018 m1-648 Revelation 5 05-29-2013

we're in the book of Revelation we just sing a great song about how the Lord of all the earth is Yahweh Yahweh we love to shout that name you know what's what's cool about that is the the I am statement of the book of Revelation one of the glorious things about that is it goes back to the burning bush like I was just praying but did you know that when Pontius Pilate he was the one who put the the title or the inscription over the cross and what's interesting about that little inscription is it was a it was a name that was really given you know to be sort of insulting I think that was the purpose but it may be insults deeper than you originally thought because it was written Jesus of Nazareth King of the Jews over the heads of Jesus on the cross and what's interesting about that is this idea of of you know Jesus being the King of the Jews so the Jews came and said man what are you talking about this that we don't want that inscription we wanted to say that he said he was Jesus of Nazareth King of the Jews not that he really is the king and and and there Pontius Pilate said with that steel cold look he said what I've written I've written I picture you know Yul Brynner there in the gorge Cecil B DeMille movie saying so let it be written so let it be done and that was kind of the thing that Pontius Pilate did but what's interesting about that is really when you look at that if you were to look at that as a Jewish guy there would be something that you'd notice and that is the acrostic now what's the acrostics when you kind of take the first letter of each word and by the way in the Old Testament you see examples of that in the Psalms there are many Psalms that are written in a cross stick style where even an alphabetical order or the songs written in the Hebrew alphabet but what would the acrostic be is you looked at it there with what's interesting is it the letters were you know for Yahshua hot nuts array the molec yah ha ya do ya deem is the Hebrew that would have been written over Christ there and that that would have acrostic ly had the interesting letters of course you know how you deem would be the H Yeshua of course is the Y hots nuts array is the h and the molec which is interesting the V is the same letter as the W so you would have had the acrostic wih WH and where it said Jesus of Nazareth King of the Jews and could it be that the Jews were really ticked off about that alone I mean just that it would really be claiming Jesus was not only King of the Jews but calling him sort of Yahweh for that was the acrostic of the name of God and and so it was particularly insulting I think to them because they did not believe that Jesus was Yahweh the King of the Jews king of all Lord of all the earth I love the songs that Joey selected tonight because they very much play into what we're studying this evening Jesus who is the Lion of the tribe of Judah that will eventually come and take his throne and literally Israel what's the big deal about Israel why do you guys care what happens in Jerusalem and God has done with the Jews and all this stuff that you hear people say hogwash total hogwash God has a plan for the Jewish people God still calls Jerusalem his own and puts his name there in Jerusalem and he's gonna rule and reign Jesus the Son of David will reign from the throne in Jerusalem I believe we're gonna see that as we study through the book of Revelation but all that to say tonight we have to do a little review and that is we saw on Sunday the first 5 verses of our text here and the first thing we see is if you're taking notes just in review we saw number one a beautiful depiction of heaven a beautiful depiction of having a throne at the center of the stage there that was set and upon the throne the one who sits upon the throne that would be the the Lord God Almighty seated upon the throne in heaven so we have a beautiful depiction but then we have a book's description or a scrolls description and we looked at that on Sunday this scroll it's an important document and really the scroll has unique attributes we saw that the scroll was written on both sides that was unusual for a scroll we saw that this scroll had seven seals and how that would be also unique and we saw in Jeremiah 32 where that kind of scroll would be used as a legal document very likely a title deed to planet Earth itself now one of the things I wanted to do since it's Wednesday night I like to sometimes give you guys a little more than what we do on Sunday morning but I wanted to throw out some of the other suggestions that you'll hear as it relates to this scroll and what exactly is this scroll and so if you're taking notes some just some other considerations and I'll tell you why I don't think it's truly those scrolls that maybe they suggest so number one some think the scroll is the Old Testament or the old and the New Testament together and so they say it's just the Bible and and that's that that's a pretty a pretty general view of what this scroll is I'll tell you why I don't think it's just that in just a minute number two some think it's God's claim of divorce against Israel why would God have a bill it is a legal document we have established that this scroll and some recognizing that they say it must be a bill of divorce against the Jewish people because remember in the Old Testament the Jews are called the wife of God the church is called the Bride of Christ but the Jews in the Old Testament are called the wife of God and and that's why when you read the book of Hosea for example there's that amazing picture of the prostitute who Hosea the Prophet ends up by the word of the Lord marrying this this woman who prostitutes herself and how radical that really is but but at the same time the Lord says even as Gomer the prostitute was unfaithful to his to her husband Hosea the prophet so to Israel has been unfaithful but the Lord if there's one thing you learned from the book of Hosea does the Lord ever give up on Gomer no even when she's old and used up and messed up and tweaked out and wiped out from her own sin she's being sold on the slave market there in the street because she's useless for anything else than just to be a sold messed up old slave Hosea the husband comes back and purchases his own wife back even though she had been totally brutal to him and you see this probably one of the more tear-jerking stories of the whole Bible when you see this prostitute redeemed by the loving husband that's what God does not only for the Jews but for us as well we're the ones who sold ourselves out to sin and in our bondage to slavery but God loves us and he keeps his promises to us one of the dangerous things of saying God divorced Israel is it would mean that he was the unfaithful God he did not keep his promise when he said I have made with you Israel an everlasting covenant and there were conditional covenant covenants with the Jews I'll give you that but there were also unconditional covenant covenants that God made whether the Jews were faithful or not the Lord says I'm still going to be faithful so if you believe God is forsaken the Jews the thing that I'd be nervous if I were you by the way that's called replacement theology if you're a replacement theology theologian then you you are in danger of also being forsaken by God because you and I we have been sinners just like the Jews in fact it's arguable that we in the Christian Church in America are at least just as bad maybe worse than the Jews over history's time and if God first sucked the Jews he might as well forsake us too but I don't believe that God has forsaken the Jews read Romans