AS THE DAYS GROW DARKER AND
THE END DRAWS NEAR, CHRISTIANS ARE FACING MORE PERSECUTION
THAN EVER BEFORE. HOW SHOULD WE RESPOND TO IT? MY
RESPONSIBILITY, YOUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO DECLARE
THE WORD OF GOD IN THIS GENERATION; WHETHER THEY HEAR
OR WHETHER THEY WILL NOT HEAR. THE MAN OF GOD, THE WOMAN
OF GOD IN THE WILL OF GOD, SPEAKING THE WORD OF GOD IS
IMMORTAL UNTIL HIS WORK IS FINISHED. I BELIEVE THAT.
GOD’S WORK DONE IN GOD’S WAY WILL NEVER EVER WANT FOR GOD’S
PROVISION OR GOD’S PROTECTION. WHEN YOU’RE IN THE WILL OF
GOD. ADRIAN ROGERS BUILT HIS MINISTRY ON A FOUNDATION OF
SOUND, BIBLICAL TRUTH. TODAY WE DIVE INTO THAT TRUTH AS
WE CONTINUE OUR SERIES, THE TRIUMPH OF THE LAMB. FOLLOW
ALONG WITH PASTOR ROGERS OUTLINE, NOTES OR A COMPLETE
TRANSCRIPT OF TODAY’S MESSAGE AT LWF.ORG. NOW,
HERE’S ADRIAN ROGERS. WOULD YOU TAKE GOD’S WORD AND
FIND REVELATION CHAPTER 11? AND, AH, TODAY OUR SUBJECT
IS THIS, “WHEN PROPHETS ARE PERSECUTED.” NOW LET ME ASK
YOU A QUESTION. DON’T ANSWER IT WITH A LIFTED HAND BUT
ANSWER IT IN YOUR HEART. ARE YOU BEING PERSECUTED FOR
JESUS? SECOND QUESTION, IF NOT, WHY NOT? HUH, SOMEBODY
SAID, “THE PROBLEM WITH CHRISTIANS TODAY IS NOBODY
WANTS TO KILL THEM ANYMORE.” [AUDIENCE: AMEN] [AUDIENCE
LAUGHTER] WELL THEY ARE KILLING SOME OF THEM AROUND
THE WORLD. DO YOU KNOW WHY SOME ARE PERSECUTED AND SOME
ARE NOT PERSECUTED? THE BIBLE SAYS THIS, “YEA, AND ALL
WHO WILL LIVE GODLY IN CHRIST JESUS SHALL SUFFER
PERSECUTION.” ALL SHALL SUFFER PERSECUTION IF THEY’RE LIVING
GODLY IN CHRIST JESUS. HUH, SO, IF, IF YOU’RE NOT LIVING
GODLY IN CHRIST JESUS, YES, AH, YOU’RE NOT GOING TO SUFFER
PERSECUTION. NOW, LET’S LOOK IN THIS ELEVENTH CHAPTER OF
THE BOOK OF THE REVELATION VERSES ONE AND TWO, “AND THERE
WAS GIVEN UNTO ME A REED LIKE UNTO A ROD: AND THE ANGEL
STOOD, SAYING, ‘RISE, AND MEASURE THE TEMPLE OF GOD,
AND THE ALTAR, AND THEM THAT WORSHIP THEREIN. BUT THE COURT
WHICH, WHICH IS WITHOUT,” OR OUTSIDE, “THE TEMPLE LEAVE
OUT, AND MEASURE IT NOT; FOR IT IS GIVEN UNTO THE GENTILES:
AND THE HOLY CITY,” UNDERSCORE THE PHRASE, “THE HOLY CITY,”
“AND THE HOLY CITY SHALL THEY TREAD UNDER FOOT FORTY AND TWO
MONTHS.’” THE PLACE: THE HOLY CITY, JERUSALEM. THE TIME: THE
GREAT TRIBULATION. THAT IS THE PERIOD OF TIME THAT WE’RE IN.
THERE IS COMING A TIME UPON THIS EARTH THAT JESUS SAID IS
CALLED GREAT TRIBULATION. AS SO THAT’S THE TIME AND THE
PLACE. SO IT BRINGS, AH, THIS MORNING OUR FOCUS TO THE LAND
OF ISRAEL. WELL, YOU DIDN’T NEED THE WORD OF GOD TO DO
THAT. YOU COULD PICK UP THE NEWSPAPER AND PUT YOUR FOCUS
ON THE LAND OF ISRAEL. YOU COULD PICK UP THE NEWSPAPER
AND FOCUS ON THE HOLY CITY, JERUSALEM. BECAUSE THE JEWS
ARE THE PEOPLE OF DESTINY, JERUSALEM IS THE CITY OF
DESTINY. AND WE NEED TO SEE WHAT GOD HAS TO SAY.
NOW, THERE ARE SOME AMAZING END-TIME PROPHECIES. SOME HAVE
BEEN FULFILLED BEFORE OUR VERY EYES. FOR EXAMPLE, GOD SAID
THAT HE’S GOING TO REGATHER THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL AND BRING
THEM BACK TO THEIR LAND. PUT IN YOUR MARGIN EZEKIEL 36
VERSE 24. GOD SAID TO ISRAEL, “FOR I WILL TAKE YOU FROM
AMONG THE HEATHEN, AND GATHER YOU OUT OF ALL COUNTRIES, AND
BRING YOU INTO YOUR OWN LAND.” BY THE WAY, THAT ANSWERS THE
QUESTION ALSO AS TO WHO OWNS THE LAND. HUH, “I WILL GATHER
YOU OUT OF ALL COUNTRIES, AND BRING YOU BACK INTO YOUR OWN
LAND.” NOW, THAT WE’VE SEEN FULFILLED WITH OUR VERY EYES.
BUT THERE’S ANOTHER PROPHECY THAT IS TO BE FULFILLED,
AND THAT IS IN JERUSALEM THE TEMPLE WILL BE REBUILT. LOOK
AGAIN IN THESE SCRIPTURES, “AND THERE WAS GIVEN TO ME A
REED, SAY, A, LIKE UNTO A ROD: AND THE ANGEL STOOD, SAYING,
‘RISE, AND MEASURE THE TEMPLE OF GOD, AND THE ALTAR, AND
THEM THAT WORSHIP THEREIN.’” NOW REMEMBER THIS IS FUTURE
AND JOHN IS TOLD TO MEASURE THE TEMPLE. NOW YOU CAN’T
MEASURE SOMETHING THAT IS NOT THERE. NOW IF YOU WERE TO GO
TO JERUSALEM TODAY, AS I’VE DONE MANY TIMES, YOU WOULDN’T
FIND A TEMPLE. YOU WOULDN’T FIND A TRACE OF THE TEMPLE.
