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May 13, 2020 1:00 am
One minute. The elders are sitting on the thrones and the next minute they're down on our faces, worshiping the God of glory.
The responses ecstatic.
It is spontaneous it is electrifying.
It is pure praise.
This is what true worship. Ladies and gentlemen is all about whether you're singing or praying are cleaning the house or whatever when you acknowledge the sovereignty of God played out in it for your life no matter what the Monday and events of life may be you are his willing servants. This is pure worship. All believers, the apostle John gave us a glimpse of what that time will be like and were looking at that today here on wisdom for the hearts Stephen Davey continues through his series entitled the trumpets of seven archangels today. At the end of Revelation chapter 11 organist see a time when it will be glorious and pure worship for all of us who have bowed the knee to Jesus Christ and claimed him as our king you're going to be encouraged, as we explore this passage of Scripture together today. If you're able, grab your Bible and open to Revelation chapter 11 as we get started right now. A recent issue of world magazine carried a brief article on the rather unusual security measures used recently in the transference of information from one location to another, found it fascinating so I thought I'd share with you after spending decades locked away in a secret cabinet with multiple locks inside a triple locked vault company officials carefully remove the yellowing piece of paper and transferred it to an undisclosed location. The entire process was carefully guarded and security was a top alert, the yellowing piece of paper, dates back to 1940 and the handwriting on it is by the corporate founder's name was Harlan Sanders and the company he founded Kentucky fried chicken. This is true that yellowing piece of paper bearing his signature in his own handwriting is the only copy of a secret recipe of 11 herbs and spices, which supposedly holds the key to Casey's worldwide success corporate executives. This article said needed to consult the original recipe once more as they prepared to release a new line of chicken strips which happened this past summer that consultation prompted the need for heightened security and so following their top level top-secret meeting. The paper was locked in a small safe handcuffed to a guard who got into an armored car that took him in the recipe to an undisclosed location with the Seeger live safely hidden away once again this is proof that corporate theft is a real problem is also proof that we take our chicken way too seriously. Casey could argue the point. They made $840 million this year and I would imagine they would say that spirit they need to keep their little recipe yellowing away on that original piece of paper.
That's the way it is and it you keep whatever it is that advances your wealth, your worth secret you got your cousin got my cousins were all a little concerned about identity theft not is in fact that when our staff.
Somebody got a hold of his numbers don't know how it happened but next thing we knew somebody was using that to email everyone in on his email address asking for them telling them look in financial trouble. Long story embarrassed by the dad just help me out.
Don't tell anybody just wire this money to this location had the account numbers and everything. It was one of our pastors so you don't. I knew it was was in Trudy's. He's amazingly unbelievably wealthy so far's but it actually turned eight days try to track it down that you you keep. I'm afraid I kinda stuff you keep your trade secrets to yourself.
You surround it. Corporation went with filters and cameras right you locked away your valuables. You lock your front door in your back door at night probably locked the door of your car by my F1 50 has an alarm system built it will read lightning you know blank soil � that whenever anybody in the church parking lot opens their door dings my truck. It takes a picture in emails attending. Can you imagine KFC saying that a photocopy the recipe.
And if anybody like a ring and handball F3. Imagine Apple Computer or IBM or General Motors saying that we get a layout for you.
Are corporate secrets really make it available anybody and everybody who like to take a look not on your life.
The wonderful thing is for those who care enough to look God is doing something wonderful if not breathtaking is opening the vault of heaven, and he is showing us secrets unveiled for anyone who cares to see now for those of you who might be ill of feeling a little overwhelmed by now all the strangeness of Revelation.
You know the weird animals and the flying creatures in the trumpets and the seals and the markings on four heads, and the horsemen in the blood in the gore the pestilence, and all that our Lord stops for a moment as we arrive at this He stops for a moment and then he gives us a beautiful picture that's easy to see and easy to understand of what the future is going to look like corporate executives might locked away a chicken recipe or hideaway trade secrets, but God is literally opening the vault and revealing the future for all the world to see. Now you turn in your Bibles to chapter 11 is where we left off.
