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Now, here's today's message from Pastor Skip. There's a judgment that is coming. No wonder the writer of Hebrews in chapter 10 said, It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of a living God. Question? Is it possible to escape that kind of judgment?
Is it? Oh yes, it is possible. In fact, it's not only possible It's preferable. Here's the deal.
Somebody's got to take the wrap for sin. Either you're going to take the wrap for your own sin, or you're going to let Jesus take it for you on the cross and place your faith in him. If you place your faith in him, You trust him. You will never be judged. Like we just read.
That's what Jesus promised. John chapter 5: He who hears my words and believes in him who sent me has everlasting life. and shall not come into judgment. But has passed from death into life. Did you get that?
Everlasting life is as simple as you leaning, trusting in, relying on. Jesus Christ.
Well, I don't know if I want to do that.
Okay. Then you will take it on your own, but there is a judgment that is coming. And either he's going to take it for you, and you've let him. Do that. Or are you going to take it for yourself?
It's quite simple, really. No Jesus, K-N-O-W, no Jesus. No life, K-N-O-W. If you know Jesus, you'll know life. But No Jesus and O Jesus.
And oh life, no life. No Jesus, you'll know life. No Jesus, no life. That's what he promised. No, not everybody believes this.
I know that. I'm not naive to that. I would say that most people don't believe that. Um every now and then these magazines will put out uh articles about heaven and hell and Time Magazine put one out a while back that says, Does heaven exist? That was the name of the article.
Does heaven exist? As if Thai Magazine is going to give you the final. verdict on that. They asked you questions. to people.
Question number one: Do you believe in the existence of heaven where people live forever after they die? 81% said yes. 13% said no. Second question: Do you believe in a hell where people will be punished forever after they die? Only 63% said yes.
Fewer people want to believe in hell, more people want to believe in heaven.
Well, of course. But I got to tell you something. The judgment bar of Christ doesn't move based on popular vote. You can't escape it. But it says again in the book of Hebrews: how shall we escape if we neglect?
So great a salvation.
So you can count on that judgment is coming. Number two, justice is coming. Verse 11 says, I watched then because of the sound of the pompous words. which the horn was speaking. I watched till the beast was slain, And its body destroyed and given to the burning flames.
As for the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away, yet their lives were prolonged. For a season. And a time. Go down to verse 26. But the court shall be seated.
And they, those in the court, shall take away his dominion. His being the horn. The Antichrist, the beast. to consume and destroy it. Forever.
Now this is only right. This is fair. This is justice. This beast, this Antichrist, will lie to the world. try to force people into submission and kill people who will not submit.
So it's only fair to see this coming on him. Do you know what it's like when you watch the news and you see some miscarriage of justice? Do you ever get angry when there's that criminal and you know he's guilty and all the evidence says he's guilty, but there's this technicality and he goes free? Do you like that? Oh, you hate that.
There's something within us that says there must. B. Justice. At some point in history, there must be justice. I noticed just the other day.
When they caught that second, suspect in the Boston marathon bombing, the terror bombing. When they caught him alive and brought him to the hospital, and they're keeping him now for questioning. That the crowd outside, did you see what they did? They like had a party. They were so elated that justice has been done.
He's been caught. He's been brought under the law. When my son Nate was growing up, I always noticed what I called it is that he had an overdeveloped sense of justice. That is, everything in life needed to be fair. He used to say, that's not fair.
And Where I really would notice this is he'd watch a movie. And if the movie didn't turn out just right, happily ever after, white picket fence, he didn't like the movie. He hated the movie. I hate this movie. If a bad guy got killed, he hated the movie.
If a good guy, bad guy got away, He hated the movie. He wanted life to be fair. We all want life to be fair, but guess what? Life isn't fair. But one day justice will come.
One day the bad guys will be rounded up. by God's posse. One day, evil will be eradicated. There is justice that is coming.
So If you go back to verse 7 and you notice that this beast, this Antichrist, has dominion. He's described as a beast having huge iron teeth. Devouring, breaking in pieces, trampling with his feet, the text says. He's like this killing machine. Finally, he gets caught.
Finally, he gets killed. That's fair. And finally, he gets tossed into the trash can of hell. That is fair. It is described by John in Revelation 19: the beast was captured.