ALL YOU WOULD FIND IS THE TEMPLE MOUNT, THE MOST
CONTESTED PIECE OF REAL ESTATE IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD, THE
TEMPLE MOUNT. ON THAT TEMPLE MOUNT TODAY IS A MUSLIM
MOSQUE, THE MOSQUE OF OMAR. OR WHAT SOME CALL THE DOME OF THE
ROCK. BUT THERE’S NO TEMPLE THERE, NOT A SHRED OF A
TEMPLE. WHY? JESUS SAID IN MATTHEW CHAPTER 24, CONCERNING
THE TEMPLE OF HIS DAY, “NOT ONE STONE WILL BE LEFT UPON
ANOTHER.” THE ONLY PART OF THAT TEMPLE THAT YOU COULD
FIND TODAY IS NOT REALLY A PART BUT THE BASE THAT WENT
AROUND IT. AH, THE PLATFORM ON WHICH IT WAS BUILT. AND THE
WESTERN PART OF THAT PLATFORM REMAINS KNOWN AS WHAT? THE
WESTERN WALL OR THE WAILING WALL. BECAUSE, SHORTLY AFTER
JESUS MADE THAT PREDICTION IN 70 A.D., A ROMAN GENERAL
NAMED TITUS CAME AGAINST, AH, JERUSALEM LAID SIEGE AGAINST
JERUSALEM. AH, THE ROMANS DID NOT DESTROY TEMPLES. THEY
PRESERVED TEMPLES. AND TITUS GAVE WORD THAT, AH, AH,
HEROD’S TEMPLE, THE TEMPLE THAT WAS THERE IN JERUSALEM
WAS TO BE PRESERVED. BUT SOMEHOW IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. AND
WHEN IT CAUGHT ON FIRE, THAT REACH, RICH CEDAR AND OTHER
BEAMS BEGAN TO BURN. WELL THE TEMPLE, PARTS OF IT, WERE
OVERLAID WITH GOLD. AND EVERYBODY HAD A SUSPICION THAT
DOWN IN THE VAULTS UNDERNEATH WERE GREAT TREASURES. AND SO
WHEN THE TEMPLE BURNED, WHAT HAPPENED? THE GOLD MELTED AND
RAN INTO THE CREVICES. PEOPLE TOOK GREAT PRY BARS AND PRIED
THOSE STONES APART AND LEFT NOT ONE STONE UPON ANOTHER. SO
THERE’S NO TEMPLE THERE TODAY. BUT THIS SCRIPTURE SAYS
TODAY THAT THE TEMPLE WILL BE REBUILT. AND DID YOU KNOW THAT
THERE ARE RELIGIOUS JEWS TODAY WHO ARE MAKING PLANS TO
REBUILD THE TEMPLE? I HAVE BEEN TO ISRAEL. I HAVE SEEN
THE YA, YESHIVAHS. AH, THE, THE RABBINIC SCHOOLS, WHERE
THEY’RE TRAINING THE YOUNG PRIESTS, THE DESCENDANTS OF
LEVI, TO OFFER SACRIFICES IN THE TEMPLE. I HAVE BEEN TO THE
TEMPLE INSTITUTE WHERE THEY ARE WEAVING CLOTHING AS
THE BIBLE DESCRIBES FOR THE PRIESTS TO WEAR. WHERE THE
ARTISANS ARE MAKING, AH, VESSELS OF SILVER AND GOLD FOR
THE CARRYING OUT OF THE TEMPLE WORSHIP. WHERE THEY’RE MAKING
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS AS THEY DID ACCORDING, AH, TO THE
PRESCRIPTIONS OF THE BIBLE. THEY ARE GETTING READY TO
REBUILD THE TEMPLE. AS A MATTER OF FACT, SOME HAVE, AH,
TRIED EVEN TO LAY A FOUNDATION STONE OF THE NEW TEMPLE. IT
CAUSED ALL KINDS OF MAYHEM THERE IN ISRAEL. I HAVE BEEN,
EH, THROUGH THAT HASMONEME, HASMONEAN, AH, TUNNEL CALLED
THE RABBI TUNNEL. IT IS A LABYRINTHIAN WAY AS YOU GO
THERE ALONG, AH, THE TEMPLE MOUNT. YOU’LL COME TO A SPOT
WHERE THERE’S A SIGN ON THE WALL THAT SAYS THIS SPOT IS
CLOSEST TO THE HOLY OF HOLIES. AH, THEY’RE TRYING TO
DESIGNATE WHERE THE HOLY OF HOLIES, AH, IS. SO THAT THIS
TEMPLE, WHEN THE TIME COMES, AH, WILL BE REBUILT. IF YOU’D
GO AND FIND THOSE HASIDIC JEWS THERE BOBBING THEIR HEAD AT
THE WESTERN WALL, THEY’RE PRAYING. AND YOU ASK MANY OF
THEM, WHAT ARE YOU PRAYING FOR? PRAYING FOR MESSIAH TO
COME. WHAT ARE YOU PRAYING FOR? PRAYING FOR THE TEMPLE TO
BE REBUILT. WELL, ONE DAY IT WILL BE, ACCORDING TO THIS
PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE. BECAUSE GOD SAYS TO JOHN, “MEASURE THE
TEMPLE.” NOW THE INTERESTING THING IS THIS, THAT THIS
TEMPLE IS THE PRECURSOR OF ANTICHRIST AND HIS POWER.
BECAUSE JESUS SAID THAT ANTICHRIST IS GOING TO ENTER
INTO THAT TEMPLE AND HE’S GOING TO ABOMINATE OR MAKE
THAT DESOLATE. AH, LET ME GIVE A SCRIPTURE; PUT THIS DOWN
IN YOUR MARGIN, MATTHEW 24, BEGINNING IN VERSE 15, “WHEN
YE THEREFORE SHALL SEE THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION.”
BOY, THAT’S A RICH DESCRIPTION, ISN’T IT?
“ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION.” “WHEN YE SHALL SEE THE
ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION, SPOKEN OF BY DANIEL THE
PROPHET, STAND IN THE HOLY PLACE.” NOW THE HOLY PLACE IS
A PART OF THE TEMPLE. DANIEL THE PROPHET SAID, “THERE’S
COMING AN ABOMINATION OF DESOLATIONS, GONNA STAND IN
THE HOLY PLACE.” JESUS SAYS, “WHOSO READETH, LET HIM
UNDERSTAND. THEN LET THEM WHICH BE IN JUDEA FLEE TO
THE MOUNTAINS.” VERSE 21, “FOR THEN SHALL BE GREAT
TRIBULATION, SUCH AS WAS NOT SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE
WORLD TO THIS TIME, NO, NOR EVER SHALL BE.” WHO SAID THAT,
SOME WILD-EYED PREACHER? NO, JESUS. JESUS SAID, “WHEN YOU
SEE WHAT DANIEL PROPHESIED, THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION
IN THE HOLY PLACE, THEN GET OUT OF TOWN. THERE WILL BE
GREAT TRIBULATION. NOTHING LIKE IT IN ALL OF HISTORY.”
NOW THE APOSTLE PAUL SPOKE OF THE SAME THING. AND PUT THIS,
AH, VERSE DOWN. IT’S VERY INTERESTING. IN SECOND
THESSALONIANS CHAPTER TWO VERSES ONE THROUGH FIVE,
PAUL IS LOOKING OUT INTO THE FUTURE. HE’S TALKING ABOUT
WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN. LISTEN TO IT CAREFULLY. PUT IT
IN YOUR MARGIN, SECOND THESSALONIANS TWO, ONE THROUGH
FIVE, “NOW WE BESEECH YOU, BRETHREN, BY THE COMING OF OUR
LORD JESUS CHRIST,” NOW HE’S TALKING ABOUT THE SECOND
COMING, “AND BY OUR GATHERING TOGETHER UNTO HIM.” HE’S
TALKING ABOUT THE RAPTURE, “THAT YE BE NOT SOON SHAKEN IN
MIND, OR BE TROUBLED, NEITHER BY SPIRIT, OR BY WORD, NOR BY
LETTER AS FROM US, AS THAT THE DAY OF CHRIST IS AT HAND.”
THERE HAD GONE OUT A SPURIOUS LETTER SAYING THAT WE
WERE ALREADY IN THE GREAT TRIBULATION. PAUL SAID NO,
“LET NO MAN DECEIVE YOU BY ANY MEANS: FOR THAT DAY SHALL
NOT COME, EXCEPT THERE COME A FALLING AWAY FIRST.” THAT’S
THE WORD FOR APOSTASY. “AND THE MAN OF SIN BE REVEALED.”
THE MAN OF SIN. YOU KNOW WE GOT IN TROUBLE WITH THE SIN
OF MAN. HUH, IT’S GONNA END UP WITH THE MAN OF SIN. HE’S
GONNA BE THE EPITOME OF SIN, THE QU, THE QUINTESSENTIAL,
AH, REPRESENTATIVE SIN, AH, OF SIN, THE ANTICHRIST, THE
BEAST. “THE MAN OF SIN BE REVEALED, THE SON OF
PERDITION.” NOW WATCH THIS, “WHO OPPOSETH AND EXALTETH
HIMSELF ABOVE ALL THAT IS CALLED GOD, OR THAT IS
WORSHIPPED.” NOW LISTEN TO THIS NEXT PHRASE, “SO THAT HE,
AS GOD, SITTETH IN THE TEMPLE OF GOD, SHOWING HIMSELF
THAT HE IS GOD.” THAT IS THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION.