You need to understand that that often in this book were given a big picture with just a few details and then later on were given a close-up snapshot that shows us all of the fact will in this paragraph. In chapter 11 were given the picture where everything is just sort of condensed, but we see from one end to the other gives us the big picture, revealing some wonderful secrets about future coming days and it all begins with the sounding of the seventh trumpet.
Notice verse 15 then the seventh angel sounded, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ and he will reign forever and ever, that this trumpet, the seventh trumpet is the last in the sequence of these trumpets.
It is not to be equated with the last trumpet that Paul refers to the first release 1552, where he talks about that trumpet in the sound of that will in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet, the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable. We will all be changed, will the seventh trumpet here. Revelation covers an extended period of time, not an instantaneous in the twinkling of an eye moment.
In fact the seventh trumpet will call for prolonged waves of judgment that will be given to us in close-up snapshots later on in the book of Revelation. Now verse 15 tells us you notice that this trumpet sounds and loud voices in heaven were saying we've already encountered that word, saying like Dante sits in amplification of the Doosan, which literally refers to to singing these these hosts of heaven.
These angels separated from the church which will sing it above as these are angels are singing and what they are singing the word saying these. These are the lyrics of their wonderful, wonderful hymn we've already learned how many angels there are that saying there already.
They sing it several times in the book of Revelation and are referred to simply as a myriad of angels myriad means 10,000. It was the largest unit used in Greek mathematics in the ancient world whenever you see the phrase myriads of myriads. It means 10,000�10,000, will you do a little math you know that we have about 100 million angels plus singing what were about to look at. You can imagine is I can't incredible sound. This will be of praise. One author wrote that if you wanted to hear a little bit of what this sounded like what you want to do is try to listen to Handel's Messiah at some point in the future, especially as hallelujah chorus.
In fact, George Frederick Handel took the words as a foundation to his oratorio specially as hallelujah chorus from this text is chapter and verse, verse 15. Notice again, the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ and he will reign forever and ever.
This is what the prophet Daniel saw and prophesied ugly. We predicted one. He says I saw like a son of man was coming and to him was given dominion and glory and the kingdom, then the sovereignty and the dominion and the greatness of all the kingdom will be given to the people of the saints of the highest one that is you that your inherited, and his kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom of God here informs us that is not open up the vault of heaven. Literally the vault of the future and show us the end of history and you could say it's all over but the shouting or the singing. I guess in this text and what I wanted to do is pull out several elements that are found within these angelic lyrics.
First, I want you to notice the singularity of the coming kingdom. The angels sing the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord not kingdoms proper translation his kingdom. One kingdom, that sounds a bit strange so I the interpreters inserted the plural to try to make sense of it, but it's intended to be rather different because he's intended to reveal a secret and a perspective that is wonderful. You see, even though our world right now is separated into a thousand kingdom.
Plus will all other princes and potentates and parliaments presidents.
Here's the astonishing truth, all the world's diverse national, political, social, cultural, linguistic and even religious groups are in reality one kingdom under the dominion of one king who is that King will three times in John's Gospel, our Lord referred to Satan as the ruler of this world. The following on one occasion Jesus was accused of being empowered by Satan. Remember that they told him that you're just casting out demons by the power of Beelzebub or or the Lord of the flies literally the devil in our Lord responded by exposing that rather ridiculous logic when he said if Satan is casting out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then shall his kingdom stand singular kingdom. Matthew 1226 for the moment Christ was tempted by Satan in the wilderness the devil showed our Lord. All of the individual kingdoms that need all the Presidents princes and potentates. He showed them all of that. Then he said to the Lord. Interestingly enough, he said, if you will worship me. I will allow you to rule over this domain singular.
Here's the secret expose the world is temporarily ruled by this usurper, Satan, which God is given delegated authority to do so. The world systems separated, though they may be by language, culture, and border.
They are literally under his father, so to speak, they might think they have the power to do whatever they want, they might think they know where they're going but in reality they are under the temporary delegated sway and dominion of this deceiving angel of light.
