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Revelation chapter 19 and
verses 11 to 21.

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Then I saw heaven opened, and
behold a white horse.

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The one sitting on it is
called Faithful and True.

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And in righteousness he judges
and makes war.

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His eyes are like a flame of
fire, and on his head are many diadems.

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And he has a name written that
no one knows but himself.

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He is clothed in a robe dipped
in blood.

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And the name by which he is
called is the word of God.

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And the armies of heaven are
red and fine linen, white and pure,

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were following him on white horses.

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From his mouth comes a sharp
sword with which to strike down the

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nations, and he will rule them.

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With a rod of iron he will
tread the winepress of the fury of

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the wrath of God the Almighty.

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On his robe and on his thigh
he has a name written, King of Kings

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and Lord of Lords.

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Then I saw an angel standing
in the sun, and with a loud voice

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he called to all the birds
that fly directly overhead, come

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gather for the great supper of
God to eat the flesh of kings, the

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flesh of captains, the flesh
of mighty men, the flesh of horses

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and their riders, and the
flesh of all men, both free and slave,

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both small and great.

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And I saw the beast and the
kings of the earth with their armies

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gathered to make war against
him who was sitting on the horse

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and and against his army.

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And the beast was captured,
and with it the false prophet, who

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in its presence had done the
signs by which he deceived those

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who had received the mark of
the beast and those who worshipped

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its image.

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These two were thrown alive
into the lake of fire that burns

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with sulfur.

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And the rest were slain by the
sword that came from the mouth of

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him who was sitting on the horse.

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And all the birds were gorged
with their flesh.

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Amen.

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This is the word of God.

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I don't know if you've been a
big fan of them or not, but my father

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loved country and western films.

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He would enjoy watching John
Wayne, Clint Eastwood, James Coburn,

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and James Stewart and take on
whatever role they would undertake

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for a good western film.

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Now, I'll be honest and say
that I may not have been into them

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as much as he was, because
most of the plot lines were virtually

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the same.

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But he loved watching them all
the same.

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And you know how it would go.

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A prairie town was besieged by
a bloodthirsty gang who had run off

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the law.

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But then, followed by a cloud
of dust, a rider on a white horse

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appeared and there would be a
new sheriff in town.

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In short order, the hero would
produce a pile of bodies of the wicked

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men that he had slain.

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The women and children could
return to the town streets, and hope

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was reclaimed.

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My first taste of western
films was in the 1990s trilogy Back

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to the Future, because the
third incarnation of that franchise

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was set in a western time.

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But it wasn't a white horse.

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It was a silver DeLorean.

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And so that was how I was
introduced to what would happen in

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the Wild west and how towns
would be saved from those who would

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bring plight to them.

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Well, opening the second half
of chapter 19 of Revelation, we read

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of a similar scene, only it's
not set in a priory town.

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Rather, it's what John sees as
heaven is opened before him.

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And that's what verse 11 tells
to us.

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And so here we're very much
where the first half was what John

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heard.

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Now it's what John sees.

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This is what's recorded for us.

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Then I saw heaven open, that
beautiful escape or that escarpment

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in front of him, that expanse
of what was there.

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And he says, behold a white horse.

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The one sitting on it is
called faithful and true.

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And in righteousness he judges
and makes war.

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See, you could picture it in a
Western, on the plain, coming from

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the distance, smoke rising or
dust rising, because John sees a

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rider on a white horse coming
towards him.

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And he goes on to describe
what the rider looks like, but he

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tells us that his name is
faithful and true.

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And these are words that we've
already heard in Revelation, if you

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recall back to the very
beginning and the letters to the

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churches you heard, that these
were good and true, or faithful and

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true of what they must believe.

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And the white horse points us
here to Jesus, rule and majesty as

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a great warrior.

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For that's how we interpret
what John sees.

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And Christ, we know, is
faithful to God and faithful to his

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promises.

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And believers can count on him
to vindicate them and to vindicate

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the truth.

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And that's what we must
understand of what this great last

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battle is about.

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It's that vindication, not
just of the righteous, that they

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were right not in themselves,
but under the authority of Christ,

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but that Christ will stand for
the truth, that the wicked will see

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they were wrong, and Christ
will vindicate the truth.

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That in fact the truth has
been true and right all along.

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And so Jesus is coming on his
horse of war, and many wars are unjust.

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A ruler rampages and ravages
for selfish gain.

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But Jesus judges and makes war
righteously, fulfilling the vision

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of the Messiah in Psalm 72
that we saw last Sunday morning,

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and in Isaiah 11, as we've
already seen in Revelation, righteous

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judgment includes both
punishment and salvation.