THERE IS ONE DAY COMING, A, A TEMPLE THAT’S GOING TO BE
REBUILT ON THE TEMPLE MOUNT. THERE IS COMING A WORLD LEADER
WHO ONE DAY ENSCONCE HIMSELF IN THAT TEMPLE IN THE HOLY
PLACE AND SAY, “YOU, YOU’VE BEEN LOOKING FOR GOD, HERE I
AM. HERE I AM.” THIS MAN OF SIN, THIS ABOMINATION OF
DESOLATION IN THE TEMPLE OF GOD DECLARING HIMSELF TO BE
GOD. NOW, THAT’S VERY DEEP. WE’LL GET INTO THAT A LITTLE
BIT LATER. BECAUSE WHAT I’M TRYING TO DO IS TO, AH, SET
THE STAGE. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, WHEN THAT MAN MOVES INTO THE
TEMPLE OF GOD SHOWING HIMSELF THAT HE IS GOD, HE WILL DO IT
IN THE MIDDLE OF A SEVEN-YEAR PERIOD KNOWN AS THE GREAT
TRIBULATION. AND, AH, WE HAVE SEEN IN THAT GREAT
TRIBULATION, AH, THE OPENING OF SEVEN SEALS AND WE ARE
GETTING READY FOR THE BLOWING OF SEVEN TRUMPETS. RIGHT IN
THE MIDDLE OF THIS PERIOD, WHICH IS SEVEN YEARS ACCORDING
TO PROPHET DANIEL CHAPTER NINE. RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF
THIS PERIOD, THIS ANTICHRIST IS GOING TO MOVE INTO THE
TEMPLE OF GOD SHOWING HIMSELF THAT HE IS GOD. THAT’S THE
REASON YOU’RE GONNA FIND IN THE SCRIPTURE THAT WE’RE
READING TODAY THE PHRASE FORTY-TWO MONTHS, OR 1,260
DAYS, OR TIME AND TIMES AND HALF A TIME. ALL OF THESE
REFER TO THREE AND A HALF YEARS. FORTY-TWO MONTHS, THREE
AND A HALF YEARS. 1,260 DAYS, THREE AND A HALF YEARS. AH,
RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS SEVEN-YEAR PERIOD. SEVEN IS
THE NUMBER OF PERFECTION. WHY THREE AND A HALF? THREE AND
A HALF SPEAKS OF DIVISION, DANGER, WHEN THIS MAN
MOVES INTO THE TEMPLE SHOWING HIMSELF THAT HE IS GOD. NOW,
GOD HAS GIVEN A WARNING AS TO WHAT WILL HAPPEN. GOD BRINGS;
GOD WILL BRING HIS MINISTERS, HIS MESSENGERS, TWO MIGHTY
PROPHETS. WE’RE GOING TO STUDY THOSE PROPHETS TODAY. AND
THAT’S, HENCE THE TITLE OF THE MESSAGE, “WHEN PROPHETS ARE
PERSECUTED.” THERE’RE TWO WITNESSES WHO’RE GOING TO
RISE UP DURING THIS HORRENDOUS PERIOD OF TIME TO PROPHESY
AND TEACH. AND MAY I SAY PARENTHETICALLY THAT GOD
ALWAYS HAS HIS PROPHETS. DID YOU KNOW THAT? THERE’S NEVER A
TIME WHEN GOD DOESN’T HAVE HIS PROPHETS. AMOS CHAPTER THREE
VERSE SEVEN, “SURELY THE LORD GOD WILL DO NOTHING, BUT HE
REVEALETH HIS SECRET UNTO HIS SERVANTS THE PROPHETS.” GOD
DOES NOT MOVE WITHOUT LETTING A PROPHET KNOW SOMEWHERE
WHAT’S ABOUT TO HAPPEN. GOD SENT ENOCH AND NOAH BEFORE
THE FLOOD. AND GOD SENT, AH, ELIJAH AND JEREMIAH AND ALL OF
THESE, AH, BEFORE THE EXILE. GOD DOESN’T MOVE EXCEPT HE
SENDS HIS PROPHETS. MAY I SAY ALSO TODAY THAT GOD HAS
HIS PROPHETS? NOW THERE ARE CHARLATANS TODAY. AND
THERE ARE QUACKS AND THERE ARE FAKES. BUT THIS WORLD HAS BEEN
WARNED. YOU’RE BEING WARNED. YOU, DEAR FRIEND, WATCHING
THROUGH TELEVISION ARE BEING WARNED. GOD DOES NOTHING BUT
WHAT HE REVEALS HIS SECRET TO HIS SERVANTS THE PROPHETS. SO
IN THIS TIME GOD RAISES UP TWO PROPHETS. NOW, WE’RE
GOING TO LOOK AT FIVE FACTORS CONCERNING THESE TWO PROPHETS.
OKAY? AND AS WE LOOK AT THESE [SLAP] FACTORS, WE’RE GOING
TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM BECAUSE IN MANY WAYS WE CAN
APPLY IT TO OURSELVES. NOW WE’RE NOT THOSE TWO PROPHETS,
BUT THERE’RE SOME LESSONS WE’RE GONNA LEARN ABOUT
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN PROPHETS ARE PERSECUTED. NOW I’VE SET THE
STAGE, THE TEMPLE IS REBUILT. UH, THE ANTICHRIST IS READY
TO ENSCONCE HIMSELF. HERE ARE SOME FACTORS ABOUT THESE
PROPHETS. NUMBER ONE, THEY ARE SPIRITUALLY PREPARED. DO YOU
HAVE IT? THEY ARE SPIRITUALLY PREPARED. LOOK IN VERSES THREE
AND FOUR, “AND I WILL GIVE POWER UNTO MY TWO WITNESSES,
AND THEY SHALL PROPHESY A THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED AND
THREESCORE DAYS, CLOTHED IN SACKCLOTH. THESE ARE THE
TWO OLIVE TREES, AND THE TWO CANDLESTICKS STANDING BEFORE
THE GOD OF THE EARTH.” NOW THESE MEN ARE DESCRIBED AS
OLIVE TREES AND CANDLESTICKS. LITERALLY THE GREEK IS
LAMPSTANDS. A CANDLE BURNS A WICK. A LAMPSTAND BURNS OIL.
AND THE GREEK WORD IS REALLY LAMPSTAND. AND SO GOD SAYS,
“I’VE GOT TWO PROPHETS.” THEY ARE OLIVE TREES. THAT SPEAKS
OF FRUITFULNESS. THEY ARE LAMPSTANDS. THAT SPEAKS OF
LIGHT. AND THAT SPEAKS OF EVERY WITNESS. AH, WE’RE TO BE
FRUITFUL AND WE’RE TO BE, GIVE LIGHT. THE, THE LIGHT IN THE
LAMPSTAND IN THE TEMPLE BURNED OLIVE OIL. AND THIS IS
SYMBOLIC. OIL IN THE BIBLE IS AN EMBLEM, A SYMBOL, OF THE
HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD. HOW DOES OUR LIGHT SHINE? WELL, WE’RE
TO BE LIKE OLIVE TREES. THE OIL OF GOD’S SPIRIT IS TO
BE IN US. WE’RE TO BE LIKE LAMPSTANDS. JESUS SAID, “YOU
ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD.” THESE ARE TWO WITNESSES.
DID YOU EVER SING THAT LITTLE CHORUS, “GIVE ME OIL IN MY
LAMP, KEEP ME BURNING, KEEP ME BURNING?” THAT’S WHAT THIS
IS TALKING ABOUT. AH, WE ARE WITNESSES OF THE LORD. AND
SO, WE, THESE WITNESSES WERE SPIRITUALLY PREPARED. AND BY
THE WAY, IF YOU’RE GOING TO LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE, LEARN TO
BURN THE OIL AND NOT THE WICK. YOU BURN THE WICK YOU’RE GOING
TO BURN OUT AND YOU’RE GOING TO MAKE A LOT OF SMOKE. YOU’RE
NOT GOING TO GIVE MUCH LIGHT. HOW IMPORTANT IT IS THAT WE
UNDERSTAND WHAT JESUS TAUGHT. “YE SHALL RECEIVE POWER AFTER
THAT THE HOLY GHOST IS COME UPON YOU AND YE SHALL BE
WITNESSES UNTO ME.” THAT’S THE SYMBOLIC LESSON OF THE OLIVE
TREES AND THE LAMPSTAND. IT IS FOOLISH AND IT IS WICKED TO
TRY TO DO GOD’S WORK WITHOUT GOD’S POWER. AND I AM GOING TO
TELL YOU THIS. I PRAYED BEFORE I CAME OUT HERE. AND I WOULD
BE, NEVER THINK OF PREACHING WITHOUT ASKING GOD FOR POWER.