chapter 9 10 and 11 it's a great description of what God plans to do with the Jewish people and it's interesting it tells the Gentile nations not to be arrogant against God's people the Jews and and he unfolds the whole plan that he's laid out for them so very important I I mention that often and you might say Brett we got it but you have to understand the reason I talk about it is it's a growing notion in the American church today replacement theology and I think it's a dangerous teaching and I would caution you when you hear these things but anyway all that to say some people say it was the the Bill of divorce against the Jews I'll tell you why that is not the document here along with what I just said but number three some think the scroll is God's sentence against the enemies of the church there's a sentence now you say what is that all about well the sentence that could be it could could include on this title deed to planner the sentence it could be written in this book because we're gonna see that as these seals are broken open God's wrath was going to be poured out on a christ-rejecting sinful world so that that could be part of what this is but I don't believe that's the full description of what this document this book the scroll that we're seeing here in chapter 5 it doesn't fully encompass the the definition but it might be part of the answer number 4 some think the scroll is just the book of Revelation itself I think that's - perhaps simplistic there's too many unique features of this scroll that would just let it be just simply the book of Revelation as we hold it today and I'll give you another reason here in a second number 5 some think the scroll is God's will is final testament of the affairs of the universe as will and testament now this could be a good viable option by the way now you were if you were here Sunday we defined it as a title deed but it is interesting Walford writes in his commentary that it was the will along with the title deed that would be sealed with various seals meeting requirements of either a title deed or a will and testament a well implies an inheritance which is a favorable point to this because this title deed does imply ultimately an inheritance both to Jesus the Messiah but also to his people an inheritance for for us the believers so you could if you really want to call it a will I wouldn't argue to hardly against that now the reason I don't believe it's the Old Testament in the New Testament I don't believe it's a divorce against Israel I also don't believe it's the just simply the eight for the enemies of the church or even just the book of Revelation is because of one single thing this there's one thing about this that I believe puts those ideas down and that is this who is worthy to open the seals of the book that's the biggest challenge to those things if it's a book of Revelation who's worthy well we're opening it tonight and we're not worthy if if you have to be worthy to open the book of Revelation then that pretty much everybody qualifies I think and the same is true for all of those if it's the Jews and it's a bill of divorce who is worthy to open the seals of this book anybody if it's just this bill of divorce and the same is true with the old in the New Testament and all that the key is there there's has to be a worthiness to those who who would attempt to open the book the scroll that's in this chapter and and that could only be true for two documents of those days and that would be either a title deed or a will and testament so that's why I believe it's at least one of those two and and those you can kind of go hand-in-hand in some ways but but all that's to say worthiness is the key all other documents don't require worthiness but a will or a title deed does and you have to meet those requirements in order to open the seven seals are you guys with me on that so that's one of the reasons why we believe it has to be more of a legal document and the worthiness it doesn't say who is willing to open the book it says who is worthy and there's quite a lament by John as he burst into tears we saw on Sunday because no one seemed worthy to open the book so we saw not only number one a beautiful description of heaven a book's description we saw of the scroll but we also saw number three a strong angel Proclamation what was the proclamation of the strong angel who is worthy to open the seals of this book and this big strong buff angel crying out and then he declared the next thing number four a dire situation a dire situation no one seems worthy as we read there in verse three no one seems worthy to open the seals so then we ended with the final part on Sunday and by the way I didn't give you these points but I wanted to clarify it tonight number five we see a glorious solution a glorious solution the Lion of the tribe of Judah verse five is the is where the tone of the chapter changes radically as the drama unfolds the drama is John weeping profusely the angel strong angel declaring who is worthy and there's kind of this holding of the breath in heaven o man the world the cosmos it's in big trouble but then chapter five verse five we see there is one worthy to open the book and that's where we seem to sort of burst into this beautiful worship service in heaven and it's a glorious scene and we got a lot to talk about with this so so let's read on let's start verse one once again it says and I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside sealed with seven seals and I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice who is worthy to open the book and loose the seals thereof and no man in heaven nor in earth neither under the earth was able to open the book neither to look thereon and I wept much because no man was found worthy to open and read the book neither to look thereon and one of the elders said unto me weep not behold the Lion of the tribe of Judah the root of David have prevailed to open the book and to loose the seven seals thereof so we see the Lion of the tribe of Judah now what does he look like behold that means go look so what does John do we looked at that by the way the Lion of the tribe of Judah speaks of a fulfilled prophecy from Genesis chapter 49 we saw that on Sunday that that Shiloh would come which was the Messiah Jesus and and that prediction would have to do with the scepter of Israel we covered that if you missed that that's kind of a key element in understanding this title the Lion of the tribe of Judah but but John's about to turn around and look at the lion but we're gonna see something we're gonna see a lion that looks like a lamb what's the point of that why would a lion look like a lamb he calls them the lion and then what happens we'll take a look verse 6 and I beheld and lo in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts and in the midst of the elders stood a lamb as it had been slain having seven horns and seven eyes which are the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth so when we talk about the Lord Jesus Christ as a lion or as a lamb I I'm not sure that we're supposed to focus too much on the image in a in a literal way I think we can if we want to it's it's fair game but I believe the Bible is trying to tell something in a more figurative way on this because in the same verses here we're talking about a lion then we're talking about a lamb and we're talking about a strange-looking lamb at that I go back to chapter 1 when people try to paint pictures of Jesus as he's portrayed by the revelation of Jesus Christ given to John in Chapter 1 and I've told you how those paintings of Jesus with a sword coming out of his