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We've picked up on that a
couple of weeks in a row now, that

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as this righteous judgment is
brought on the wicked of the world,

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so comes salvation for the righteous.

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You see, Jesus judges and
wages war for righteous and good

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purposes, and he does it so
that evil is removed from the earth.

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And what scripture?

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In a mixture of the Hebrew
language, the shalom peace that was

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promised for creation is
established for all eternity.

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And in verse 12, we get a
description of the writer.

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We're told that his eyes are
like a flame of fire, proving that

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he is a righteous judge.

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And again, as we saw earlier
in Revelation, he sees beneath the

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surface these piercing eyes.

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So his judgment is not
superficial, nor is it mistaken.

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In fact, his judgment is
rightly placed.

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His judgment is firmly rooted
in this truth that he bears the name

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of.

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He sees the way things really are.

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But he's also able to judge
and triumph because of his kingly

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rule, of his strength.

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He is described as having many
diadems on his head, telling us of

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his sovereign rule and his authority.

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Now he not only sees what is
right, but he has the strength to

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enforce the right as sovereign ruler.

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Again, that image of that
Western movie where the sheriff rides

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in on this white horse.

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He has the authority because
he has the badge.

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He has the authority and he
has the strength to overcome the

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enemies.

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So the rider on the white
horse is sovereign because the name

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inscribed on himself is only
known by himself.

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In the ancient world, to know
another person's name was to exercise

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control over that person.

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But no one is able to control,
nor are they able to manipulate the

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one who is on the white horse.

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Yet it's no contradiction that
Jesus is also identified as having

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the names King of Kings and
Lord of Lords, as we read in verse

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16, and that of the word of
God in verse 13.

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For there is a sense in which
we know Jesus and a sense in which

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he is hidden from us.

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He is both immanent and
transcendent, near to us and hidden

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from us.

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We truly know God through
Jesus Christ, but we do not know

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him exhaustively or fully.

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And as John describes him here
in verse 14, he tells us what he

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is wearing and also what he is carrying.

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We're told that he's clothed
in a robe dipped in blood, and the

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name by which he is called is
the Word of God.

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Although it looks gruesome,
this is actually an image of victory.

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Now, this is not Christ's own
blood shed at Calvary for the sins

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of Many.

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But as the image is given to
us of the second coming in this passage,

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the blood here is the blood of
judgment of those who have rejected

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God and rebelled against him.

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For God's people watching on,
they see the final victory of Jesus

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over his enemies.

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And he's called the Word of God.

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And this echoes what we're
told way back in John's Gospel, chapter

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one and verse one.

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God's word is effective and
powerful and is seen lived in Christ.

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And it's his Word now, his
living word, that pours out or unleashes

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his judgment upon the world.

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And we read of this in Psalm 33:6.

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By the word of the Lord, the
heavens were made, and by the breath

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of his mouth all their host.

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So the God who made is the
rightful God who can judge.

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And Isaiah further says that
God's word does not return to me

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empty, but it shall accomplish
that which I purpose and shall succeed

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in the thing for which I sent it.

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And that's Isaiah 55:11.

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Jesus himself is God's word.

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He's God's message to the world.

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And here he is expressing that
message of both judgment and salvation.

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The judgment of the rebellious
and the eternal salvation, the redeemed.

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Now, moving on to the next
three verses, they describe for us

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what the victory army looks like.

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Verse 14 tells us that the
army following the white horse is

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clothed in white linen.

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Now, we saw fine linen in
verse 8 of this chapter being worn

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by the church, and now white
linen is being worn by the heavenly

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army.

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And I don't think there's any
distinction here between the linen

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in both cases.

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It signifies righteousness and
it signifies holiness.

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You see, these are forces of
good, and they are arrayed against

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the forces of evil.

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And verse 15 brings us back to
the rider of the white horse again

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and presents information to us
that we've already read in this book.

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The three images that this
verse contains proves that Jesus

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is coming for judgment.

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First of all, he has a sword,
and he will use that sword to strike

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the nations in judgment.

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Secondly, he has an iron rod,
and that rod is used for ruling those

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nations.

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So once again, he has the
power and he has the authority.

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And the third image is what we
looked at a few chapters ago.

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He is trading the wine press.

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And throughout the Old
Testament we are very aware that

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this winepress are the grapes
of God's wrath.

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Therefore God's wrath, his
righteous judgment, is being poured

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out.

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And so here we see again what
Christ has come to do.

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Strike the nations, have
authority over them, and pour out

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God's justice, his wrath upon
them for their wickedness and rebellion.