WE ARE WITNESSES. THESE TWO MEN, WHOMEVER THEY MAY BE,
WERE SPIRITUALLY PREPARED. THEY ARE OLIVE TREES AND
LAMPSTANDS. AND THEY’RE CLOTHED IN SACKCLOTH. WHAT IS
SACKCLOTH? IT’S THE, THE, THE DRAB GARMENT THAT A PERSON
WOULD WEAR WHEN IN MOURNING AND SORROW. THEY’RE GOING TO
PREACH JUDGMENT. I BELIEVE IN HELL. I BELIEVE THAT IF WE HAD
MORE HELL IN OUR PULPITS, WE WOULD HAVE LESS IN OUR
COMMUNITY. [AUDIENCE: AMEN] I BELIEVE IN HELL. BUT IF YOU
EVER SEEN A PREACHER PREACH ON HELL SEEM TO HAVE A GLEE IN
HIS, ON HIS FACE, EH, AND, AND, JUST VINDICTIVENESS AND
MEANNESS IN HIS HEART. NO, IF YOU PREACH JUDGMENT YOU
OUGHT TO DO IT IN SACKCLOTH. [AUDIENCE: AMEN] THERE OUGHT
TO BE A BROKEN HEART AND WE OUGHT TO, WE OUGHT TO HAVE A
HEART THAT IS BROKEN FOR THOSE MULTITUDES THAT ARE MARCHING
INTO HELL. THE FIRST THING ABOUT THESE PROPHETS THAT I
WANT YOU TO SEE IS THEY ARE SPIRITUALLY, SPIRITUALLY
PREPARED. NUMBER TWO. SECONDLY, THEY ARE SOVEREIGNLY
PROTECTED. LOOK IN VERSES FIVE AND SIX, “AND IF ANY MAN WILL
HURT THEM, FIRE PROCEEDETH OUT OF THEIR MOUTH, AND DEVOURETH
THEIR ENEMIES.” IS THIS LITERAL FIRE? I THINK NOT. I
THINK IT SPEAKS OF THE PA, OF THE POWER OF THEIR WORD. YOU
KNOW, AH, SPEAKING OF JESUS, WHEN HE COMES AGAIN. THE BIBLE
SAYS THERE’S A SHARP TWO-EDGED SWORD GOES OUT OF HIS MOUTH. I
MEAN, EH, DO YOU PICTURE JESUS WITH A LITERAL, AH, BLADE
COMING OF HIS MOUTH. NO. THE WORD OF GOD IS AS SHARP, QUICK
AND POWERFUL, SHARPER THAN A TWO-EDGED SWORD. FIRE COMES
OUT OF THEIR MOUTH TO DEVOUR THEIR ENEMIES. “AND IF ANY
MAN WILL HURT THEM, HE MUST IN THIS MANNER BE KILLED. THESE
HAVE POWER TO SHUT HEAVEN.” THE WORD POWER MEANS
AUTHORITY. “THAT IT RAIN NOT IN THE DAYS OF THEIR PROPHECY:
AND HAVE POWER OVER WATERS TO TURN THEM TO BLOOD, AND TO
SMITE THE EARTH WITH ALL PLAGUES, AS OFTEN AS THEY
WILL.” LOOK AT IT, AH, POWER OVER DEATH. POWER OVER
DROUGHT. POWER OVER DISEASE. WHAT IS ALL OF THIS TALKING
ABOUT? JESUS SAID WHEN HE SENT OUT HIS APOSTLES, “I GIVE YOU
POWER OVER ALL OF THE POWER OF THE ENEMY.” YOU SAY, “WELL,
DOES THAT MEAN I DON’T HAVE TO BE AFRAID OF THE DEVIL
ANYMORE?” NO, IT MEANS THE DEVIL OUGHT TO BE AFRAID OF
YOU. [AUDIENCE: AMEN] HERE THESE MEN HAVE POWER. NOW, WHO
ARE THESE TWO WITNESSES? WELL, NOTICE THE PA, KIND OF POWER
THAT THEY HAVE. THEY HAVE POWER OVER PLAGUES AND POWER
OVER DROUGHT AND SO FORTH. THEY REMIND US OF ELIJAH AND
MOSES. I THINK THESE TWO MEN COME IN THE SPIRIT OF ELIJAH
AND MOSES. WHEN WE THINK OF ELIJAH WE THINK OF THE
PROPHETS. AH, AH, WHEN WE, WHEN WE THINK OF MOSES, AH,
WE, WE THINK OF THE LAW. NOW, WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE LAW
AND THE PROPHETS? THERE’S A BODY OF LITERATURE IN THE OLD
TESTAMENT CALLED THE LAW, THE PENTATEUCH: GENESIS,
EXODUS, LEVITICUS, NUMBERS AND DEUTERONOMY. THE
LAW, BASICALLY THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. AND THEN THE
PROPHETS, THE GREAT PROPHETS IN THE BIBLE. NOW, THESE TWO
WITNESSES REPRESENT THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS TO ME. SOME
LIT, SAY THAT THEY ARE MOSES AND ELIJAH COME BACK. BE THAT
AS IT MAY, THE BIBLE DOESN’T SAY, I CAN’T SAY. BUT I WILL
TELL YOU THIS, THAT THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS WITNESS
THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. THEY WITNESSED TO HIM. LUKE 24,
JESUS IN HIS OWN WORDS, VERSE 27, “AND BEGINNING AT
MOSES AND ALL THE PROPHETS, HE EXPOUNDED UNTO THEM IN ALL
THE SCRIPTURES THE THINGS CONCERNING HIMSELF.” NEVER
MAKE THE MISTAKE OF THINKING THAT THE OLD TESTAMENT IS
ABOUT JUDAISM AND THE NEW TESTAMENT IS ABOUT JESUS.
FRIEND, ALL OF [TAP] THE [TAP] BIBLE [TAP] IS [TAP] ABOUT
[TAP] JESUS [TAP] CHRIST. [TAP, TAP] THE LAW IS ABOUT
JESUS. THE PROPHETS ARE ABOUT JESUS. AND THESE TWO MEN, I
THINK, REPRESENT THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS. THERE WERE TWO
FALSE WITNESSES THAT CONDEMN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST WHEN HE
WAS CRUCIFIED THE, THE FIRST TIME. THESE WITNESSES ARE
COMING REPRESENTING ALL THAT IS IN THE BIBLE, THE LAW AND
THE PROPHETS, TESTIFYING OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. WELL
WHAT IS THE PRINCIPLE HERE? WHEN I SAID THEY’RE SA,
SOVEREIGNLY PROTECTED. LISTEN TO ME PRECIOUS FRIEND. THE MAN
OF GOD, THE WOMAN OF GOD, IN THE WILL OF GOD, SPEAKING THE
WORD OF GOD, IS IMMORTAL UNTIL HIS WORK IS FINISHED. I
BELIEVE THAT. GOD’S WORK DONE IN GOD’S WAY WILL NEVER, EVER
WANT FOR GOD’S PROVISION OR GOD’S PROTECTION. WHEN YOU’RE
IN THE WILL OF GOD. THESE MEN, THESE TWO WITNESSES ARE
SOVEREIGNLY PROTECTED. THIRD THING. THEY ARE SATANICALLY
PERSECUTED. NOW BEGIN IN VERSE SEVEN, “AND WHEN THEY
SHALL HAVE FINISHED THEIR TESTIMONY,” UNDERSCORE THAT,
“FINISHED THEIR TESTIMONY. THE BEAST THAT ASCENDETH OUT OF
THE BOTTOMLESS PIT SHALL MAKE WAR AGAINST THEM, AND SHALL
OVERCOME THEM, AND KILL THEM.” NOW THE BEAST THAT COMES OUT
OF THE BOTTOMLESS PIT IS THE SAME ONE THAT WILL SIT IN THE
TEMPLE SHOWING HIMSELF THAT HE IS GOD. WORDS FOR THE
ANTICHRIST. LIKE MANY CRIMINALS, HE HAS MANY
ALIASES, HUH, HUH, AH, HE, HE’S CALLED THE BEAST. HE’S
CALLED THE MAN OF SIN. HE’S CALLED THE SON OF PERDITION.