And with him, the false prophet who did mighty miracles on behalf of the beast, miracles that deceived all who had accepted his mark. and who worshiped his statue. And both the beast and the false prophet were thrown alive into. The lake of fire. You ever wonder what the purpose of this coming tribulation is all about?
Now, we know it's going to be a seven-year period, and the last three and a half years are the worst. We know what the Bible says, that is coming. But you ever wonder why? Why a tribulation? What's that all about?
Well, there are a few reasons for this coming tribulation. Reason number one is to pour out wrath. Upon this world. That is to so destabilize this world so that everything people have counted on up to this point, they can't depend on any longer, and in hopes that they will turn to God. That often happens whenever there's a catastrophe.
People get very spiritual and they turn to God. That's number one, to pour out wrath. Number two, to prepare Israel. for her Messiah. to look on him whom they have pierced.
The tribulation is called by Jeremiah a time of Jacob's trouble, Israel's trouble. Israel will be so troubled and shaken up during that time, they will be ready and prepared for their Messiah to come.
So, to pour out wrath, to prepare Israel for the Messiah, here's the third reason for the tribulation. to pummel the Antichrist. I mean to beat that guy up so bad. And it will be so fair and it will be so just because of what he has done. He seems so invincible.
During that period of time until Revelation tells us the fifth angel pours out the fifth bowl. We are told in Revelation 16: on the throne of the beast and on his kingdom, and his kingdom became full of darkness.
So judgment is coming, justice is coming. Number three, Jesus is coming. Verse thirteen I was watching in the night visions. And behold. I've always liked the word behold.
I know it's a Bible word. You don't say that online at the grocery store. Behold. Cereal.
So I get it, it's a Bible word. But it's a Bible word that means. Huh, look, check that out. Like notice this.
So that's how I like to read it. I was watching in the night visions, and hey, check it out. One like the Son of Man. Coming with the clouds of heaven, he came to the ancient of days. We know that to be God the Father, and they brought him near before him.
Now, this verse, this event. Is the central focus of chapter seven. This is the whole central focus of this chapter. The central focus is not the parade of these weird-looking beasts that come out of the sea that made John go, wow, that's weird. The central focus is not the little horn with the big mouth and the big ideas, the Antichrist who is coming.
Those aren't the central themes. The central theme is the coming of the kingdom of Jesus Christ. to the world. Judgment is coming, justice is coming, Jesus is coming.
Now, Daniel sees one like the Son of Man. I'm going to frame that for you in context. I think it simply means he saw one. with a human form. Remember, so far he has seen these weird Beast-like creatures come up out of the sea.
Now, in contrast to those, he sees one with a human form, one like the Son of Man coming. But what's interesting is that 81 times in the four Gospels of the New Testament, The term Son of Man appears, and it was the term that Jesus used to refer to himself, to describe himself. He called himself the Son of Man. referring back, no doubt, to this first Mention of it in Daniel chapter 7. It's what the Jews believed to be the coming Messiah.
The Son of Man is going to come. Jesus called himself the Son of Man. Verse 13 is the second coming of Christ. And you should know that the second coming dominates the Bible. There is no subject more discussed in the Bible.
Next to the subject of faith. Then the second coming. Here's a few statistics. The second coming is dealt with 1,845 times in the Bible. That means one out of Every thirty verses.
Either mentions the second coming or The last days. One fifth of all scripture refers to it. Seven out of ten chapters in the New Testament refer to the Second Coming. For every one mention of the first coming. The second coming is mentioned eight times.
For every one time the atonement is mentioned, the second coming is mentioned twice. This is Connect with Skip Heidzig. Before we return to Pastor Skip's message, think about this. If we really are living in the last days, wouldn't you want to know? The Bible doesn't leave us guessing about the future.
It offers clear prophecies, solid truth, and real hope to anchor your faith in uncertain times. That's why this month, we'd like to send you two resources from Pastor Skip. The Bible from 30,000 feet 2 CD teaching from Daniel. and his booklet, Are We Living in the Last Days? These explain key end times passages, how they apply today, and how to live with confidence in Christ.
They're yours when you give $25 or more to support Connect with Skip Heitzig. Request yours at connectwithskiff.com slash offer or call 800-922. Mm-hmm. Let's return now to today's message. Jesus personally referred to his second coming.