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And so, reading this, we know
that the final judgment has come,

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but we also know that Christ
will be victorious.

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But John's attention is drawn
away again, and he is shown something

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else.

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And this time he sees an angel.

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And this is what the angel
says in verses 17 to 18.

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Come gather.

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This is calling the birds of
the air for the great supper of God

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to eat of the flesh of kings,
the flesh of captains, the flesh

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of mighty men, the flesh of
horses and their riders, and the

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flesh of all men, both free
and slave, both small and great.

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And what John sees before him
now is a victory feast.

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The images of the birds draws
on the judgment of Gog and Magog

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that's spoken of in Ezekiel
chapter 38 and 39, in which the birds

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are invited to gather for a
sacrificial feast and eat the flesh

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and drink the blood of
Israel's enemies.

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And so we hear, we see it
portrayed again now in Revelation

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19.

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These birds are invited here
to gorgeous.

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And they gorge on kings,
captains, mighty men, horses and

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their riders, and the
remainder of mankind who rebelled

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against God.

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We've already seen these
people stand back from the destruction

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of Babylon, the great city.

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And so now we see that they
are getting what they deserve.

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And we're given a picture here
of human flesh.

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It's human flesh that is being
consumed by birds.

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And it's very grisly.

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It's a very grisly way of
depicting the destruction of those

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00:13:49,980 --> 00:13:51,340
who reject Jesus Christ.

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00:13:52,220 --> 00:13:54,380
But we have to remember what
it's communicating.

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00:13:55,020 --> 00:14:00,060
And in the ancient world, to
remain unburied was a great dishonor.

241
00:14:00,940 --> 00:14:04,340
To simply be exposed to the
elements and allow whatever bird

242
00:14:04,340 --> 00:14:09,620
would come along to feed off
you as your corpse lay there was

243
00:14:09,620 --> 00:14:10,540
a great dishonor.

244
00:14:11,580 --> 00:14:15,730
And this is what we're given
as will be the fate of those who

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00:14:15,730 --> 00:14:17,810
reject Jesus Christ.

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00:14:20,530 --> 00:14:25,490
Following the beast and the
false prophets and enjoying the luxuries

247
00:14:25,490 --> 00:14:29,330
of Babylon the great doesn't
bring honor.

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00:14:30,530 --> 00:14:33,730
We have a picture here that
says it brings great dishonor.

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00:14:34,530 --> 00:14:38,290
And that is the fate of a
world that rejects Jesus Christ.

250
00:14:40,060 --> 00:14:43,340
Now, that should want to make
us sit up and pay attention on two

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00:14:43,340 --> 00:14:43,900
counts.

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00:14:44,460 --> 00:14:48,020
The first count should be
introspectively where we look at

253
00:14:48,020 --> 00:14:52,220
our own souls and we ask the
question, am I truly following Christ?

254
00:14:53,500 --> 00:14:57,260
Am I honoring him, or am I
honoring self?

255
00:14:57,260 --> 00:14:59,740
Because we will give our honor
to one or the other.

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00:15:00,780 --> 00:15:04,420
To honor Christ means that we
will move on to the second in just

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00:15:04,420 --> 00:15:05,020
a moment.

258
00:15:05,800 --> 00:15:08,840
But to stick with if we're
honoring self, thereby enjoying all

259
00:15:08,840 --> 00:15:11,720
the pleasures of the world and
not seeking after Christ and thinking

260
00:15:11,720 --> 00:15:13,800
we'll be okay, the reality is
we won't.

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00:15:14,440 --> 00:15:16,840
For there is no honor in the world.

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The world will present great dishonor.

263
00:15:20,120 --> 00:15:22,640
And that leads us to the
second, that there is still hope

264
00:15:22,640 --> 00:15:23,840
while there is still time.

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00:15:23,840 --> 00:15:27,120
Because if we know that we are
honoring Christ in all that we do,

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00:15:27,120 --> 00:15:30,200
then that will want us to
proclaim who he is and his goodness

267
00:15:30,360 --> 00:15:34,640
and the joy of his salvation,
so that those who are not following

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00:15:34,640 --> 00:15:37,960
him will come to know what is
the truth that Scripture speaks of.

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00:15:38,440 --> 00:15:41,800
This truth that is here
displayed in Revelation 19 in the

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00:15:41,800 --> 00:15:46,240
person of Jesus Christ, the
one who brings both judgment and

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00:15:46,240 --> 00:15:46,840
salvation.

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00:15:48,440 --> 00:15:51,800
And I mentioned the beast and
the false prophet, those ones who

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00:15:51,800 --> 00:15:56,400
have misled humanity, and they
now come into view in verses 19 to

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00:15:56,400 --> 00:15:57,000
21.