HE’S CALLED THE WICKED ONE. HE’S CALLED THE LITTLE HORN.
HERE HE IS DESCRIBED AS A BEAST ASCENDING OUT OF THE
ABYSS. THAT IS, HE IS, AH, GOING TO BE RELEASED THIS
MALEVOLENT PERSON. AH, “THE BEAST THAT ASCENDETH OUT OF
THE BOTTOMLESS PIT SHALL MAKE WAR AGAINST THEM.” WHO. THESE
TWO WITNESSES. “AND SHALL OVERCOME THEM, AND KILL THEM.
AND THEIR DEAD BODIES SHALL LIE IN THE STREET OF THE GREAT
CITY, WHICH IS SPIRITUALLY, WHICH SPIRITUALLY IS CALLED
SODOM AND EGYPT.” WELL, WHAT IS THAT? SODOM WITH ITS VICE
AND EGYPT WITH ITS VANITY. HUH, HUH. WHICH, “WHERE ALSO
OUR LORD WAS CRUCIFIED.” NOW JERUSALEM, THE HOLY CITY HAS
BECOME THE HELLISH CITY, THE CENTRAL POINT, THE PLACE WHERE
THEY CRUCIFIED JESUS. THE HOLY CITY IS NOW DESCRIBED LIKE,
“SODOM AND EGYPT, WHERE ALSO OUR LORD WAS CRUCIFIED.
AND THEY OF THE PEOPLE AND KINDREDS AND TONGUES AND
NATIONS SHALL SEE THEIR DEAD BODIES THREE DAYS AND A HALF,
AND SHALL NOT SUFFER THEIR DEAD BODIES TO PUT IT, TO BE
PUT IN GRAVES. AND THEY THAT DWELL UPON THE EARTH SHALL
REJOICE OVER THEM, AND MAKE MERRY, AND SEND GIFTS ONE TO
ANOTHER; BECAUSE THESE TWO PROPHETS TORMENTED THEM THAT
DWELT ON THE EARTH.” NOW THE FURY OF HELL IS GOING TO BURST
UPON THESE TWO WITNESSES. THEY MUST NOT HAVE BEEN READING THE
MODERN BOOKS ON USER-FRIENDLY EVANGELISM, HUH. ALL OF HELL
COMES DOWN UPON THESE MEN. WHY? BECAUSE THEY WERE
TORMENTED BY THE PREACHING OF THE WORD OF GOD. AND THERE ARE
PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT GONNA LIKE THE PREACHER WHO PREACHES THE
WORD OF GOD. YOU’RE NOT GOING TO WIN ANY, AH, POPULARITY
CONTESTS. A LADY TOLD ME, “YOU KNOW PASTOR, JUST EVERYBODY
LOVES YOU.” I SAID TO MYSELF, AHA, HA. HUH, NO, THEY DON’T,
THEY DON’T ALL LOVE YOU. AH, JESUS SAID, “BEWARE WHEN ALL
MEN SPEAK,” AH, EH, “WELL OF YOU.” AS THE DAYS GET DARKER,
THE PERSECUTION WILL GET MORE INTENSE AND GODLY, AND
HATRED AGAINST THE GODLY WILL INTENSIFY. AND THIS FURY IS
GOING TO COME AGAINST THESE TWO WITNESSES FROM ANTICHRIST
HIMSELF. WELL YOU SAY, “NOW WAIT A MINUTE ADRIAN, I HAVE A
PROBLEM. YOU SAID JUST A FEW MOMENTS AGO THAT THE MAN OF
GOD IS IMMORTAL UNTIL, AH, HE HAS FINISHED THE TASK THAT GOD
HAS GIVEN HIM TO DO.” THAT‘S MY POINT. NOW NOTICE AGAIN.
LOOK IF YOU WILL IN VERSE, AH, SEVEN, “AND WHEN THEY
SHALL HAVE FINISHED THEIR TESTIMONY.” THEN THAT’S WHEN,
AH, THEY ARE PUT TO DEATH. THE APOSTLE PAUL, ONE OF THE
GREATEST MISSIONARIES WHO EVER LIVED, AND FINALLY THEY CUT
OFF HIS HEAD BUT NOT BEFORE HE [SLAP] SAID, “I HAVE FINISHED
MY COURSE.” THEY NAILED OUR DEAR LORD UPON THE CROSS AND
HE DIED IN AGONY AND BLOOD BUT HE BOWED HIS HEAD AND SAID
WHAT? “IT IS FINISHED.” “IT IS FINISHED.” SO DON’T GET THE
IDEA THAT THE DEVIL HAS WON. NO, THE DEVIL MAKES A GREAT
STRATEGIC BLUNDER. WHEN A CHILD OF GOD, WHEN A MARTYR
DIES, THAT DOESN’T MEAN THAT THE DEVIL HAS WON. IT MEANS
THAT THE DEVIL HAS LOST. HE HAS LOST. IF YOU WERE TO GO,
AH, TO THE NEXT CHAPTER, AND, AH, WE WILL GET TO THAT, AH,
NEXT WEEK, BUT IN VERSE 11. “AND THEY OVERCAME HIM,” THE
DEVIL, “BY THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB, BY THE WORD OF THEIR
TESTIMONY;” NOW LISTEN, “AND THEY LOVED NOT THEIR LIVES
UNTO THE DEATH.” HUH, HUH, BY DYING THEY OVERCAME THE DEVIL.
I’VE TOLD YOU BEFORE JOSEPH TSON, MY DEAR ROMANIAN FRIEND,
THE COMMUNIST TRIED TO KILL JOSEPH TSON. THEY SENT A MAN
TO SAY, “JOSEPH, IF YOU DON’T KNUCKLE UNDER, WE’RE GOING
TO KILL YOU.” AND HE SAID, “BEFORE YOU KILL ME, I WANT TO
TELL YOU YOUR CHIEF WEAPON IS KILLING BUT MY CHIEF WEAPON
IS DYING.” “SAY, WHAT DO YOU MEAN?” HE SAID, “IF YOU
KILL ME, YOU’LL SPRINKLE EVERY SERMON I’VE EVER PREACHED WITH
MY BLOOD, EVERY BOOK I’VE EVER WRITTEN WITH MY BLOOD AND
PEOPLE WILL KNOW I LOVE THE LORD ENOUGH TO DIE FOR HIM. SO
YOUR CHIEF WEAPON IS KILLING BUT MINE IS DYING. AND I WANT
TO WARN YOU THAT IF YOU USE YOURS I AM GOING TO BE
FORCED TO USE MINE.” [AUDIENCE LAUGHTER] AND HE WENT AWAY
SAYING, “LEAVE JOSEPH ALONE. HE’S CRAZY.” HE’S CRAZY. NO.
THE DEVIL DIDN’T WIN WHEN HE KILLED THESE TWO WITNESSES.