The nations then do not just happen to work coincidentally happen to follow other gods and just so happened the really not like the name of Jesus Christ and despise the believer often persecuted they are doing. Even today, around the globe, the Christian nations are actually influenced as puppets on strings manipulated as the apostle Paul wrote I the God of this world who has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ was the image of God in Corinthians 4 verse four now. Although Satan is a usurper and not the permanent and rightful King. He is the present delegated ruler of earth's kingdom.
Any rules through those who disbelieve the gospel and who themselves hate the name hate the authority hate the thought of the rule and reign of Jesus Christ. This is a frightening thing to consider in relation to our world today in the unbelieving world. The world system is in the grip of the enemy of the true and living God certainly has power and rule and reign is delegated and temporary, and yet he is considered by Jesus Christ himself.
The current Prince of the power of the air, he will not loosen his grip without a fight. Even though he knows the end of the bug. Even though I can only imagine what an expert. The enemy is in this book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ. Even still, he and those who follow him will not give away the kingdom when Christ comes, it will have to be arrested away from them. I want you to notice the not only the singularity of the kingdom. It's really one kingdom from the perspective of God. But I want you to notice. Secondly, the certainty of the kingdom.
This kingdom, the Angels are singing about the kingdom of the world which has become the kingdom of our Lord. The verb translated which has become the kingdom of our Lord is a proleptic terrorist. You don't need another for the quiz and write it down, but what I want to get as the points are rather amazing, tense, what it means is it's viewing an event in the future as historical reality, and in fact historical truth here and now. It's that certain listen. At this point on the planet remember the context of Chapter 11 were in the middle of the tribulation, just beyond the middle point when Satan has consolidated his global influence were about to be introduced to the antichrist given a biography of this this individual. Later on in chapters 12, 13, especially, but these consolidated his powers setting himself up as God through his puppet antichrist people might be led to believe the God has lost everything God has lost control listen to you here singing to hear music. You can hear it here in heaven. 100 million Angels plus are singing the kingdom as an historical reality and fact even now is the kingdom of the Lord. Everything is going right on schedule with our sovereign Lord's plan. He knows the future, and before it happens he has the Angels go ahead and sing about. He knows the future and unveils it secret to the host of heaven and through the apostle John to the entire human race.
Those who want to find out about it.
God knows the future, and frankly and simply this God when it's already in the books. It's in the book. Thirdly, I want you to notice. Not just the singularity of the kingdom and the certainty of the kingdom, but the sovereign look again, the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of the Lord and of his Christ. What is that me will the title Lord or curry you is often used as a title for Jesus Christ throughout the New Testament in the book of Revelation. It's most often use to refer to God the father so he could understand this phrase may be marked in the margin of your Bible. The kingdom of God the father is a reference to God the father. So what does that last part mean and of his Christ Chris to the Greek word translated Christ simply means anointed one. Or you could render it Messiah so the Angels are singing our lyrics about the anointed one, of God the father, who will rule 20 means.
In fact there singing the lyrics that reveal the fulfillment of prophecy from centuries past. David the psalmist have known had not the Holy Spirit breathed through him the truth of secrets yet unexplained to him. Listen to one of them is he is he uses the same terminology in the Greek Old Testament known as the Septuagint is the nations wage war against the Lord and his Christ same idea.
Towards the futility of the nations who wage war against God the father and his anointed son, the Messiah.
In fact, David goes on in chapter 2 verse 12 of Psalms to say this worship the Lord with reverence and rejoice with trembling and do homage to the son, SO in way back in David's day.
He is singing about God the father and God the son, the anointed one, the Messiah who will reign fact it's hidden that the unity of their sovereign rule with the father rules a son rules when the sun rose the father rules with the spirit presiding.
John wrote of the union of father and son earlier when he said in his letter.
First John chapter 2, who is a liar, but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Again, the anointed one, the Messiah this is. He says the spirit of antichrist. You cannot have God without God the son, you can't as you talk to people demonstrating to say what you think about God though say why I believe in him what Jesus Christ was not too sure about him that you can have God the father without God the son, you can have the kingdom of the father without the rule of the sun. You're only deceived fag John will say later that same letter. Whoever denies the son does not have the father and the one who confesses the son has the father also. This would be this revelation here. A wonderfully encouraging to see the prophecies of King David.
