ad’-zo.” It comes from the word “agora,” which means “the market.” And the word “agorazo?” means “to go into a market and take something out.” You go in and you buy it and you bring it out. And this is exactly what Jesus did for us.

In the marketplace of Bible times, it would not be unusual because at least 20% of Rome was a slave. So they could be sold as chattel, whatever. You could go into a marketplace and you could look at the slaves and you could purchase them and they would be yours. And this is the picture of what Jesus Christ has done for you and me. He has gone into the marketplace where you and I are the slaves. We’re the ones to be sold as chattel. We’re the ones in the chains of our sins, and he has purchased us and taken us out. Hallelujah!

What’s more, there’s another word, “exagorazo,” not used here, but means “to be set out or be let free,” which is exactly what Jesus did! ‘If the Son has set you free, you are free! You’re free indeed!’ [John 8:36] And that’s what Jesus has done. Has he done that for you? That’s the question.

If you’re doing the Bible reading plan with Saylorville, as I hope you are, we’re in a Hosea right now. Hosea is that prophet who God, just extraordinary, tells the prophet to marry this promiscuous woman. And he does so and she commits adultery repeatedly. She was with other men. We don’t know how many men she’s with, but she’s having children from other men. And she takes off with one of them. And Hosea’s heart is, the prophet is broken. And God then in chapter three [verse one] says, ‘Go, go, Hosea, and love the one who’s loved by someone else.’ What would you do? What would you do? You know what the Bible tells us what Hosea did? In the very next words, [Hosea 3:2] “So I bought her…” (So I what?) “I bought her…” which means she was in the marketplace. That guy got tired of her. I guess those who fool around with you will fool around on you. But Hosea went right in there and did just what Jesus wants to do for you. And has done for many of you, purchased you from your own personal slave market. Can I get an ‘Amen’?

Now this chapter goes on, there are several angels here. And one of them, the first ones in evangelist, verse six says,

Revelation 14:6-7

6 Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal Gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people.

7 And he said with a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.”

This is amazing! Isn’t this supposed to be our job? Isn’t this the church of Christ’s job today to evangelize the world? ‘Go and make disciples of all nations…’ [Matthew 28:19] Right? And every year, some… book or report will come out. ‘How many people groups haven’t reached?’ — And there’s always thousands of them, and we’re still reaching some. And I’ll tell you something. It’s almost as if God is gonna say, ‘Ya couldn’t complete the process, So I’m gonna do it for ya!’ He’s gonna send an angel out with the Gospel! It’s gonna go around the whole world! He’s gonna be like a cleanup batter on a baseball team. He’s the guy who clears the bases, and he’s gonna share the Gospel. And that’s why every tribe, and people, and nation, and tongue who stand before the living God can never say, ‘I never knew.’ They’ll all hear the Gospel.

And then Babylon is mentioned in verse 8. This religious and commercial Babylon which we’ll be getting into in chapters 17 and 18 … ‘It’s fallen! Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the great who made the nations drink the wine of the passion with their sexual immorality.’

[Revelation 14:8

“Another angel, a second, followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who made all nations drink the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality.”]

And then verses 9 to 11… Look at this. It says,

Revelation 14:9-11

9 And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast (We saw this last week in chapter 13. That’s the Antichrist) and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand,

(those are the only two areas by the way that are exposed in every culture and every climate, your forehead and your hands. I’m not going any further than that. At some point there’s some mark involved there)

10 he also will drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.

11 And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.”

This is the destiny of those who take the mark, and hear me on this, in the end, and I’m talking to all of you here, because I am convinced that many of you are not born again. You’ve not been redeemed. You’ve not been saved. And I’m just saying to you, in the end, the option to remain neutral is simply not there. If you’re not redeemed, you will be ruined forever! And that’s the word used.

The rest of this chapter involves two in-gatherings. You’re picturing these angels coming in and putting the sickle down. And the one is positive. It’s God’s people that they pull up, and the last part of the chapter is those who will be going and suffering the wrath of God. Verse 19 says,

Revelation 14:19-20

19 “So the angel swung his sickle across the earth and gathered the grape harvest of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.”

20 And the winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress, as high as a horse’s bridle…”

That is amazing! That’s carnage, and that’s to come. If you’re not redeemed, you will be ruined!

And one of the hallmarks of the champions of the Tribulation, these 144,000, is that they’re redeemed. Are you redeemed?