THEY HAD FINISHED [CLAP] THEIR TESTIMONY. WHEN THEY HAD
FINISHED, WHEN THEY HAD FINISHED, AH, THEN, UH,
THEN THEY’RE KILLED. BUT THE KILLING OF THESE TWO IS GOING
TO CATAPULT THIS BEAST OF A MAN INTO GREAT FAME AND
POPULARITY. IT’S AT THIS TIME THAT HE IS GOING TO BE SEEN
AS THE MIGHTY ONE BECAUSE HE’S GOTTEN RID OF THESE
TORMENTORS. AND THEY’RE GOING TO TAKE THE DEAD BODIES OF
THESE TWO WITNESSES AND LEAVE THEM IN THE STREETS OF
JERUSALEM. THERE WILL BE NO DECENT BURIAL. THEY WILL STAND
AROUND AND GLOAT OVER THEM. SOME OF YOU ARE OLD ENOUGH
TO REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED TO MUSSOLINI. HOW THEY GLOATED
OVER HIS DEAD BODY. SOME OF YOU REMEMBER, AH, IN THE, AH,
THE IRANIAN, AH, CRISIS WHERE OUR, OUR AMERICANS WERE KILLED
AND, AH, THEY GLOATED OVER THE DEAD BODIES. SOME OF YOU
REMEMBER THAT WALL STREET REPORTER WHOSE BODY WAS
DISMEMBERED. THEY GLOATED OVER HIS DEAD BODY. SO WHEN YOU
SEE THIS HAPPENING, THESE DEAD BODIES ARE GOING TO BE
LEFT THERE IN THE STREET OF JERUSALEM. AND THE BIBLE SAYS,
“THAT ALL THE WORLD WILL SEE IT.” WELL YOU SAY, “HOW COULD
THAT BE?” WELL YOUR GREAT GRANDPAPPY MAY NOT HAVE
UNDERSTOOD IT BUT, AH, I CAN JUST SEE THE CAMERAS RIGHT
THERE. THE WHOLE WORLD WILL SEE IT. THINGS THAT SEEMED
UNTHINKABLE BEFORE ARE NOT UNTHINKABLE TODAY. BUT WHETHER
OR NOT WE CAN THINK THEM DOESN’T MEAN THAT THEY CAN’T
COME TO PASS JUST BECAUSE WE DON’T HAVE, AH, THE
INFORMATION. NOW, WHAT, WHAT IS THE LESSON THAT WE’RE GONNA
LEARN HERE DURING THIS GREAT TRIBULATION? I’M TELLING YOU
THAT COMING EVENTS CAST THEIR SHADOWS AHEAD OF TIME AND
WE CAN EXPECT INCREASING PERSECUTION. AH, SO, IF
YOU LIVE FOR THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, IT DOESN’T MEAN
EVERYBODY’S GOING TO LOVE YOU. THAT’S OKAY. NOW, HERE’S THE
FOURTH PRINCIPLE. THESE TWO WITNESSES ARE NOT ONLY
SATANICALLY PERSECUTED BUT THEY ARE SUPERNATURALLY
PRESERVED. NOW BEGIN IN VERSE 11, “AND AFTER THREE DAYS AND
A HALF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE FROM GOD ENTERED INTO THEM, AND
THEY STOOD UPON THEIR FEET; AND GREAT FEAR FELL UPON THEM
WHICH SAW THEM. AND THEY HEARD A GREAT VOICE FROM HEAVEN
SAYING UNTO THEM, ‘COME UP HITHER.’ AND THEY ASCENDED
UP TO HEAVEN IN A CLOUD; AND THEIR ENEMIES BEHELD THEM.”
YOU SOUND, YOU SAY, “ADRIAN, THAT SOUNDS SUPERNATURAL.”
YOU’VE GOT IT. YOU’VE GOT IT. I MEAN, HERE THEY ARE. PEOPLE
ARE WALKING AROUND KICKING AT THEM, LOOKING AT THEM. THERE’S
THEIR DEAD BODIES, BLOATED, THEIR SKIN NOW IS BEGINNING TO
CRACK. EH, RIGOR MORTIS IS IN. THEIR, THEIR, THEIR PALLID,
AH, AH, GANGRENOUS, AND, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, AH,
THE GLOW OF HEALTH BEGINS TO CHANGE THAT PALLID COLOR TO A
ROSY COLOR. AND, AND A FINGER TWITCHES. AND A HAND MOVES.
AND, AH, LIMBS STRAIGHTEN. AND THE GLOW OF HEALTH COMES. AND
THESE SIT UP AND THEY STRETCH AND THEY STAND UP IN FRONT OF
THESE PEOPLE. CAN YOU IMAGINE WHAT IT WOULD BE? AND THEN
A VOICE FROM HEAVEN SAYING, “CHILDREN, WELCOME HOME.” AND
UP THEY RISE. JUST LIKE WE’RE GOING TO RISE IN THE RAPTURE.
WHAT A DAY THAT IS GOING TO BE. SUPERNATURALLY PRESERVED.
WHEN I READ THAT, I THOUGH OF THE OLD PROVERB, “HE WHO
LAUGHS LAST LAUGHS BEST.” HUH, NOW, WHAT, WHAT IS THE
LESSON HERE? WELL THIS IS SUPERNATURAL, OBVIOUSLY. BUT
THERE IS A LESSON. AND WHAT IS THE LESSON, THAT WE NEED NOT
FEAR ULTIMATE DESTRUCTION. WE ARE PRESERVED UNTIL WE FINISH
OUR TASK. SATAN, GOD HAS SATAN ON A LEASH. HE MAY BE ABLE
TO PUT US TO DEATH BUT WE ARE STILL SUPERNATURALLY
PRESERVED. NOW HERE’S A KEY VERSE. IN, AH, IN LUKE CHAPTER
21, I’VE READ THIS OFTEN. I ALWAYS SMILE EVERY TIME I READ
IT. LUKE CHAPTER 21, BEGINNING IN VERSE 12, “BUT BEFORE ALL
THESE, THEY SHALL LAY THEIR HANDS ON YOU, AND PERSECUTE
YOU, DELIVERING YOU UP TO THE SYNAGOGUES, AND INTO PRISONS,
BEING BROUGHT BEFORE KINGS AND RULERS FOR MY NAME’S SAKE.”
HE’S TALKING TO HIS OWN, TALKING ABOUT US. “AND IT
SHALL TURN TO YOU FOR A TESTIMONY.” NOW FRIEND, WHEN
WE ARE PERSECUTED, IT IS ONE OF THE GREATEST PLATFORMS
WE’LL EVER HAVE. NOW NOTICE WHAT JESUS SAID, “SETTLE IT
THEREFORE IN YOUR HEARTS, NOT TO MEDITATE BEFORE WHAT YE
SHALL ANSWER: FOR I WILL GIVE YOU A MOUTH AND WISDOM, WHICH
ALL YOUR ADVERSARIES SHALL NOT BE ABLE TO GAINSAY NOR
RESIST.” HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT THIS? WHAT IF THEY
WERE TO TAKE YOU AND SAY DENY CHRIST OR I WILL KILL YOU?
YOU’D SAY, “WELL KILL ME, I AM GOING TO HEAVEN.” WHAT IF THEY
SAID, “DENY CHRIST OR I’LL DISMEMBER YOUR WIFE IN FRONT
OF YOUR EYES.” THEN WHAT WOULD YOU SAY? OR THEY SAY, “DENY
CHRIST OR I, WE WILL BEGIN TO MUTILATE YOUR GRANDCHILDREN.”
THEN WHAT WOULD YOU DO? WHAT WOULD YOU DO? YOU SAY, “I
DON’T KNOW PASTOR, DON’T ASK THAT QUESTION.” GOOD, I WON’T
ANSWER, I WON’T ASK IT BECAUSE JESUS SAID, “DON’T [TAP] WORRY
[TAP] ABOUT WHAT YOU’RE GOING TO SAY WHEN THESE THINGS
HAPPEN.” LISTEN, LISTEN, GOD SAYS, “SETTLE IT THEREFORE IN
YOUR HEARTS, NOT TO MEDITATE BEFORE WHAT YE SHALL ANSWER:
FOR I WILL GIVE YOU A MOUTH AND WISDOM, WHICH YOUR
ADVERSARIES SHALL NOT BE ABLE TO GAINSAY NOR RESIST. AND
YE SHALL BE BETRAYED BOTH BY PARENTS, AND BRETHREN, AND
KINSFOLK, AND FRIENDS; AND SOME OF YOU,” LISTEN,
“SHALL THEY CAUSE TO BE PUT TO DEATH.” NO FINE PRINT HERE.
“AND YE SHALL BE HATED OF ALL MEN FOR MY NAME’S SAKE.” NOW
HERE’S THE PART THAT ALWAYS CAUSES ME TO SMILE. “BUT THERE
SHALL NOT A HAIR OF YOUR HEAD PERISH.” I SAID, NOW WAIT A
MINUTE JESUS. AH, AM I GOING TO BE KILLED? I’M GOING TO BE,
AH, PUT IN PRISON AND PUT TO DEATH AND THEN NOT A HAIR OF
MY HEAD WILL PERISH? THAT’S EXACTLY RIGHT. YOU SEE, WHAT,
WHAT HE IS SAYING IS, “FEAR NOT THEM THAT KILL THE BODY
BUT NOT ABLE TO KILL THE SOUL BUT RATHER FEAR HIM WHO’S ABLE
TO DESTROY BOTH SOUL AND BODY IN HELL.” THERE IS A “GETTIN
UP MORNING.” DO YOU BELIEVE THAT? [AUDIENCE: AMEN] NOW
LISTEN, IF, UNTIL YOU’RE NO LONGER AFRAID TO DIE YOU’RE
NOT READY TO LIVE. THERE IS A GOD IN GLORY AND THERE
IS NOTHING THE DEVIL CAN ULTIMATELY DO TO YOU.