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00:15:57,970 --> 00:16:02,650
We first met them in
Revelation 16 and 17, and here they

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00:16:02,650 --> 00:16:07,890
are presenting themselves,
ready to take on the armies of heaven.

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00:16:08,770 --> 00:16:11,410
Now you know how a Western
movie's gonna go.

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00:16:12,290 --> 00:16:15,010
The one on the white horse is
gonna win.

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00:16:15,890 --> 00:16:20,370
The one with the name of
Sheriff upon him will overcome.

280
00:16:20,370 --> 00:16:24,390
Now, it might take different
twists and turns along the way, but

281
00:16:24,390 --> 00:16:28,030
in the end it will be decisive
and the rule of law will return.

282
00:16:29,630 --> 00:16:32,550
And that's just a little
something of what we see here, because

283
00:16:32,550 --> 00:16:36,030
there is a battle where two
sides are ready to fight.

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00:16:36,590 --> 00:16:41,550
The armies of the redeemed and
the armies of the wicked, thinking

285
00:16:41,550 --> 00:16:45,310
that they can take on the army
of heaven and win.

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00:16:46,750 --> 00:16:48,350
But very little is said about it.

287
00:16:48,350 --> 00:16:51,030
Because what do we read
immediately as we're told that they're

288
00:16:51,030 --> 00:16:51,310
there?

289
00:16:51,470 --> 00:16:53,670
Well, we're told that they
gather for battle and that the beast

290
00:16:53,670 --> 00:16:54,230
is captured.

291
00:16:54,230 --> 00:16:57,730
And along with false, the
prophet is thrown alive into the

292
00:16:57,730 --> 00:16:58,490
lake of fire.

293
00:16:59,690 --> 00:17:01,330
And who had the beast gathered?

294
00:17:01,330 --> 00:17:05,850
Well, the beast had gathered
all of those who stood back earlier

295
00:17:05,850 --> 00:17:08,490
in this chapter, in the last
chapter, to look at the destruction

296
00:17:08,490 --> 00:17:12,810
of Babylon and cry, it's the
kings of the earth.

297
00:17:13,530 --> 00:17:16,530
Together they make one final
stand against the army of heaven.

298
00:17:16,530 --> 00:17:17,610
But they cannot stand.

299
00:17:18,170 --> 00:17:22,010
They're all unaware that their
fate is sealed and their destruction

300
00:17:22,010 --> 00:17:24,170
for the rebellion of God is inevitable.

301
00:17:25,560 --> 00:17:28,080
The false prophet is
mentioned, and this is the same figure

302
00:17:28,080 --> 00:17:31,080
as the second beast that we
saw in Revelation 13.

303
00:17:31,800 --> 00:17:36,240
But the designation false
prophet emphasizes really what is

304
00:17:36,240 --> 00:17:40,680
the delusional power or the
deluding power through signs and

305
00:17:40,680 --> 00:17:44,640
wonders and false prophecies
that the false prophet has brought

306
00:17:44,640 --> 00:17:45,400
upon the earth?

307
00:17:45,560 --> 00:17:49,720
In fact, John pauses here to
note his signs and how they deceived

308
00:17:49,720 --> 00:17:52,680
those who received the mark of
the beast and worshipped his image.

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00:17:52,750 --> 00:17:52,910
And.

310
00:17:53,220 --> 00:17:57,500
And this suggests that those
led astray desired to be misled.

311
00:17:57,500 --> 00:17:58,660
Verse 20 tells us.

312
00:17:58,660 --> 00:18:01,700
And the beast was captured,
and with it the false prophet.

313
00:18:02,100 --> 00:18:03,780
And this is what we learn
about it.

314
00:18:03,780 --> 00:18:08,340
Who in its presence had done
the signs by which he deceived those

315
00:18:08,580 --> 00:18:11,700
who had received the mark of
the beast and those who worshipped

316
00:18:11,700 --> 00:18:12,420
its image.

317
00:18:12,820 --> 00:18:15,980
These two were thrown alive
into the lake of fire that burns

318
00:18:15,980 --> 00:18:16,820
with sulphur.

319
00:18:17,460 --> 00:18:19,540
Do you see what the false
prophet is all about?

320
00:18:20,700 --> 00:18:21,340
Deception.

321
00:18:22,140 --> 00:18:27,860
Wanting to deceive us, to take
upon us the name of the beast, the

322
00:18:27,860 --> 00:18:31,980
name of the evil one, and
follow his ways, rather than having

323
00:18:31,980 --> 00:18:35,020
the mark of Christ upon us, as
Revelation speaks of.