mouth and his eyes with fire coming out if you paint it it doesn't look so good but the idea is not to look at it literally as to see what those symbols actually mean and in the same way these symbols are great symbols the lion the king of beasts the most powerful the most majestic that does speak of Jesus and by the way whenever you read about the Lion of the tribe of Judah and the lamb these would be very Jewish themes one of the things that some Bible scholars have pointed out is that from this point on all the references to the Messiah have very Jewish links one of the hardest things I think to get the American Church to see is that Jesus was Jewish I know that seems almost dumb to even talk about but we think he's like a surfer from Southern California you know what I mean yeah you definitely see that in the movies you know I mean long blonde hair it's all bleached out and you know gnarly dude that's not Jesus Jesus was a Jewish guy and he was a practicing Jew that is he was a one who kept the law not not the law that was the traditions of man that's why he got accused of not keeping the law because they were accusing him of the traditions of men but of God he was one who kept the law and he was living very Jewish he was called rabbi even and he was a teacher in the synagogues and that's something you have to realize and it's very rewarding when you start to realize Jesus was very much of a Jew and you say well what does that have to do with us well here's the thing we love Jesus we know who he is we know why he came and he was a Jew but he came to save sinners in the whole world of every tongue nation and kindred and people we're going to see that even tonight but the Jewishness of Jesus is important because from this point on I believe the church is in heaven and it's interesting because from this point on in the book of Revelation these links to the message of who the Messiah is it's very much back to Jewish imagery why it's because the Jews during the Tribulation Period most of the Jews will not be raptured and then the reason why is because the way you're saved is through Jesus Christ if you're a a Jew who believes in Jesus the Messiah Yeshua HaMashiach if you believe that then you're good to go you're gonna be raptured because you're part of the Church of Jesus Christ but by and large Romans 9 10 and 11 does tell us that blindness in part has happened to the Jew it's an interesting thing because the Jews are some of the smartest people you'll meet in the world and you can show them in their own Hebrew Bible the Messiah and the prophecies that relate to Jesus and there's even sort of a strange interest when I go to Israel and talk to some of these these Jewish leaders there and and they're very intrigued and then when it comes time to say so do you believe that Jesus is the Messiah and they'll say they'll just kind of give you this blank stare no even though you just showed them and they were really interested they're like wow that's amazing that that all kind of ties together they'll just kind of nod say yeah but what's going on you have to understand blindness in part has happened to the Jews now when the Tribulation Period comes as bad as it's going to be one of the good things as I believe there's going to be many people saved during the tribulation but none other more so than the the group of Jews that will be alive on the earth during the tribulation they will see that Jesus is the Messiah they will see this coming world leader as one who really dupes the world and they'll realize that they themselves were duped by this coming world leader and the Jews will flee according to the scriptures and Jesus even talked about that fleeing from Jerusalem that the Jews will do during the Tribulation Period but all that to say it's gonna take all that and when they when they see Jesus Zechariah even talks about how the Jews will say where did you get all those wounds and they will say I received these wounds in the house of my friends it's gonna be a radical day when when all of Israel will be saved Romans chapter 11 right around verse 25 and 26 it talks about that when the fullness of the Gentiles come in that's when all of Israel will be saved they'll see Jesus as the Messiah but but the reason that's important is because we're about to embark on the opening of the seals we're about to embark into the whole Tribulation Period that's described in Revelation chapter 6 through 19 and that's why I think Jesus in all the descriptions we're gonna read from here on out are very linked to Jewish ideas Jesus the Lion of the tribe of Judah Jesus the root of David these are Jewish themes that they are familiar with not so familiar are we the root of David by the way the netzer as a term that you Bible students might recognize both from Isaiah and other places in the Bible that speak of the root of David or the branch of David that's gonna come out which is speaking of Jesus the rightful heir to the throne he is related to David but he even pre-exists existed David remember when Jesus kind of messed with the Pharisees and Sadducees as they were talking and how can David call the Messiah someone who's greater than he when he's the father of that Messiah the idea is you don't call someone Lord if you're greater than or if you're the father of that son and yet David called the Messiah Lord but he's going to be the root of David how does that work out practically and the Pharisees were stumped by that one Jesus kind of made it was messin with them because they were trying to mess with him but all that to say that's this is imagery that the Jews would recognize we Gentile sometimes on a hard time getting our brains around some of these descriptions but as we go through the Bible the Old Testament we'll see how these things all apply so he says behold the Lion of the tribe of Judah the root of David so he turns around probably looking for a lion however he sees a lamb that had been slain let's look at this lamb by the way the lion speaks of his second coming the lamb speaks of his first coming and and what do we see here we see first of all a lamb as it had been slain the word lamb by the way there is an interesting Greek word that describes little lamb or even some say a pet lamb there's an endearing term that's linked to this this word that's used for a lamb it's not just a sheep in general but most scholars say there's kind of a uniqueness to the word lamb used here a little little lamb is the idea and it says here as it had been slain so there's going to be evidence that Jesus was the Lamb that had been slain the lamb that was talked about in Exodus chapter 12 remember the Passover there in Egypt when the Spirit of death would come they would put the blood of the lamb on their doorposts and the spirit of death would pass over so these are Hebrew ideas Jewish ideas that would start to make sense to them but John would see this this lamb as it had been slain but here's where it starts getting kind of strange-looking this is where you don't paint this picture but you get the meaning behind the picture seven horns seven horns now when I was a kid we had sheep I was in the 4-h we had cows and sheep and but we had I remember when my sister's got some certain kinds of I forget that were called shop Shire lambs something like that where they had these little RAM type horns and they were cute little little lambs with horns and they look so fluffy and cute the problem was if you weren't looking they'd run up in budget right in the rear end and knock you over these cute little lambs that were so cute after they did that a few times but the the horns of those are pretty