21 times. And no less than 50 times in the Bible, we are told to be ready for his coming. Be ready for it. Jesus is coming.
Somebody might say, Well, why is Jesus coming? I mean, he already came once. Why didn't he just hang around? Why did he have to come and then go?
Okay, we've been like waiting 2,000 years for this. Still, he hasn't come back. Why did he come and go and then Come back again.
Now you know the answer to that question. The first time he came, he came to deal with what? Sin. He came to deal with sin. He came to die on a cross, take the world's sin, then go.
And give As many people a chance to get to heaven who would believe in that act as possible. That's why he's waited 2,000 years. Aren't you glad he has waited this long? because it includes us in his company. And now all of those relatives All of those people that you love, that you've been praying for, have a chance to get there as well by trusting in Him.
But when he comes back the second time, it's going to be different than when he came the first time. He came the first time to deal with sin. You know what he's going to do the second time? He's going to take over. He's going to say to all the politicians, all the prime ministers, all the rulers: move over, guys and gals.
Let me show you how it's done. He's going to rule the earth. That's why the writer of the book of Revelation, John, seeing the coming of Christ, wrote those. Famous words, even so come. quickly.
Lord Jesus. Come quickly. Daniel sees that. One like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven. I think the clouds of heaven refers to the masses of people that he will come back with.
See, a lot of people say, wow, Jesus isn't coming today. Look, it's a clear sky. Yeah, it could have clouds 20 miles away. What does that mean?
So I think it's best to see it rather than a A puff of smoke or a cloud in the sky, rather, the masses of people that he will come back with. Listen, listen to this. Revelation 19 is the classic passage on the second coming of Jesus Christ. Says this, now I saw heaven opened, and behold, check it out. A white horse, and he who sat on him was called faithful and true, and in righteousness he judges and makes war.
His eyes were like a flame of fire. And on his head were many crowns. And he had a name written that no one knew except himself.
So don't ask me what his name is then, because. No one knows except him. And he was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and his name is called the Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed him. on white horses.
This is what Jesus meant when he said to Pontius Pilate: My kingdom is not of this world. This is Jesus coming back. Question? Why does he have many crowns? Answer: It's simply a way of saying there's no rivals anymore, there's no other rulers.
Jesus wears all the crowns. Because he's the king of kings. He's the lord of lords. Boy, what a long way from wearing the Crown of Thorns. That's what he did the first time.
He came to take sin, and he wore a crown of thorns. But the second time, all of the diadems of all of the world, he will be in charge. As Ian McPherson, I love that name. Ian McPherson, the Scotsman. Said, where Christ once bore the world's frown He will one day wear the world's crowns.
That's Revelation 19. Judgment is coming. Justice is coming. Jesus is coming.
Fourth and finally, joy is coming. Verse 14, then to him The sun Was given dominion and glory and a kingdom that all peoples, nations, languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion. Which shall not pass away. And his kingdom the one which will not be destroyed.
Look at verse 18. But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, even forever. Endeavour. You say, well Why is that joyful? I I don't see the word joy mentioned once in that text.
Folks, it's joyful. Because This is the event. That stops all of the wars, all of the violence, all of the terrorism, all of the anxieties. Only this event will bring an end to all of that.
So when When judgment comes and justice comes and Jesus comes, Joy will come. People have marched for peace. People have visualized world peace. People have given the peace sign and wrote Peace songs. and put peace bumper stickers Last time I checked, it hasn't worked.
It hasn't helped. As far as I know, only when the Prince of Peace comes back. Will that work? In New York City, there's a building called the United Nations Building. I won't tell you what I think a lot about the United Nations, but let me just tell you about the building.
As you enter the building, There is written over the door, over the portals. A scripture. Isaiah chapter 2. And they will beat their swords into plowshares. and their spears.
Into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation. Neither shall they learn to make war. Any more? It's Isaiah chapter 2, and it's a prediction of what will happen.
when Jesus Christ returns. That's what will happen. That's why there will be joy. When judgment comes and justice comes and Jesus comes, then joy will come. That's predicted.