324
00:18:36,780 --> 00:18:39,100
The false prophet is about deception.

325
00:18:39,580 --> 00:18:43,220
He deceived those who had
received the mark of the beast and

326
00:18:43,220 --> 00:18:44,620
those who worshiped its image.

327
00:18:46,390 --> 00:18:49,190
All that is false and
misleading is now seen, though for

328
00:18:49,190 --> 00:18:53,750
what it is in Revelation 19 it
leads to ruin.

329
00:18:54,390 --> 00:18:58,710
And the world has been sold a
lie and misled in where their devotion

330
00:18:58,710 --> 00:18:59,350
should be.

331
00:18:59,830 --> 00:19:03,110
The false prophet was nothing
more than that.

332
00:19:03,830 --> 00:19:05,350
Completely false.

333
00:19:06,710 --> 00:19:12,110
John encourages his audience
to persevere to the end by showing

334
00:19:12,110 --> 00:19:15,350
us the final fate of the beast
and the false prophet.

335
00:19:16,150 --> 00:19:18,070
You can't get more finality.

336
00:19:18,230 --> 00:19:22,110
The lake of fire is mentioned
here for the first time, but it reappears

337
00:19:22,110 --> 00:19:25,430
several times in these closing
chapters of Revelation.

338
00:19:25,430 --> 00:19:27,830
And it's described to us as a
place of torment.

339
00:19:28,070 --> 00:19:30,710
And it's identified as the
second death.

340
00:19:31,270 --> 00:19:35,350
And so here we have the beast
and the false prophet thrown into

341
00:19:35,350 --> 00:19:39,510
that lake, knowing that their
punishment is final and complete,

342
00:19:39,510 --> 00:19:43,390
never again to ravage the the
people of God or persecute them.

343
00:19:43,710 --> 00:19:46,790
And the image of fire for
final punishment is used elsewhere

344
00:19:46,790 --> 00:19:48,190
in the New Testament as well.

345
00:19:48,990 --> 00:19:52,430
So those who die the second
death will never come to life.

346
00:19:52,750 --> 00:19:56,710
And so all those who side with
the beast and false prophet will

347
00:19:56,710 --> 00:20:02,270
regret forever that they were
co opted by them into what was a

348
00:20:02,270 --> 00:20:04,990
false and fake system of the world.

349
00:20:06,270 --> 00:20:10,850
And as this chapter closes, we
read of what happens to the rest

350
00:20:10,850 --> 00:20:13,610
of those ready to fight
against the army of heaven.

351
00:20:14,250 --> 00:20:18,690
In verse 21 we're told, and
the rest were slain by the sword

352
00:20:18,690 --> 00:20:22,090
that came from the mouth of
him who was sitting on the horse.

353
00:20:22,410 --> 00:20:25,130
And all the birds were gorged
with their flesh.

354
00:20:26,730 --> 00:20:29,450
Now I think it would be fair
to say that if the beast and false

355
00:20:29,450 --> 00:20:33,930
prophet are so easily disposed
of, well then the rest of their armies

356
00:20:33,930 --> 00:20:35,210
are no problem at all.

357
00:20:35,920 --> 00:20:39,200
They're killed by the sword
coming out of the mouth of the majestic

358
00:20:39,200 --> 00:20:42,400
warrior Jesus, who sits on his
white horse.

359
00:20:42,640 --> 00:20:46,040
In other words, his word is
powerful and effective enough to

360
00:20:46,040 --> 00:20:47,120
wipe out his enemies.

361
00:20:47,440 --> 00:20:49,280
He judges them by it.

362
00:20:49,520 --> 00:20:52,880
They are held to it, and they
are found wanting.

363
00:20:53,520 --> 00:20:56,400
And they have no savior to
whom to look to.

364
00:20:57,760 --> 00:21:00,840
They have no savior who took
upon himself the punishment that

365
00:21:00,840 --> 00:21:01,920
sins deserved.

366
00:21:02,870 --> 00:21:05,910
Rather, they take upon
themselves the punishment they deserve

367
00:21:05,910 --> 00:21:06,710
for their sins.

368
00:21:07,990 --> 00:21:10,070
It leaves carnage on the battlefield.

369
00:21:10,710 --> 00:21:14,510
And birds satisfy themselves
with the flesh of those who are judged,

370
00:21:14,510 --> 00:21:16,470
just like Ezekiel prophesied.

371
00:21:17,510 --> 00:21:21,750
And what we're seeing here is
a vivid picture of the final judgment

372
00:21:21,990 --> 00:21:26,070
and eternal destruction of
those who oppose Jesus Christ.