solid they're not soft little pushy cushy horns like the ones like a stuffed toy sheep looked pretty cute but when they get horns they can but you pretty hard the idea of the horn in the always is a symbol or a type of anybody power that's right power both positively and negatively by the way whenever you read about a horn in the Book of Daniel Daniel employs the imagery of a horn in the context of leaders in the world nations who will rise up and those leaders of ten nations would be called the ten horns but out of those ten nations would come a little horn which would become a very powerful horn speaking of the coming world leader or what we call the Antichrist he's talked about as the little horn but here Jesus is spoken of as having seven horns what's the number of seven speak of completion and perfection so in a sense you can say the horns on the lamb speak of his perfect power that that's the idea here and not only does he have seven horns but he has seven eyes which are the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth so that's it's interesting the eyes why would Jesus have seven eyes which are the seven spirits of God is it Jesus or is it the Spirit of God which one is it yes it's both because the Holy Trinity God the Father God the Son God the Holy Spirit there are three in one so oftentimes we try too hard to separate those things but it's not a problem when you are one who believes in the Trinity to see this the Spirit of God or the seven spirits of God spoken of in the same context of Jesus not a hard thing we talked about the seven spirits of God before there's some interesting mentions about that we talked about the Sevenfold nature of the spirits of God in Chapter 1 when we talk about the 7 spirits of God but there's also some other mentions by the way of these these seven eyes or spirits of God write down in your notes Zechariah chapter 3 verse 8 and 9 and Zechariah 4 verse 10 and it's kind of an interesting description there I'll just read it to you Zakaria for verse 10 says for who has despised the day of the small things for they shall rejoice and see the plummet of in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven they are the eyes of the Lord which run to and fro through the whole earth so there's an interesting mention of the eyes of the Lord which run to and fro the idea is God's insight and wisdom I speak of insight and wisdom and I believe that could be the very same thing being spoken of here of Jesus the lamb the seven spirits of God seven eyes it's a picture of the perhaps even the omniscience of the Lord so we've got this the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth just like in Zechariah it speaks of so it says verse seven so he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne now pause for a second some would say Brett the problem with the title deed example as God had the title deed in his own hand from the very beginning and so really could you argue that Satan have the title deed and and we've already kind of gone through this a little bit and we do know that Jesus didn't argue a Satan there in Matthew four when Jesus was taken up to a high mountain to be tempted of the devil member and he said if you bow down and worship me I'll give you all the nations and kingdoms of this world and Jesus didn't dispute that he just spoke scripture to Satan as a defense to not bow down to anybody else other than the true and living God and the point that I'm making is Jesus didn't dispute that Satan had possession but it's almost as if you know you could look at it this way not to be too trying to make this thing work but I believe God really is absolutely in control ultimately it's almost as if you make a deal when you buy a house but the deed is registered at the mortgage company or wherever they you know in the government or whatever who owns what and there's kind of an ultimate authority that makes sure these business transactions are being legally enacted on and and in a way God is the ultimate authority so the dispute does seem to be Satan humanity where Jesus as a man Christ in his humanity steps in on behalf of humanity to take the title deed back it's it's God's Way of doing it perfectly legally so God is ultimately the executor or the what's the term you would use the legal official to make it come out legally but and and I believe God is always in control so it's kind of a it's kind of a tricky thing to think through but ultimately God is in control don't ever forget that Satan does have certain amount of power and I believe God could step in at any time and totally wipe out Satan without any effort whatsoever well then why doesn't he I don't know I'm not God but we have evidence as to why God is being patient we have evidence in the scripture as to why he does allow things to go on as they are for this season but there's a time where God will intervene and how's he gonna intervene by His Son Jesus Christ who intervened first when he stepped down and became a man lived among us died on the cross for the sins of the world but in the second Advent or the second coming of Christ that's where God's plan is ultimately gonna be fulfilled that's why Revelation chapter 5 is sort of gonna as you as we read into this you're gonna see this is a big moment and by the way it hasn't yet happened we see John and taken up to heaven seeing a vision of heaven of what's going to unfold remember meta tota after these things after were things that after the church age then chapter 4 and 5 is going to begin so don't don't make a mistake this hasn't happened yet the the title deed to Planet Earth being presented in heaven and the question asks who is worthy to open the book when Jesus steps up and takes the sky like we just read in verse seven that's when God is gonna really intervene and that's where everything's gonna change and that's why they're gonna bust out into a huge worship and praise celebration right here because this is one of the most glorious heavy important events that will happen of all the history of the world right when this thing comes down when Christ takes the title deed and is legally the one who gets to open the scroll of this book are you guys with me on that important to understand God is in control and some might argue well God always had the scroll in his hand and I would say yeah that's true but he's doing it in a way that allows for the sovereignty of man what's that well I believe we have our own little miniature sovereignty God is fully sovereign but he's given man free will we can choose we've been given that ability to choose I believe in that and and there's people that argue no man doesn't have free will and it's just gonna happen the way God has unfolded it but what's interesting is I see that when I was five years old my mom convinced me to accept Christ no no no that was God who already knew you were gonna do it I don't argue that I knew God I know God now how to plan for my life but in my little microcosmic world as a kindergartner it was all about saying well I need to believe in Jesus Christ and I chose to follow Christ that's why the Bible says that we are to go out into all the world and preach the word preach means to convince people to make a choice it's so funny how people try to create this false dilemma there's got to be one way or the god sovereignty or man responsibility human responsibility which one is it and I'm sorry but you can be a stubborn it's funny the people that are real stubborn on this are people I don't generally like to talk to that's because you're ignorant Brett no I am ignorant I'll give you that but that's not why I don't like you