One of the most shocking scenes in all of the Bible was given to us, it’s still future, and Jesus gave it to us. He said these words in Matthew 7. He said,

Matthew 7:21-23

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

22 On that day (the judgement day) many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’

They’re gonna be spilling out all the things they’ve done in Jesus’ name! I want you to think about this for a minute, because that could apply to some of you. You’ve done things and you sort of attached Jesus’ name to it. But it’s not coming from your heart, because your heart’s never been redeemed. And that’s why Jesus says,

[Matthew 7:23] “And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’”

And so I say to you, dear friend, if you’ve never had a time in your life where you’re repented, really repented, from your heart, of your sins, you’re still a slave, you’re still stuck in that marketplace, you’re just chattel for Satan. Jesus will redeem you. Seek him right now. Repent of your sin, and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you’ll be saved. Because only the redeemed will be with the Lamb.

Secondly, the second thing I see about these champions is they SING! Did you see that? In verse three, these 144,000 are pictured with the Lamb, and it says in [Revelation 15] verse three, and they were singing a new song before the throne, before the four living creatures of the elders. No one knew the song except them who had been redeemed.

And by the way, if you look over chapter 15, those that they win, it says in verse one, I’m sorry, yeah… verse one.

Revelation 15:1-2

1 Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and amazing, seven angels with seven plagues, which are the last, for with them the wrath of God is finished.

2 And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire—and also those who had conquered the beast… (and we conquer him by faith. Amen? [Romans 8:37] “We are more than conquerors through him who loves us.” Right?) And they conquered the beast

and its image and the number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands.”

(And this is where we get the images of Christians when they go to heaven. They’re all playing harps. I don’t know. I’d rather have a guitar, but anyway…)

3 And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying,

“Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations!

4 Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.”

This is the last recorded song… the last recorded song in the Bible… right here. And the very first recorded song is the song of Moses, referenced here, in Exodus 15. There you have the bookends of all the music in the Bible right here. And it’s God’s redeemed. And what are they doing? They’re singing! They always have regardless of circumstances. And that applies to you no matter what heavy you’re going through.

One of the greatest blessings of my life has been to watch men and women of God who are suffering because of loss, suffering because of death, suffering because of health issues, suffering because of relational issues that have been snapped in two, and then worshiping with tears coursing down their cheeks. Why? — Because he’s worthy. That’s why. Because he’s worthy. Here’s how Spurgeon put it.

“Heaven is not the place to learn that song; It must be learned on the earth. You must learn here the notes of free grace and dying love; And when you have mastered their melody, you will be able to offer to the Lord the tribute of a grateful heart, even in heaven, and blend it with the harmonies eternal.” Spurgeon

What did the psalmist say?

Psalm 107:2, “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so…”

…and say so in song! Remember the Apostle Paul and Silas beaten within an inch of their lives. They’re stuck into the Roman Mamertine Prison. They’re down in the bowels of the prison. They’re chained. They’re in stocks, and there in Philippi, and what do they do in Acts 16:25? They’re singing! — and everyone was listening!

[Acts 16:25, “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them…”]

Tim Kesee in his book, Dispatches from the Front, it’s a great book on these outposts all around the world where the Gospel is being preached in the most dangerous places tells of Galena. She was a Russian Sunday school teacher, 23 years old. She was put into a Russian prison for teaching the Bible. And she went from one prison to another to another, impacting people and leading them to Christ. They couldn’t stand her! They couldn’t shut her up! They put her on a train to go to Eastern Siberia. They were literally in cages. The worst of the worst with Galena, and they were fighting and they were yelling and they complaining and suddenly they could hear the song of this woman singing praises to her Savior… all the way to Siberia!

Champions for Jesus Christ… SING! When we sing the songs here in church, lift up your voices! God isn’t hard of hearing, but He loves the expressions that come from our hearts and let it be known.

Thirdly, these champions right out of the script, they follow the Lamb wherever He goes. I love this! Verse 5.

[Revelation 14:4b] ‘They follow the Lamb wherever He goes.’

Listen, you can’t be one of the 144,000, but we can be like them. And how does that look? What does it look like? It looks like in verse 4. These are radically dedicated individuals. They’re celibate. I’m not saying you have to be celibate to be celibate or whatever. You don’t have to be celibate to be radically dedicated. But you get it. What does it look like? It looks like a young surgeon who loves Jesus Christ and is ready to dedicate his life to go wherever God will send him to perform the abilities that he has wherever for the cause of Christ and the Gospel. It looks like young adults of which we have over 30 of them that are seriously thinking about world missions to be sent around the world. It also looks like a seasoned pastor and his wife who have had the comforts and the challenges and the joys of being in a church for 23 years and to be involved in over so many things to say, you know what, we’re leaving it all for the cause of the Gospel because we’re following the Lamb wherever he goes. That’s what it looks like.