YOU BETTER REMEMBER THAT. [AUDIENCE: AMEN] CAUSE IF
YOU DON’T, HE’LL HAVE YOU STAMPEDED. NOW FRIEND, THEY
ARE SUPERNATURALLY PRESERVED. AND THESE TWO MEN RISE UP. NOW
HERE IS THE, HERE IS THE FIFTH PRINCIPLE. THEY HAVE
SUCCESSFULLY PROPHESIED. THEY DIDN’T FAIL. THEY SUCCEEDED.
NOW NOTICE BEGINNING IN VERSE 13, “AND THE SAME HOUR THERE
WAS A GREAT EARTHQUAKE, AND THE TENTH PART OF THE CITY
FELL, AND THE EARTHQUAKE, AND IN THE EARTHQUAKE WERE SLAIN
OF MEN SEVEN THOUSAND,” THIS PHRASE, “SLAIN OF MEN,” SEEMS
TO IM, IMPLY MEN OF RENOWN. “AND THE REMNANT WERE
AFFRIGHTED,” NOW NOTICE THIS, “AND GAVE GLORY TO THE GOD OF
HEAVEN.” HUH, THEY GAVE, AH, THE PEOPLE LEFT THAT DON’T DIE
IN THE EARTHQUAKE GIVE GLORY TO THE GOD OF HEAVEN. “THE
SECOND WOE IS PAST; AND, BEHOLD, THE THIRD WOE COMETH
QUICKLY.” THEY’RE GLORIFYING GOD. THAT DOESN’T MEAN THAT
THEY’RE SAVED. IT JUST MEANS THEY HAVE TO ADMIT THIS IS A
GOD THING. PHARAOH HAD TO DO THAT. SAUL HAD TO DO THAT. I,
THE DEMONS IN HELL WILL ONE DAY GLORIFY GOD, NOT THAT THEY
ARE GOING TO BE SAVED. EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW, EVERY TONGUE
SHALL CONFESS. BUT THE POINT IS THAT THESE WITNESSES HAVE
WITNESSED. AND GOD HAS GOTTEN THE GLORY. IF YOU’RE A
PREACHER HERE TODAY, DON’T BE NAIVE, NAIVE ENOUGH TO THINK
THAT EVERY TIME YOU PREACH EVERY UNSAVED PERSON IS GOING
TO HEAR THE GOSPEL OR YOU WILL HAVE FAILED. NO. THE GOSPEL IS
A TWO-EDGED SWORD. IT CUTS AS A SABER OF LIFE UNTO LIFE
OR DEATH UNTO DEATH. I AM SUCCESSFUL TODAY IN PREACHING
THE MESSAGE IF YOU DON’T GET SAVED BUT IF YOU HEARD THE
MESSAGE. AND I’VE TOLD YOU BEFORE, GOD WILL HOLD YOU
RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT YOU HEAR. AND HE’LL HOLD YOU RESPONSIBLE
FOR WHAT YOU WOULD HAVE HEARD HAD YOU LISTENED. [AUDIENCE:
THAT’S RIGHT] SEE IT’S A SABER OF LIFE UNTO LIFE OR DEATH
UNTO DEATH. BUT GOD HAS SAID. LISTEN, WHAT AN ENCOURAGEMENT
THIS IS TO ME. “MY WORD WILL NOT RETURN UNTO ME VOID.” AND
THE ONLY THING THE PREACHER HAS TO, HAS TO REALLY
DETERMINE AND THE SOUL-WINNER HAS TO REALLY DETERMINE IS,
“HAVE I BEEN FAITHFUL WITH THE WORD?” THE REST OF IT IS NONE
OF YOUR BUSINESS. THE REST OF IT IS GOD’S BUSINESS. I WAS
PREACHING A REVIVAL MEETING, HOLDING A REVIVAL MEETING IN
A SOUTH LOUISIANA COUNTY SEAT TOWN. I MUST HAVE BEEN HOLDING
IT, IT NEVER GOT LOOSE. [AUDIENCE LAUGHTER] WE WEREN’T
HAVING REVIVAL FOLKS. I WAS PREACHING MY HEART OUT. I
FASTED, I PRAYED, I WEPT, I EXAMINED MY HEART, MY LIFE.
I WANTED TO MAKE CERTAIN MY HEART WAS CLEAN, MY MOTIVES
WERE PURE, THE WORD WAS TRUE. NOTHING WAS HAPPENING. I WOULD
GIVE AN INVITATION AND A FEW PEOPLE WOULD COME FORWARD
OUT OF SYMPATHY FOR ME BUT IT WASN’T REVIVAL. AND I
GOT FRUSTRATED. YOU’RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE FRUSTRATED IF
YOU’RE A PREACHER. BUT I GOT FRUSTRATED. WE’RE IN THE
MIDDLE OF THE INVITATION, ASKING PEOPLE TO COME FORWARD.
THEY HAD A COUPLE OF CHAIRS UP THERE ON THE PLATFORM THE
PREACHERS SIT IN. THEY USED TO, THESE ARE SOFT, I LIKE
THEM. THEY USED TO BE, TO LOOK LIKE ELECTRIC CHAIRS. HAVE
YOU EVER SEEN THOSE LIKE? [AUDIENCE LAUGHTER] I WENT AND
SAT DOWN IN THAT BIG CHAIR. I SAID, “PASTOR, YOU TAKE THE
INVITATION.” I WENT DOWN AND I BEGAN TO PRAY. [TAP] I SAID,
“GOD, I DON’T UNDERSTAND IT. GOD, I’VE PREACHED YOUR WORD.
LORD, I’VE PRAYED. LORD, I’VE FASTED. WHY, WHY GOD? I, I,
I’M, I’M SO FRUSTRATED.” I SAID, “GOD GIVE ME A WORD.”
AND I OPENED MY BIBLE AT RANDOM AND PUT MY FINGER ON A
VERSE. AND WHEN I READ IT, I ALMOST CAME UNGLUED. IT WAS
EZEKIEL 2:7. AND IT SAID, “AND THOU SHALT SPEAK MY WORDS UNTO
THEM, WHETHER THEY WILL HEAR, OR WHETHER THEY WILL FORBEAR:
FOR THEY ARE MOST REBELLIOUS.” WHETHER THEY HEAR OR WHETHER
THEY DON’T, SPEAK MY WORD. I THOUGHT BOY, THEY HAVEN’T
REJECTED ME LORD, THEY’VE REJECTED YOU. WHY AM I FEELING
SORRY FOR MYSELF? AND I, I SAID, “LORD THAT IS SO GOOD,
GIVE ME ANOTHER ONE.” I LOOKED AWAY AND PUT MY FINGER ON
ANOTHER VERSE. [AUDIENCE LAUGHTER] AND I’M TELLING
YOU THIS TIME, FOLKS, I COULD HARDLY CONTAIN MYSELF. IT WAS
EZEKIEL TWO VERSE FIVE. AND HERE’S WHAT IT SAID. “AND
THEY, WHETHER THEY WILL HEAR, OR WHETHER THEY WILL FORBEAR,
FOR THEY ARE A REBELLIOUS HOUSE, YET SHALL THEY KNOW
THAT THERE HATH BEEN A PROPHET AMONG THEM.” [AUDIENCE: AMEN]
HUH, HUH, CAN YOU IMAGINE? HUH, HUH, GOD SAID TO ME.
“ADRIAN, WHETHER THEY HEAR YOU OR WHETHER THEY DON’T, THEY
WILL KNOW THAT I SENT MY MAN.” [AUDIENCE: AMEN] WHETHER THEY
HEAR OR WHETHER THEY DON’T HEAR. YOU SEE THAT’S
NOT MY RESPONSIBILITY. MY RESPONSIBILITY, YOUR
RESPONSIBILITY IS TO DECLARE THE WORD OF GOD IN THIS
GENERATION WHETHER THEY HEAR OR WHETHER THEY WILL NOT HEAR.