it's a funny thing when people get really hard on this and the reason I don't like it is because frankly there's plenty of scripture plenty of scripture where we see the Lord says I want you to choose to follow me he's a perfect gentleman he doesn't force himself on anyone that wouldn't be love if he just forced himself and we're just automatron saying okay I guess God chose me so I have to believe that's not it we're the Bride of Christ he didn't hold us with a gun and say will you marry me but instead he lovingly invites us to come to him so I'm offended when people try to say no God sovereignly chose you so you have nothing to do with it I think you're missing the heart of God largely and it's a dangerous kind of attitude frankly and III think you push people unnecessarily away from the love of Christ which it's the love of Christ that really was us it's the goodness of the Lord that leads men to repentance so be careful those of you that are trying to be hardcore Calvinists or hardcore Arminius I believe you guys need to be really careful because the Scriptures teach us a lot about God's sovereignty yes but also about our willingness to choose to follow the Lord so all that to say the Lord he's gonna eventually step in and but the reason I went into all that is because he's waiting patiently because there's more people who are gonna choose to follow him to choose to either go Satan's way or God's Way it's a choice that people can make well verse 8 and when he had taken the book the four beasts and the four and twenty elders fell down before the lamb having every one of them harps and golden vials full of odours which are the prayers of the saints interesting we have here a few little items first of all harps now it's interesting because harps in the Bible most of them there's different kinds liar's and what-have-you instruments of the Bible are kind of interesting study in and of themselves the sack but the salt tree the flute there's different even the trumpet has a meaning in Bible prophecy and in just typology but most of the harps of the Bible were ten stringed instruments and they would play them almost like an autoharp except they didn't have the buttons the buttons make it easy if you remember the autoharp in the 70s you can sit there and strum away and just push a button and you had a chord the the the 10 string harp was the one where you'd pluck just the stream per note but what's interesting about that is the typology is that of the law which is interesting as we have the 10 commandments 10 does sort of typify the law and that's interesting because we see harps here now this is where the cartoons this is where Warner Brothers when Daffy duck's gets killed and gets his wings he's always praying a harp you know it's that's why because you see harps in heaven right here people ask bread are animals or is my cat gonna be in heaven I say yes because because harps will be in heaven sorry catgut they used to use a cat gut for harp strings but just a just saw whew gasps there that was great I always loved it because there's cat people and there's not cat people you know what I mean and there's no golf there's a great gulf between the two so hey by the way we have a scripture coming up that might include fluffy fluffy in this discussion I'll show you that in a minute in case you're wondering if your cat is going to be in heaven where did I go harps yes so we see the harps here which are being played by the four and twenty elders they fall down before the lamb having every one of them harps and golden vials full of odors and then we get the benefit by the way incense we already know incense and the odor or aroma of the incense is a type of prayer we already know that from other places in the Bible but here we're given the description the odors are the prayers of the saints isn't that interesting we see here vials full of odors there's a couple things in in heaven that are interestingly going to be stored there that I think might be something that could change our behavior and how much time we spend doing a few things or what we think about certain activities did you know that the prayers of the Saints according to this passage are being stored up in these little vials the prayers of the saints you mean like Mother Teresa well remember if you're a Bible believer the the Saints it's not those who have been sainted by the Catholic Church if you read your Bible all people who believe in Jesus Christ are called the Saints Paul would greet all the saints who are in you know the different towns Ephesus and the Philip high church and other places Galatia to call them Saints and I believe you're either a saint or you're a Nate there's no big huge get the discussion if you're a Christian and saved by the grace of God you're a saint and so these Saints that could be you and me and the prayers that we offer are stored up in vials and it seems here that they're going to pour out these vials which are the odors the prayers of the saints they reach heaven they reached heaven and they'll be poured out before the Lord that's interesting to me the other thing by the way there's little vials that are gonna be filled with are your tears according to the scriptures that's interesting for those of you that shed a lot of tears in this life and been through a lot of hurts and how sorrows somehow that's going to come to play in in heaven Psalm 56 talks about how there's these little vials of and Psalm 56 eight that have our prayers upon me our tears stored up but when you think about it every time you pray there's a gonna be a fragrance sort of unleashed in heaven I think the person is a prayer warrior people that are into prayer people that see the that prayer is valuable I think there's a fragrance about them that we get to see even now and even here you know a lot of people ask why should I pray man God's gonna do what he's gonna do and it's all written point there's so funny the attitudes that we have this title deed that's gonna be opened up yes God seems to have a plan that's already pre-written in the scroll and as the seals are open up we're gonna see that plan on there's no question about that and by the way there's another dangerous teaching I see out there called open theism and that is where God doesn't even know what's gonna happen in the future we heard this teaching there's some people teaching this stuff open theism is what it's called and and the God doesn't really know the future and they're usually people that don't take the Bible literally on and when it comes to prophecy and what-have-you and even some mainline churches that once were more solid or starting to embrace what I think is really kind of crazy that God doesn't know the beginning from the end God doesn't know what's gonna happen in the future and part of their reasoning is I think they want to get to the place where we write our own destiny which I sure hope that's not true cuz that's horrible if it is that's horrifying but actually I don't believe that one tiny little instant I believe that God knows what's gonna happen he's omniscient he knows all things so open theism is something to be careful of just even right here we have a scroll where God says I know it's gonna happen and when these seals are broken up here's what's gonna happen with each seal events are gonna unfold in the world it's very clear God knows what's gonna unfold but with that said well then why should I pray if God already knows what's gonna happen why should I pray well jot this down first of all your prayers are treasured your prayers are treasured enough so that God says when you pray they're going to be filling