373
00:21:28,480 --> 00:21:32,120
In the Last of his seven
Narnia books, C.S.

374
00:21:32,120 --> 00:21:35,320
Lewis concludes his series
with themes drawn from the final

375
00:21:35,320 --> 00:21:36,560
chapters of Revelation.

376
00:21:37,280 --> 00:21:41,360
Lewis's the Last Battle
describes the conquest of Narnia

377
00:21:41,520 --> 00:21:47,440
by the tyrannical Kalamne
army, whose leader, the Tarquin,

378
00:21:47,440 --> 00:21:50,080
represents Revelation's
villainous beast.

379
00:21:51,840 --> 00:21:54,080
Tarkin is a despot.

380
00:21:55,090 --> 00:21:59,330
He could never have taken over
Narnia without the help of another

381
00:21:59,410 --> 00:22:02,690
figure who represents
Revelation's false prophet.

382
00:22:02,770 --> 00:22:06,930
And Lewis describes him as a
monkey who's called Shift.

383
00:22:08,050 --> 00:22:13,890
The ape had found a lion's
skin, and he draped it over his reluctant

384
00:22:14,210 --> 00:22:15,010
conspirator.

385
00:22:15,970 --> 00:22:18,690
And that conspirator was a
donkey named Puzzle.

386
00:22:19,900 --> 00:22:23,500
And when the donkey was seen
in pearl lighting, the Narnians were

387
00:22:23,500 --> 00:22:28,380
persuaded that this false
Christ was really their divine king,

388
00:22:28,700 --> 00:22:30,300
the lion, Aslan.

389
00:22:31,340 --> 00:22:35,420
You will pretend to be Aslan,
the monkey explained to the donkey,

390
00:22:35,420 --> 00:22:37,580
and I'll tell you what to say.

391
00:22:38,540 --> 00:22:43,340
So soon the monkey, Shift had
secured power for the sake of the

392
00:22:43,340 --> 00:22:47,180
Calermine invaders and
supposedly at Aslan's command.

393
00:22:47,290 --> 00:22:51,600
And the evil soldiers began
destroying forests and otherwise

394
00:22:52,000 --> 00:22:53,280
devastating Narnia.

395
00:22:54,000 --> 00:22:57,840
The false prophet had
succeeded not only in passing power

396
00:22:57,840 --> 00:23:02,000
to the tyrant, but also in
tarnishing the faith of many who

397
00:23:02,000 --> 00:23:03,920
had believed in Aslan.

398
00:23:06,480 --> 00:23:08,480
Lewis's story is just that.

399
00:23:08,640 --> 00:23:09,560
It's allegory.

400
00:23:09,560 --> 00:23:10,280
It's a story.

401
00:23:10,280 --> 00:23:15,480
But it captivates the satanic
strategy that Revelation foretells

402
00:23:15,480 --> 00:23:16,600
for the end of history.

403
00:23:17,880 --> 00:23:21,720
The Apostle Paul, or the
Apostle John, writes that supported

404
00:23:21,720 --> 00:23:25,160
by the false prophet, the
beast and the kings of the earth

405
00:23:25,400 --> 00:23:30,360
with their armies gathered to
make war, this is how they had been

406
00:23:30,360 --> 00:23:30,920
misled.

407
00:23:31,400 --> 00:23:34,840
Lewis highlighted the role
played by the false prophet's deceptions,

408
00:23:34,840 --> 00:23:40,380
even as he mocked him as the
cleverest, ugliest, most wrinkled

409
00:23:40,380 --> 00:23:41,780
ape you can imagine.

410
00:23:42,980 --> 00:23:44,900
See how clever Lewis is?

411
00:23:46,020 --> 00:23:49,380
He tells us what is the
reality, but yet we refuse to see

412
00:23:49,380 --> 00:23:51,780
the ugliness in front of us.

413
00:23:52,660 --> 00:23:57,900
And as the book moves to its
climax, brave King Tyrion calls the

414
00:23:57,900 --> 00:24:02,660
legendary Narnian heroes from
all the previous Books Polly and

415
00:24:02,660 --> 00:24:09,580
Diggory, Edmund, Lucy, Jill,
Eustace and the High King Peter,

416
00:24:09,580 --> 00:24:13,100
who together represent the
faithful militant church.

417
00:24:13,900 --> 00:24:18,100
In the end, their struggle is
crowned with victory by the appearing

418
00:24:18,100 --> 00:24:23,020
of Aslan, who brings Narnia to
an end in final judgment and the

419
00:24:23,020 --> 00:24:25,020
coming of a new world.