Henry Blackaby wrote a book. It was a runaway best seller back in the 80s called Experiencing God, and he describes what following the Lamb looks like. With these words, he says,

“You cannot stay where you are and go with God.” Henry Blackaby

Just let that sink in for a moment. For you to do the will of God, you must adjust your life to him. I love that! — his purposes, his ways. And then he said,

“Watch to see where God is working and join him in his work.”

Are you watching? Are you watching the Lamb? Are you willing to go wherever he tells you to go? — whatever it means? That’s what God’s champions do. And we’re seeing it right here. Hallelujah! I love that! These tribulation saints and those like them follow the Lamb.

I love what our, at our marriage conference over the weekend, our speaker said this.

“The Gospel is not just a message to believe. It’s a Person to follow.” [Ernie Baker]

It’s not just a message to believe. It is that, but it’s a Person to follow. So follow the Lamb.

And for the balance of our time, these champions for Christ endure. They endure. Look at verse 12.

[Revelation 14:]12 “Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.“

Look at it again. “Here is a call for the endurance of the saints.” And you might be thinking, ‘Hey, didn’t we hear this before?’ Yes, you did just last week, chapter 13, in this whole business of the Antichrist and what he’s going to bring to bear in the Tribulation. Verse 10 says,

Revelation 13:10, “If anyone is to be taken captive, to captivity he goes; if anyone is to be slain with the sword, with the sword must he be slain. Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints.”

The word “endure,” the word “endurance,” is the word “hupomeno?.” “Meno” means “to remain. “Hupo” means “underneath.” It carries the idea of remaining under, or just the idea of to persevere, to endure!

If you love Christian history, you know that the Reformation, the Reformers gave us the TULIP. Remember that? T-U-L-I-P, and it basically depicts both the condition of humanity and the plan of God to save us. Total depravity, letter T. That means we are totally depraved from the guts, separated from God. Unconditional election, which means whom God chooses to save, He will save. Limited atonement, that’s the one I don’t like. I just don’t like the verbiage. I don’t see that kind of verbiage in the Bible that God limits what He does. And if you listen to the podcast this week, I’ll give you my alternative. Irresistible grace, which is like God’s tractor beam. He’s going to just pull… you… in. And many of you have experienced that, right? You couldn’t resist him! And it wasn’t like you came kicking and screaming. It was because you just could not resist the love of God. Amen? And then the one we got to get to here for this, for the purpose of our time here, Perseverance of the saints, I love this!

The era in which we live over the past 50, 60, 70 years, many people in our circles would refer to this as eternal security, which is really ridiculous. I don’t see eternal security taught like that. It is taught. You know what I do find in Scripture? — when I look at the composite of scripture of those who have trusted in Jesus? — they endure, they persevere through ups, downs, sideways, whatever happens in your life! You don’t capitulate! You don’t give up! You are God’s. You push through! And that’s the call of God to us as His saints.

Several years ago, we had a member who, because of sinful circumstances that entered into his marriage, not of his own doing entirely. He was changed and not for the better. It revealed his real heart that really was not a heart for God at all, and he walked away, and he’s still gone. I don’t know what the condition of his soul is. It doesn’t look good from my vantage point. I have witnessed sin, unfaithfulness, loss of health, sorrow and disappointment, cause people to walk away. Actually, those circumstances are never the cause of their failed faith, but the exposure of their fake faith, never real to begin with. And that’s why I’m so concerned for you. What kind of trial would it take for God to allow into your life to cause you to just take a hike? 1John 2:19 says this. Listen to these words.

1 John 2:19, “They went out from us, but they were (never) not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued (remained) with us. But they went out, that it might (be made manifest clear) become plain that they all are not of us.”

Have you ever read that? Saints of God, persevere! You can do this! You can endure! The pain that those who reject the Gospel will endure now, pales in significance to what they will endure later.

When we get to chapter 16, there are bowls that are given to this angel to dump out. Remember this. All of these judgments are sort of coming out in staccato fashion… like that. And these are bowls… in fact, chapter 15, verse 7 says,

Revelation 15:7,”And one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God…”

And verses one and two of sixteen,

Revelation 16:1-2

1 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple (yelling… or not yelling, telling. I’m yelling!) telling the seven angels, “Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.”

2 So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and harmful and painful sores came upon the people who bore the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.”

These are seven bowls of hot wrath poured out as the rest of this chapter unpacks it on peoples, and waters, the sun, the rivers, the kingdom of the Antichrist to Christ rejectors.