these little vials in heaven that will bring a beautiful sweet odor Psalm 142 verse 2 speaks of prayer as incense that reaches the nostrils of the Lord and it's important to know that prayer is encouraged all throughout the Bible so your prayers are stored their treasured in heaven but not only that your prayers are answered Matthew chapter 6 verse 7 says but when you pray use not vain repetitions as the heathen do for they think they'll be heard for their much speaking be ye not therefore like unto them for your father knows the things you have need of before you ask them you say so God already knows what you need of why should we pray well that's where it gets interesting interesting James you know this one James 4:2 says you have not because you ask not was James right or was Jesus right which was right and the answer is both God knows what's coming and he knows what he's gonna do but at the same time God says you have not because you ask not so before you get all into the Braniac discussion about predestination divine action the sovereignty of God and all that stuff can I just give you this word pray just pray and ask the Lord of what you will have a submitted heart when you ask they Lord not my will but thy will be done prayer is important it's very clear in the Bible the disciples didn't even ask Jesus how they should pray they more really asked him Jesus teach us to pray and Jesus did just that and your prayers will be answered understand that don't ever think God never answers my prayer he always answers your prayer the question is does the answer the way you want it to happen or does he have something different sometimes a prayers yes sometimes the answer is no sometimes the answer is wait or maybe but still we should be those who pray because we have not because we ask not it's like the little church that the the tavern was being built it used to be a dry town but the tavern was coming in so the church all got together that a a prayer night once a week praying that this tavern wouldn't wouldn't go into business when right when the tavern was almost completed a lightning storm came struck the tavern and burned it to the ground well the tavern owner heard that the church had been praying for this and so he was ticked off he hired a lawyer and sued the church for burning down his tavern oh well the church lawyered up and they had this big hearing and the judge was sitting there and and the the towers in this church they burned down my tavern and and the church said we didn't burn down your town or lightning burned down your tavern and the judge says there's one thing that's clear that the tavern owner believes in prayer more than the church believes in prayer speaking of which by the way many of us have been praying that jiggles would be out of business many of you and many of us have been and praise the Lord our prayers have been answered did you hear this oh it's great check this out so not only as jiggle is gonna be dosed but Cabela's is going in you guys are much the heck's man it's like tell you what that's great I love it now not only that it gets better so not only is jiggles being dosed and Cabela's is going in but also a chick-fil-a is going in our prayers [Music] isn't that great man the Lord is good anyway but great stuff so anyway where was I oh prayer our prayers have been answered prayers will be in heaven and it brings a fruit a sweet fragrance so prayer is treasured prayer is answered but number three prayer I will be altered I will be altered more than moving the hand of God I hope you know that prayer is to change your heart and change who you are I think that's perhaps maybe even the greatest of results of a person who prays is your the one who's changed the Lord sets your heart right you know Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane father if it be your will let this cup pass from me the cup of suffering that he was about to endure but not my will but thy will be done why did Jesus go through all that if prayer wasn't important the point is Jesus did do that and changing nothing really about the future that he was about to endure but I believe that was a key part of his his success and his ability to just stay on track it's because he was prayed up and the Lord prepared his heart and prepared his mind for that what she was about to endure you know even there's examples and where Moses was there with the children of Israel and God says step side I'm gonna burn these people I'm gonna fry them and Moses preys on the on behalf of the people of Israel which is amazing if I was Moses remember that time where God says Moses step aside I'm gonna burn up all these people and from you I'm gonna make a mighty nation and you will be my people and so Moses prays as no Lord not so and he prays for the people and it says God repented of the thing that he was going to do to the children of Israel now for some of you that creates a great problem God changed his mind and the Bible said God never changes well here's the thing I think that I see something very huge going on there that's big and that is God put Moses in a situation where he had nothing else he could do but to pray who put it in the heart of Moses to pray for those complaining griping and grumbling people that were really mad at him who put it in the heart of Moses to pray it was none other than the Lord himself and I believe the Lord knew what was coming down all along but it was all part of a work that God was doing in Moses's art toward the people of God I don't believe God was ever gonna forsake his people the point is prayer is not as much to move the hand of God as it is to change the heart of man so prayer is essential for that reason not only is prayer treasured prayers answered and prayer will be that which alters you and changes your heart very very keen you know I wonder if instead of going to the world for emotional help and and even psychiatric help in some ways I wonder if if a lot of the struggles that we have could be helped if we would go to the Lord in prayer instead of talking to each other all about our problems or you know you know Jesus was about to face the most emotionally psychologically challenging thing that any person in the world would ever do what did he do did he go see a psychiatrist or a psychologist did he go talk to his disciples I need help I'm about to really go through some real hard come on get around me help me he didn't do that I didn't get on Facebook and saying you know everybody what am I gonna do I'm having a really bad day I didn't do that he went to the Father in heaven so important the world is so so sad today it's like psychologically the Americans are the worst the the French even have acknowledged when it comes to things like ADHD they view it as something that needs to be not medicated but a change of the way we think and just kind of a whole different attitude and so in America we have ten times the more children that are wrestling with ADHD than the kids in France is it because France is such a better place to live that kids are growing up much more wholesome or is it maybe their attitude toward ADHD is something that may be a little different and actually they're doing something better than we are if you study it there was a study by the way that just came out on this a couple weeks ago if you're interested but it is interesting to me that it does sort of indicate if there's one thing that study shows is we're doing it wrong we're handling ADHD very very wrong in America as opposed to other countries you know it some came across this is kind of cracks me up a guy experienced crisis in his life called the