Now coming to pass. In Revelation chapter 11, especially to the Jewish readers of this day and the Christians both Gentile and you begin to see when John was writing this revelation he was on the island of Patmos. And why was he there was nice resort there and he wanted a vacation know he was exiled to this island by an emperor named omission. The mission hated Christians with a passion.
So we exiled the famous Christians because he didn't want to get into too much political hot water and kill the ones who weren't really all that well. The donation is also the first Roman Emperor to have himself officially titled in Rome.
God, the Lord. He also had himself officially titled Lord Curry us Lord of the earth. You can imagine course. He had no idea until it was too late that he was actually doing the bidding of the King of earth the usurper the one who hates the worship of God. You can imagine now the believers hearing these titles, addressed to the true and living God who son will reign as Lord will this is what the angels sing, and what is the church going to do about it over actually to be in heaven to hear this. This is our future and after we hear it. Here's what happens for 16 and the 24 elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worship God. 24 elders surrounding the throne representing the bride, the church, all immediately the sound of 100 million Angels singing. They fall on their faces and worshiped God's amazing sight one minute. The elders are sitting on their thrones and the next minute they're down on their faces, worshiping the God of glory. The responses ecstatic. It is spontaneous it is electrifying. It is pure praise. This is what true worship. Ladies and gentlemen is all about whether you're singing or praying or worshiping or cleaning the house or whatever when you acknowledge the sovereignty of God and his will played out in and for your life no matter what the mundane events of life may be you are his willing servants. This is pure worship even Navy were you have to push the pause button here at this point in the sermon will completed tomorrow.
Lord willing.
The sermon entitled no longer top secret were talking about elders representing the church who were in heaven while the tribulation is taking place on earth and their giving pure exuberant praise to God. By the way, that praise doesn't have to begin we get to heaven. We can praise God even today. I'm hoping and praying.
I'm trusting that this program is in your life bringing you to bring praise to God right where you are today. Steve and I know that we've recently heard from a prison inmate who has tremendous reason to be praising God today in his cell that amazing friends because of your support were able to send free material to inmates around the country and we get letters.
Here's one from Eric who writes I want to thank you so very much for sending volume 1, when heaven came down to me. I can't thank you enough for all the things you guys do for us and I want you to know that today, February 4, I got baptized at 10:30 AM and it was amazing. Words cannot explain how wonderful it was and I like to see if I could get. Please, volume 2, and three of when heaven came down which is our series, through the gospel of John the Scott, would you be able send this to Eric this week. We sure are and it's really one of the remarkable ways that God has given us an opportunity to be a blessing to people who really they have no resources to purchase any of the items that we have available in our resource section.
But making them available to those inmates and it's not always easy.
Sometimes we have to work with the prison system on how to get items then sometimes there's restrictions on what we can send but is used even mentioned a moment ago. It's the support of our listeners that makes it possible for us to have that kind of an impact on here's Eric now growing in the faith and being baptized with a wonderful testimony of Stephen speaking of resources.
Your lesson today reminded me of one of our resources because you're talking about these elders right there in heaven. It means that they're not going through the tribulation. That's right, but we do this God all of you who've never contacted us before. If you call us today will sort of flesh. This idea out with one of our more popular of booklets entitled the coming tribulation and its pre-much just the Q&A questions on the tribulation. What exactly is the tribulation, when does the tribulation begin. What is the purpose of the tribulation did the prophets say anything about the tribulation. Why did Christ warned the disciples about the tribulation if they were going to go through it is unleashing the tribulation on just one generation, fair is God being fair to these people.
How long will it last and more. Many many questions. Scott, if folks will call us will send this is our gift for them, introducing themselves to us will send this to you friends absolutely free so call us right now at 86 648 Bible and as Stephen mentioned, anyone can call and get it but we have a free copy today for first time callers resource is called the coming tribulation booklet that Stephen has written short, easy to read will make a great addition to your resource library. I'm so glad you joined us today here on listing for the heart Stevens going to conclude today's message on tomorrow's broadcast. So be sure and join us, right here on wisdom for the heart