Jesus said. In the parable about the rewards in Matthew 25, well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the Joy. of your Lord. That little book in the New Testament, the book of Jude, the 24th verse. It says that God will present you before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.
Revelation chapter 21 describes heaven as saying, God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, nor pain. Interesting that heaven has to be described in negatives. To tell people this is what it's not like because that's what we're familiar with. crying in pain and sorrow and death.
And so John's saying, not going to happen, not going to be there. You go, okay, I get it. I get it. That's my experience. That's not going to happen.
There's a great hymn, How Great Thou Art. Remember that song, How Great Thou Art? I hope you do. Four of you do. It seems like it's a head nod.
I think I do. It's a great hymn of the church, and I was reminded of it again this week. A friend of mine died and went to heaven.
Well, he was 104 years old, George Beverly Shea. He'd always open up for the Billy Graham Crusades. 104. I think people were saying. What's taken you so long?
But he's in heaven now and And uh he's been a friend for many years and He used to sing that song a lot. And somebody posted a great little clip of him singing How Great Thou Art on my Facebook page this week.
So I listened to it and watched it again in a deep baritone voice. I was listening in particular for that. One little phrase of the song that says, when Christ shall come. With shout of acclamation and take me home, what joy shall fill my heart! Then I shall bow in humble adoration, and then Proclaim, my God, how great.
How great. the word. I can't do it like he did it.
So beautiful. But did you get verse 18? Did you notice it says, But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom? And possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever. Who would the saints be?
Well, you can debate Old Testament, New Testament saints, but I think it's safe to say it includes us. Who believe in him? And um That's interesting to me. We're going to possess the kingdom. The kingdom gets like.
Given to us. This tells me that not only do we have front row seats in this coming event. We have a job. We are given positions of authority in the kingdom. In Matthew 19, Jesus said to his 12 apostles, You will sit on 12 thrones and you will judge the 12 tribes of Israel.
Okay, well that's them. What about us? 1 Corinthians chapter 6, Paul writes, Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? The saints will judge the world. Same chapter, he says, Don't you know that?
You will judge angels. Can I just say the angels are probably not too happy about that? Because they know what we're like. But we're going to have a position of authority. 2 Timothy 2, verse 12.
If we endure with him, we shall also reign with him. Revelation chapter 5, the church sings this song: You have made us kings and priests to our God, and we will reign on the earth. It couldn't be more clear. Part of eternity will be you and I having a position of authority and management and administration in his kingdom. Look at verse 27.
Then the kingdom And Dominion. and greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven. shall be given to what? The people The saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.
And all dominion shall serve and obey him. How cool is that? Jesus is reigning and he says to you, Come here, help me. Help you what? Come on, I'll give you a job.
I'll let you help administer this thing.
So I'm daring you to look ahead. And that means, I know, it means that you have to look ahead into the future tribulation and a very painful thing that's coming to this world. We might be seeing. perhaps entering in toward that end time. But go beyond that and look toward the other end of that at the coming of Jesus Christ.
where his coming means the pain is ending. And I think the secret is to live our temporal life with our eyes on Eternal life. As one missionary said, God stamp eternity on my eyes. C.S. Lewis, the scholar, said, If I find.
Within myself, a desire that no experience in this world can satisfy the most probable explanation. is that I was made for another world. Ever wonder why you have that anxiety and you're wrestling and you're not quite satisfied, you're not quite settled? You'll never be completely settled till you get into his presence. You were made for another place.
Judgment is coming. Justice is coming. Jesus is coming.
And joy is coming. And knowing all that, we can lift up our eyes. and march ahead in this life. with our eyes fixed on that. We're so glad you joined us today for Connect with Skiff Heitzig.
Before we go, remember to request Pastor Skip's 2 CD teaching from Daniel, Bible from 30,000 feet. and his booklet, Are We Living in the Last Days? They'll give you clarity and confidence about the days ahead. And they're yours when you give $25 or more to support Connect with Skip Heidzig. Call 800-922-1888 or visit connectwithskip.com slash offer.
And while you're there, sign up for the 30K 30-day challenge and take your Bible study deeper. Come back next time for more verse-by-verse teaching of God's Word here on Connect with Skip-Heitzig. Make a connection. Make a connection at the foot of the crossing. Cast your burdens on his wood.
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