toll-free psychiatric hotline and this is what he heard welcome to the psychiatric hotline if you're an obsessive compulsive repeatedly press 1 if you're codependent ask someone else to press 2 if you have multiple personalities press 3 4 & 5 if you're suffering from paranoia we know who you are and what you want stay on the line until we trace this call if you're schizophrenic listen carefully and a little small voice will tell you which number to press if you're bipolar it doesn't matter which number you press no one will answer if you're depressed push any button you wish it won't make any difference anyhow thank you for your call you say Brett that's mean that's mean talk about people's problems it's funny how you know people get all upset about that stuff but but here's the thing I find humoring that because frankly there's people that think they're being helped by so many things but it's almost that ridiculous there there's true help to be found for the the bipolar for the manic-depressive for the orders and dysfunctions of humanity and and Jesus is the answer I beg of you seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and and it says all these things will be added unto you too many people are going everywhere but the Lord for help and yet they find year after year in themselves in the same position over and over again I look to the Lord well prayer is the first step in that be a person of Prayer man that's huge well I didn't mean to get too far off but we need to finish up this chapter so the prayers of the Saints are seen there in heaven that's that's encouraging to me I love that well then we go on it says after that verse 9 they sung a new song saying thou art worthy to take the book and open the seals thereof for thou was slain and us redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation and has made us unto our God kings and priests and we shall reign on the earth Wow powerful songs sung here now there's five things I want to cover as quick as we can what kind of song did they sing to begin with it was a worship him for they said thou art worthy to worship means to turn and kiss but also the word worship means to ascribe Worth to something worth ship is kind of a term I grew up hearing that is whatever you worship your giving will great worth to it and so when they say thou art worthy that you are in essence worth more than anything we could ever think of it's a worship him too many by the way contemporary Christian worship songs have too much I me and my and have you noticed that it's all about me you know worship you know it somehow it turns to all the affection and attention to us kind of goofy or even the believers experience you know our experience oh I I feel this and I love that the other thing but it's more about the experience than it is about the object of our worship which should be the lamb and the Lion of the tribe of Judah so we see that this worship first of all is a worship him but number two this is also a gospel song that's where it says that was slain and is redeemed us by thy blood so the word slain the greek word means violently slain just FYI and and what we see here is a song singing about the cross and blood a while back I had a person saying why do you guys always think about the blood of Jesus and it's in the cross and and I think they were confused you know it's easy to see if a person doesn't get why the cross is so important and what the blood of Jesus is then I can see why they'd be kind of freaked out by that but when you realize that without the cross without the shed blood of Christ no one would be saved we'd all burn in hell for all eternity there'd be no forgiveness of sin no redemption at all one church denomination by the way took their hymns their books hymnals and they removed all the mentions of blood in their hymns because they thought it was gross and they thought it was a turn-off to the world so they literally moved out all the words blood out and changed their hymns around what's interesting about that is that hymnal couldn't be used in heaven because they sing about the blood of Christ right here it's the gospel in a nutshell he's redeemed us that means we sold ourselves out and he bought us back that's redemption number three this is a song that's a missionary song so it's a worship him it's a gospel song but number three it's a missionary song it says the sinners were redeemed out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation that's that's a missionary thing right there God loves the whole world John 3:16 says and we are told in Matthew 28 verse 18 all powers giving me to heaven and earth go ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father the Son the Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and lo I am with you always even to the ends of the earth so that's our calling to witness to all the world and here this hymn sings of that it's a missionary song number 4 we also see it's a heavenly hymn that is devotional it's a devotional him for it announces our unique position in Christ as a kingdom of priests did you see that verse 10 he hath made us unto our God kings and priests and we shall reign upon the earth which brings us to the fifth and final part of this song not only is it a worship him a gospel song a missionary song a devotional him but it's also a prophetic hymn prophetic in that it says we shall reign on the earth he will establish his kingdom and we shall reign with him Revelation chapter 20 verses one through six will tell us more about how we're gonna rule and reign with him he's the ultimate king of kings but we get to be sort of under rulers according to the Bible now some would say Brett this is the four and twenty elders singing this which is true but it seems to go wider than that when it says how he has redeemed us and by the way some of your newer translations say them did you notice that the Greek says us so they changed it because they there was a bias trying to explain away the scripture frankly but the US there is speaking in the context of every kindred and tongue and people and nation has made us unto our God kings and priests that the point is is it moves from just the four and 20 elders to the heaven everybody in the heavenly scene they're singing this new song that is from every nation every tongue and of every kindred by the way people say what about the big bees how are they going to hear the Gospel message down in Papua New Guinea or what about the people in the jungles of the Amazon that never heard the gospel all we know is this is there's going to be people in the heavenly scene that are from every tongue every kindred every nation so somehow it's gonna work out that's that's something that we know because every time we'll be represented and that's a lot of different languages that are around the earth so we see that that really I believe this is though these are those who are in this heavenly scene who are people that we would call the church we see the church here in heaven because of their of every kindred tongue nation and they're worshiping before the throne great stuff this is glorious what a great great hymn what a great song marvelous rich worship that's happening those who are truly honoring him well John he says verse 11 and I beheld and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts of the elders and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands how many people is that oh okay by the way yes narrow is the way I think sometimes there's a bunch of Christians who read that and it is a sobering verse where broad is the path that leads to destruction but we know that Jesus talked