Have you ever been scalded? How many have you ever been scalded? Quite a few of you.

You know, we had a family get together a few years ago and my wife made one of our favorites, white chicken chili in a giant crock pot, and it was boiling hot! And she took it out of the crock pot and she set it on the stove. Whether she knew it or didn’t know it, the stove… one of the burners was on… and those things don’t take burners. So when she went to pick it up, it literally detached itself from the bottom. And a couple of quarts of scalding hot white chicken chili poured over the oven down to the floor right across both of her feet! She had socks on that had a pattern in them, the pattern imprinted itself on her skin! It was a horrible moment!

The wrath of God poured out in the future Tribulation will be so much worse! And yet, you’d think that’ll cause people to turn to Jesus! Amen? Look at verse 8, chapter 16, verse 8.

Revelation 16:8-11

8 “The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people with fire.

9 They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed (CURSED!) the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory.

10 The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in anguish

11 and cursed the God of heaven for their pain and sores. They did not repent of their deeds.”

This is the sinfulness of sin! Unless God changes the heart, it will not be changed.

And one of the instruments of God’s wrath will be the false trinity when it shows up. Did you know there’s a… we believe in our triune God, right? — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? The devil, who can never be more than God or even conceive of Himself as such… just tries to mock and mirror Him. Well, I’ve got it up here for you. Chapter 16, verse 13, here we go. It says,

Revelation 16:13, “And I saw, coming out of the mouth of the dragon (that would be Satan) and out of the mouth of the beast (that’s the Antichrist) and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits…”

So there you have it. You have the Dragon mocking God the Father, the Beast mocking God the Son, the False Prophet, mocking and mimicking the Holy Spirit. And notice what they’re doing. It says verse 14,

Revelation 16:14

14 “For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty.“

So they’re going to fool the masses by their signs the same way the charlatans out there are doing it right now. That’s why Second Thessalonians chapter 2 and verse 9 says that

the Antichrist coming is going to be with power and signs and wonders.

[2 Thessalonians 2:9, “The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders…”]

Have you read that? That’s how He fools people! And He will fool people. That’s how He’s doing it now, As Colton told us last week. There is the Antichrist coming as 1 John tells, but there are many antichrist in the world now drawing people away through performing miracles.

Well, what are the saints going to be doing during this time? Well, look at verse 15.

Revelation 16:15, ““Behold, I am coming like a thief! (Jesus says) Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!”

They are enduring! — just like you need to. It’s all going to culminate at Armageddon… verse 16.

Revelation 16:16, “And they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.”

I’ve been to Israel a couple of times. We’ve looked out from Mount Carmel down on the valley of Megiddo, sometimes called Armageddon. I think we have a picture of it. We’ll throw it up there for you. This is a place where more battles have been fought than any other place on earth, and this is where it’s all gonna come to an end. And there, the final battle that takes place will be so horrendous, so bloody, with so much carnage, no one would survive… if God would not intervene. But how will he do? He does intervene! Amen? Look at Matthew, chapter 24, verse 21,

Matthew 24:21-22

21 “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be.

22 And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.”

Hallelujah! And then later on in verse 30, it says,

Matthew 24:30-31

30 “Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

31 And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”

Hallelujah! So follower of Jesus, until those days come, and whether we have to endure them or not, I’m still on the team that believes we’re going to be taking up before this. But what if we’re not? I have good news for you. If you’re a real follower of Jesus, you will endure! Even now, you say, ‘How will I do it?’ Let me show you how. First Peter chapter 4 and verse 12. Look what it says here.

1 Peter 4:12-14

12 “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.

13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.

14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, (watch this) you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God (what?) rests upon you.”

Follower of Jesus, stop worrying about whether or not you’ll endure in the trial. You will! — and yet, you need to be told to. And my heart rejoices when I see the saints of God take all that the devil has of throw at them and still endure!  Back to chapter 14. If you just take a glance back there, it tells us this in verse 13.

Revelation 14:13

13 “And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!”

Who said you can’t take something with you?

Listen, later on today, one of these teams is going to hoist the coveted Lombardi Trophy. If you persevere, my friend, you’ll be hoisting a greater trophy than that! Endure! For some of you, you still need to be… redeemed. Let’s pray.

Our Father, that was a lot to take up and I left a bunch on the floor, but that’s the way it is. I pray, Lord, that you would help us to see ourselves like the 144,000, these champions of the tribulation who were redeemed, who sang, who followed you, Lord Jesus, wherever You go, and endure by your grace and your glory. Let us take these things in, Lord, to our hearts. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.