420
00:24:26,620 --> 00:24:30,380
I tell you this because I
enjoy the stories of Narnia.

421
00:24:31,190 --> 00:24:34,350
But I also tell you it because
it's a good image to use to help

422
00:24:34,350 --> 00:24:38,550
us understand how serious this
false prophet is.

423
00:24:39,590 --> 00:24:43,710
Even though we read here in
chapter 19 of his eventual punishment

424
00:24:43,710 --> 00:24:48,270
and destruction forever, we
must be aware that the beast works

425
00:24:48,270 --> 00:24:52,070
through human through world
governments to rule and persecute.

426
00:24:52,390 --> 00:24:57,230
But it is the false prophet
who is his mouthpiece, much like

427
00:24:57,230 --> 00:25:06,850
the the ape who is the
cleverest, ugliest, most wrinkled

428
00:25:06,930 --> 00:25:09,890
ape you can imagine.

429
00:25:11,330 --> 00:25:15,890
And with an aim like shift
could he ever be trusted.

430
00:25:17,570 --> 00:25:20,690
But that is who the false
prophet is.

431
00:25:21,890 --> 00:25:23,890
We need to be aware of the deception.

432
00:25:24,630 --> 00:25:29,110
We need to be aware of the
lies that will be used to convince

433
00:25:29,110 --> 00:25:35,830
us that this hideous ape, this
false prophet, is something of beauty.

434
00:25:37,190 --> 00:25:38,950
And we must stand against it.

435
00:25:40,390 --> 00:25:43,830
For sometimes it seems as if
evil will triumph forever.

436
00:25:45,110 --> 00:25:50,430
But such an idea doesn't match
with what we read in Revelation 19

437
00:25:50,430 --> 00:25:51,270
as reality.

438
00:25:52,200 --> 00:25:57,040
Jesus is coming again, and the
rulers and people opposed to him

439
00:25:57,040 --> 00:25:58,040
will be destroyed.

440
00:25:59,000 --> 00:26:04,520
Evil is no illusion, but
goodness is always stronger and has

441
00:26:04,520 --> 00:26:07,880
an enduring permanence that
evil cannot match.

442
00:26:08,920 --> 00:26:13,880
God has allowed evil to do its
worst for many millennia, but he

443
00:26:13,880 --> 00:26:15,560
will not tolerate it forever.

444
00:26:16,280 --> 00:26:19,560
When Jesus returns, we will
see the last battle.

445
00:26:20,460 --> 00:26:25,460
But the battle is remarkably
easy, for Jesus simply speaks the

446
00:26:25,460 --> 00:26:30,700
Word and his enemies are
routed and thrown into the lake of

447
00:26:30,700 --> 00:26:31,020
fire.

448
00:26:33,260 --> 00:26:38,460
In any good story, we all want
to be on the side of the victors.

449
00:26:39,820 --> 00:26:45,830
If we belong to Jesus, we are
assured of ultimate victory.

450
00:26:46,390 --> 00:26:49,670
That's why Paul writes what he
does in First Corinthians, chapter

451
00:26:49,670 --> 00:26:49,990
15.

452
00:26:50,470 --> 00:26:54,070
But thanks be to God who gives
us the victory through our Lord Jesus

453
00:26:54,070 --> 00:26:54,390
Christ.

454
00:26:54,790 --> 00:26:58,230
Therefore, my beloved
brothers, be steadfast, immovable,

455
00:26:58,310 --> 00:27:01,950
always abounding in the work
of the Lord, knowing that in the

456
00:27:01,950 --> 00:27:05,430
Lord your labor is not in vain.

457
00:27:06,790 --> 00:27:11,190
You see, ultimate victory is
guaranteed for the people of God

458
00:27:12,490 --> 00:27:16,330
and eternal damnation for
those who reject him.

459
00:27:17,290 --> 00:27:19,210
Earlier I asked you to search
your heart.

460
00:27:20,250 --> 00:27:23,530
Were you seeking the honour of
Christ or were you seeking your own

461
00:27:23,530 --> 00:27:23,850
honour?

462
00:27:23,850 --> 00:27:26,490
And that's how we conclude
again this evening.

463
00:27:27,930 --> 00:27:32,970
Are you wanting to stay
steadfast for Christ, immovable,

464
00:27:33,370 --> 00:27:35,370
always abounding in the work
of the Lord?

465
00:27:35,850 --> 00:27:38,570
If you are, then ultimate
victory is yours.

466
00:27:39,270 --> 00:27:42,390
You need not fear whatever
this world will throw at us or throw

467
00:27:42,390 --> 00:27:42,790
at you.