about how the path to eternal life really is a narrow path but I also want to point out that here in heaven we see millions and millions and millions of people so there's there's the reason I say that is because there are some who like to camp out on the narrow part and say really there's only an elite few most of you are not going to make some but I met a guy the other day says most of Athey creatures will probably not make it into heaven and you know as a pastor I feel pretty defensive of y'all and you know you get a little fired up when people say that kind of that kind of whack onus but I also showed him this little passage where it says that there's gonna be millions and millions of people that said you have 10,000 times and thousands of people there's gonna be a lot of people saved and of every tongue and every of all Kindred's and people's that's pretty broad in the sense of what's gonna end up in heaven I think the the point of narrow and by the way if you look at the Greek text of that it means single file really like a single file line and the point of narrow is not that not very many people will be saved as much as you got to go through one door there's only one door that gets you into heaven fortunately millions and millions of people are gonna go through that door but it is narrow in the sense that you got to go through that door you can't go through the many doors that Oprah Winfrey teaches or the many paths that the New Ager tries to tell you it will lead you to heaven that broad way leads to destruction but the narrow path is through Jesus jesus said I am the way the truth and the life that's it there's no one that goes to heaven except by Jesus no other name under heaven by which men can be saved than that of Jesus Christ so that is a narrow little door that everybody must go through how many of you guys say I'm going through that door raise your hand see look at that that's a lot of people right there and I think you're gonna be parts of the millions and millions of people around about the throne praise the Lord for that so ten thousands upon ten thousands verse twelve they'll be all saying with a loud voice worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing there's seven possessions here I was going to go into tonight but as we're running out of time first power second riches thirdly wisdoms fourthly strength fifthly honor sixthly glory seventh blessing these are all possessions seven of them interesting how many sevens there are by the way in these lists in the book of Revelation but these are the seven things that Christ possesses worthy of study worthy of consideration for sure verse thirteen and every creature which is in heaven hmm there's fluffy every creature so does Fido making to have it it is an interesting thing house how much people especially in Portland yeah you know we love our pets man we love our dogs and oh it's lovely gonna be in heaven and I don't know for sure the answer to all that but it is interesting that there are creatures in heaven and the Lord is riding upon a horse coming from heaven so you horse people should be glad because that's what Christ is going to return on which means maybe we'll be coming on horses too I don't know but here's the thing you're not going to be bummed out in heaven and if Fido needs to be there for you to be happy maybe the laurels is to have them be there too maybe your Fido is now can your dog be saved all that that's just dumb I'm sorry it's not even to go there so every creature which is in heaven verse 13 and on earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea and all that are in them I heard saying blessing and honor and glory and power be to him that sitteth upon the throne unto the lamb forever and ever by the way interesting this this speaks of every creature there will come a day when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord and I believe that's what this passage is talking about that day it's almost like this worship scene in heaven is part of the worship is to say someday every creature will bow and speak of his glory that's going to happen even those that weren't saved will have to bow humbly and you can either be broken before him today or you will be broken by him in the future but you'll still bow hopefully you'll bow willingly but there will be some who won't but ultimately will be forced to and verse 14 the four beasts said a men which means yes or so be it and the four and twenty elders fell down and worshiped him that liveth for ever do you say hey been to that a man what a glorious worship scene in heaven and I think that's gonna be a great scene when that all unfolds when you get to heaven someday and we see what John sees here don't be a tourist you'll know what's goin on man there's gonna be a scroll and there's gonna be a title deed that's gonna be opened by Jesus that's what we're gonna see in chapter 6 verse 1 he's gonna start cracking open those seals which is the process to bring all the wrongs into a place of rightness and it's gonna hurt before it feels better it's like when you have a cavity that hurts a tooth that's abscessed it hurts before it gets better and in the way in that way the world is full of sin and there's a work that needs to be done and Christ in taking back the scroll is going to crack open those requirements of the title deed or the will if you want to call it that to receive back his inheritance or to receive back ownership if you would of the earth and it's gonna get ugly chapter 6 through 19 I might pick up the speed a little bit as we go through that because it's not so fun there's a lot of death and destruction pestilence famine war cataclysmic events that are gonna take place not a good time for this earth and that's what we're about to embark upon next week so as we close tonight man let's be let's be practicing for this day that's coming when we'll stand before the throne when we are worshipping God here at Athey Creek on a Wednesday or Sunday or singing in your car driving to work or reading the word and just thinking through the goodness of Lord let that be a practice because in heaven we will want to be worshipers and we will cry out to the Lord like these millions and millions of people depicted in our in our store here so let's pray as we close for the evening Lord we are thankful so much for your word to tell us about this scene that's coming and of all the things we can be thankful for Lord there's something new really that we consider this evening and that is that you created this whole series of events that will redeem humanity back into good position or good standing we sold ourselves out to sin but we see how you prepared the way the truth and the life that your son the lamb took our punishment was slain and redeemed every person who would believe and confess and be saved how thankful we are for our salvation we haven't deserved it or earned it but Lord you truly have graciously given it to us and I pray that we would have that message on our tip of our tongues Lord as we talk to people I pray that we wouldn't be bashful to share lovingly the Gospel message to those who don't know you Lord we want our family members and our friends not to miss this glorious invitation to come to be in good standing to be reconciled with the father so give us the ability to communicate I pray father your blessing on these who put in the time tonight to study your word may bring forth good fruit in our lives we pray in Jesus name Amen

Channel: Lean-into-God

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Id: VdjuZQsaSws

Length: 69min 30sec (4170 seconds)

Published: Mon Jul 13 2020