[AUDIENCE: THAT’S RIGHT] NOW FOLKS, PERSECUTION IS GOING TO
COME. IS THAT BAD? NO, THAT’S, THAT’S GOOD. IT’S A GREAT
PLATFORM FOR A TESTIMONY. THE BIBLE SAYS, “ALL THAT WILL
LIVE GODLY IN CHRIST JESUS SHALL SUFFER PERSECUTION.”
IF I HAD TIME, I COULD FINISH THIS CHAPTER AND SHOW YOU
WHERE THE HALLELUJAH CHORUS BEGINS, WHERE IT SAYS THE
KINGDOMS OF THIS WORLD WILL BECOME THE KINGDOMS OF OUR
LORD AND HIS CHRIST. AND HE SHALL REIGN FOREVER AND EVER.
YOU ALMOST EXPECT TO HEAR HANDEL’S HALLELUJAH CHORUS
BEGIN DON’T YOU? LOOK UP HERE, LOOK, LOOK AT ME, LET ME TELL
YOU SOMETHING NOW FOLKS, LOOK AT ME NOW. FOLKS, WE ARE ON
THE WINNING SIDE. [AUDIENCE: AMEN] WHEN YOU READ ALL OF
THIS, WHEN YOU SEE WHAT GOD HAS SAID, AND YOU SEE
EVERYTHING FITTING INTO THE [SLAP] SOCKETS OF PROPHECY,
YOU KNOW THAT WE’RE ON THE WINNING SIDE. NOW THE QUESTION
IS, WHEN ALL OF THIS IS GOING ON, WHERE WILL YOU BE? WHAT IS
YOUR RELATIONSHIP TO GOD? I’M NOT ASKING YOU ARE, ARE YOU A
BAPTIST OR A BELLEVUE BAPTIST, OR ARE YOU A NICE PERSON. I
WANT TO KNOW DO YOU KNOW JESUS CHRIST PERSONALLY? DO YOU HAVE
THE ASSURANCE, THE WONDERFUL ASSURANCE THAT YOUR SIN IS
UNDER THE BLOOD? THAT GOD’S SPIRIT BEARS WITNESS WITH YOUR
SPIRIT THAT YOU’RE A CHILD OF GOD. AND YOU KNOW NO MATTER
WHAT HAPPENS OR WHATEVER COMES THAT YOU’RE READY TO LIVE OR
TO DIE FOR JESUS CHRIST. WOULD YOU BOW YOUR HEADS IN PRAYER?
HEADS ARE BOWED AND EYES ARE CLOSED. AND IF YOU ALREADY ARE
CERTAIN OF YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, I MEAN CERTAIN, PRAY
FOR THOSE ROUND ABOUT YOU. AND IF YOU’RE NOT REALLY TRULY,
TRULY CERTAIN, TODAY WOULD BE A GOOD DAY FOR YOU TO SAY ONCE
AND FOR ALL NOW AND FOREVER AN EVERLASTING YES TO JESUS
CHRIST. FATHER I PRAY THIS MORNING FOR MANY WHO WILL
SAY YES TO JESUS, TRUST HIM AS THEIR PERSONAL LORD AND
SAVIOR. AND LORD I PRAY THIS MORNING FOR A HARVEST OF
SOULS. AND PRECIOUS FRIEND, IF YOU’RE HERE TODAY AND YOU’RE
NOT CERTAIN THAT YOU’RE SAVED, THIS IS THE DAY YOU NEED TO
GET IT SETTLED. WOULD YOU PRAY A PRAY LIKE THIS? “DEAR GOD,”
PRAY IT OUT OF YOUR HEART, “DEAR GOD, I KNOW THAT YOU
LOVE ME AND I KNOW THAT YOU WANT TO SAVE ME. JESUS,
YOU DIED TO SAVE ME AND YOU PROMISED TO SAVE ME IF I WOULD
TRUST YOU. I DO TRUST YOU.” TELL HIM THAT, TELL HIM, “I DO
TRUST YOU. NOW, WITH ALL OF MY HEART, I TURN FROM MY SIN, I
RECEIVE YOU INTO MY LIFE AS MY SAVIOR AND LORD. I DON’T LOOK
FOR A SIGN, I DON’T ASK FOR A FEELING. I JUST STAND ON YOUR
WORD. I TRUST YOU. AND BECAUSE I TRUST YOU, I WILL
ACKNOWLEDGE YOU. I WILL MAKE IT PUBLIC. I WILL NOT BE
ASHAMED OF YOU. IN YOUR NAME I PRAY, AMEN.” LET ME HAVE ANOTHER MOMENT OF
YOUR TIME. WE OFTEN HEAR THE WORD SAVED. “BELIEVE ON THE
LORD JESUS CHRIST AND THOU SHALT BE SAVED.” WHAT DOES IT
MEAN TO BE SAVED? WELL NUMBER ONE IT MEANS THAT EVERY SIN
IS FORGIVEN AND BURRIED IN THE GRAVE OF GOD’S FORGETFULNESS.
NUMBER TWO, IT MEANS THAT GOD THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT COMES
TO LIVE IN US; THAT’S NOT AN EMOTIONAL FEELING. IT IS AN
AWARENESS THAT GOD IS THERE. NUMBER THREE, IT MEANS THAT
WHEN WE DIE, OR WHEN JESUS COMES AGAIN, HE TAKES US HOME
TO HEAVEN TO BE WITH HIM. NOW HOW ARE WE SAVED? THE
BIBLE SAYS CLEARLY, PLAINLY, SWEETLY, SUBLIMLY, “BELIEVE ON
THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AND YOU WILL BE SAVED.” NOW THAT
WORD BELIEVE GOES BEYOND INTELECTUAL BELIEF; IT’S A
BIBLE WORD THAT MEANS TRUST. TRUST HIM; DO IT NOW! SAY,
“LORD JESUS, LIKE A CHILD, I TRUST YOU TO SAVE ME.” PRAY
IT AND MEAN IT. AND IF YOU DO, WRITE TO US AND LET US
KNOW AND WE’LL SEND YOU SOME LITERATURE TO HELP YOU GET
STARTED IN YOUR CHRISTIAN LIFE. WE HOPE TODAY’S
MESSAGE HAS BEEN A SOURCE OF ENCOURAGEMENT AND CLARITY FOR
YOU. YOU CAN LISTEN TO THIS MESSAGE AGAIN, SHARE IT WITH
A FRIEND OR DOWNLOAD IT ALONG WITH PASTOR ROGERS OUTLINE,
NOTES OR A COMPLETE TRANSCRIPT ALL AT LWF.ORG. BELIEVERS
CAN’T DENY OR IGNORE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE NATION
ISRAEL. IN THIS MESSAGE, ADRIAN ROGERS SHOWS US WHY.
LET ME TELL YOU THAT WE’RE LIVING IN DANGEROUS DAYS,
STORM CLOUDS ARE ON THE HORIZON, THE LIGHTNING IS
FLASHING, THE THUNDER IS ROLLING AND ISRAEL IS A
LIGHNING ROD. THE EYES OF THE ENTIRE WORLD ARE ON THE NATION
ISRAEL. AND IN ANY MAJOR NEWSPAPER IN THE WORLD TODAY,
ON THE FRONT PAGE MOST LIKELY, THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT
ISRAEL. QUESTION: HAS GOD TURNED HIS BACK ON ISRAEL?
HAS GOD FORGOTTEN THE PROMISES THAT HE’S MADE TO ABRAHAM,
ISAAC AND JACOB? NO, HE HAS NOT. WE HOPE YOU’LL JOIN US
AGAIN AS WE CONTINUE THIS POWERFUL SERIES OF MESSAGES
FROM ADRAIN ROGERS. WE’LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME. LOVE WORTH
FINDING IS A VIEWER SUPPORTED MINISTRY AND WE NEED THE HELP
OF FAITHFUL VIEWERS LIKE YOU. AS THANKS FOR YOUR FINANCIAL
SUPPORT, WE’LL SEND YOU THESE THREE COPIES OF, “THE GOSPEL
OF JOHN,” FROM THE ADRIAN ROGERS LEGACY BIBLE. WITH
TIMELESS DEVOTIONALS AND NUGGETS OF WISDOM FROM THE
HEART OF ADRIAN ROGERS, WE HOPE THIS RESOURCE WIL THE
USED TO HELP YOU SHARE THE GOSPEL WITH OTHERS. THANKS
FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT.