468
00:27:43,270 --> 00:27:48,630
We do not fear because victory
is ours, because victory is in Christ.

469
00:27:50,310 --> 00:27:56,710
But like the mighty men and
the kings of the earth and the finest

470
00:27:56,710 --> 00:28:04,110
of stallions and their riders,
if we're honoring Babylon, if we're

471
00:28:04,110 --> 00:28:06,950
going after the things of the
world and not the things of Christ,

472
00:28:08,360 --> 00:28:10,440
then we will face the greatest dishonor.

473
00:28:11,000 --> 00:28:17,080
And we will be found in a
place of torment, suffering and pain

474
00:28:17,480 --> 00:28:18,120
forever.

475
00:28:19,640 --> 00:28:25,440
And so tonight we either leave
confident in Christ or we leave knowing

476
00:28:25,440 --> 00:28:28,400
what is the reality of our destiny.

477
00:28:28,400 --> 00:28:30,440
Because of our rejection of Christ.

478
00:28:31,880 --> 00:28:35,360
And while there is still time,
we are urged to look to Christ and

479
00:28:35,360 --> 00:28:39,880
to trust in him so that we
will be confident this night in him

480
00:28:39,880 --> 00:28:43,280
and him alone, and that the
victory will be his.

481
00:28:43,280 --> 00:28:45,240
That's why we look to the
Cross of Christ.

482
00:28:46,200 --> 00:28:50,000
And in a few moments, we will
sing our concluding hymn that speaks

483
00:28:50,000 --> 00:28:54,480
of this when it says, beneath
the Cross of Jesus I find a place

484
00:28:54,480 --> 00:28:59,880
to stand and wonder at such
mercy that calls me as I am.

485
00:29:00,840 --> 00:29:05,290
And as it concludes, it says
that this promised hope is found

486
00:29:05,290 --> 00:29:06,250
only in Jesus.

487
00:29:06,730 --> 00:29:08,890
How great the joy before us.

488
00:29:09,210 --> 00:29:10,970
To be his perfect bride.

489
00:29:11,690 --> 00:29:16,250
Beneath the Cross of Jesus we
will gladly live our lives.

490
00:29:17,050 --> 00:29:22,330
This is what we're called to,
to look to Christ to know that on

491
00:29:22,330 --> 00:29:28,170
the cross he has done what is
enough to satisfy God's wrath against

492
00:29:28,330 --> 00:29:30,180
us and our sin.

493
00:29:30,980 --> 00:29:36,420
But only if we turn to him and
trust in him, knowing that indeed

494
00:29:36,420 --> 00:29:38,740
he will keep us forever.

495
00:29:39,780 --> 00:29:45,379
So may we each be found with
Christ this night and be confident

496
00:29:45,700 --> 00:29:46,740
in him alone.

497
00:29:47,860 --> 00:29:48,740
Let us pray.

498
00:29:49,780 --> 00:29:53,780
And as we do, I want to begin
by using a prayer of Martin Luther

499
00:29:54,500 --> 00:29:59,510
that says, O Lord, let us not
die in unbelief and blasphemy, but

500
00:29:59,510 --> 00:30:05,710
strengthen and increase our
faith that neither sin, hell, nor

501
00:30:05,710 --> 00:30:06,990
the devil can hurt us.

502
00:30:08,030 --> 00:30:11,070
You are stronger and more
powerful than all of them.

503
00:30:12,030 --> 00:30:14,510
Therefore, in you will we trust.

504
00:30:15,870 --> 00:30:18,510
O Lord, let us not be confounded.

505
00:30:19,630 --> 00:30:24,270
And, Father, these ancient
words of 500 years we use tonight

506
00:30:24,270 --> 00:30:28,770
to be our prayer from our
hearts, affirming that you are stronger

507
00:30:28,770 --> 00:30:32,130
and more powerful than sin,
hell and the devil.

508
00:30:33,010 --> 00:30:38,490
So may we believe this so that
indeed we will remain steadfast in

509
00:30:38,490 --> 00:30:43,410
Christ, looking ever to him,
knowing that beneath his cross we

510
00:30:43,410 --> 00:30:48,210
find a place to stand, not on
our own merit or by our own right,

511
00:30:48,610 --> 00:30:50,370
but only in what he has done.

512
00:30:51,330 --> 00:30:55,610
So, Father, implant your word
in our hearts that we may respond

513
00:30:55,770 --> 00:31:00,730
well to Christ this night and
know him as our only true Saviour.

514
00:31:01,370 --> 00:31:02,970
And it's in his name we pray.

515
00:31:03,930 --> 00:31:04,570
Amen.