1
00:00:12,000 --> 00:00:15,920
But Revelation, chapter 17 and
verses 1 to 18.

2
00:00:17,360 --> 00:00:20,640
Then one of the seven angels
who had the seven bowls came and

3
00:00:20,640 --> 00:00:25,200
said to me, come, I will show
you the judgment of the great prostitute

4
00:00:25,200 --> 00:00:28,430
who is seated on many waters,
with whom the kings of the earth

5
00:00:28,430 --> 00:00:32,010
and have committed sexual
immorality, and with the wine of

6
00:00:32,010 --> 00:00:35,410
whose sexual immorality the
dwellers on earth have become drunk.

7
00:00:36,050 --> 00:00:38,690
And he carried me away in the
spirit into a wilderness.

8
00:00:38,930 --> 00:00:43,810
And I saw a woman sitting on a
scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous

9
00:00:43,810 --> 00:00:47,330
names, and it had seven heads
and ten horns.

10
00:00:47,970 --> 00:00:52,530
The woman was a red in purple
and scarlet, and adorned with gold

11
00:00:52,530 --> 00:00:56,850
and jewels and pearls, holding
in her hand a golden cup full of

12
00:00:56,850 --> 00:01:00,850
abominations, the impurities
of her sexual immorality.

13
00:01:01,250 --> 00:01:05,970
And on her forehead was
written a name of mystery, Babylon,

14
00:01:05,970 --> 00:01:10,850
the great mother of
prostitutes and of earth's abominations.

15
00:01:11,810 --> 00:01:16,210
And I saw the woman drunk with
the blood of the saints, the blood

16
00:01:16,210 --> 00:01:17,970
of the martyrs of Jesus.

17
00:01:19,410 --> 00:01:21,890
When I saw her, I marveled greatly.

18
00:01:22,210 --> 00:01:25,270
But the angel said to me, why
do you marvel?

19
00:01:26,070 --> 00:01:29,630
I will tell you the mystery of
the woman and of the beast with seven

20
00:01:29,630 --> 00:01:31,830
heads and 10 horns that
carries her.

21
00:01:32,470 --> 00:01:37,230
The beast that you saw was and
is not and is about to rise from

22
00:01:37,230 --> 00:01:39,590
the bottomless pit and go to destruction.

23
00:01:40,310 --> 00:01:43,550
And the dwellers on earth,
whose names have not been written

24
00:01:43,550 --> 00:01:47,110
in the book of life from the
foundation of the world, will marvel

25
00:01:47,350 --> 00:01:52,510
to see the beast because it
was and is not and is to come.

26
00:01:54,110 --> 00:01:56,670
This calls for a mind with wisdom.

27
00:01:57,950 --> 00:02:02,590
The seven heads are seven
mountains on which the woman is seated.

28
00:02:03,310 --> 00:02:07,470
There are also seven kings,
five of whom have fallen.

29
00:02:08,190 --> 00:02:11,310
One is, the other has not yet come.

30
00:02:11,950 --> 00:02:15,950
And when he does come, he must
remain only a little while.

31
00:02:17,320 --> 00:02:22,440
As for the beast that was and
is not, it is an eighth, but it belongs

32
00:02:22,440 --> 00:02:25,880
to the seven, and it goes to destruction.

33
00:02:26,680 --> 00:02:31,480
And the ten horns that you saw
are ten kings who have not yet received

34
00:02:31,640 --> 00:02:36,080
royal power, but they are to
receive authority as kings for one

35
00:02:36,080 --> 00:02:38,120
hour together with the beast.

36
00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:43,640
These are of one mind, and
they hand over their power and authority

37
00:02:43,640 --> 00:02:44,440
to the beast.

38
00:02:45,340 --> 00:02:48,460
They will make war on the
lamb, and the lamb will conquer them.

39
00:02:48,860 --> 00:02:51,660
For he is the lord of lords
and king of kings.

40
00:02:52,060 --> 00:02:55,740
And those with him are called
and chosen and faithful.

41
00:02:56,700 --> 00:03:00,659
And the angel said to me, the
waters that you saw where the prostitute

42
00:03:00,659 --> 00:03:04,620
is seated are peoples and
multitudes and nations and languages.

43
00:03:05,180 --> 00:03:08,140
And the 10 horns that you saw,
they are the beast.

44
00:03:08,700 --> 00:03:09,060
Sorry.

45
00:03:09,060 --> 00:03:11,260
They and the beast will hate
the prostitute.

46
00:03:12,180 --> 00:03:16,140
They will make her desolate
and naked and devour her flesh and

47
00:03:16,140 --> 00:03:17,380
Burn her up with fire.

48
00:03:17,700 --> 00:03:21,300
For God has put it into their
hearts to carry out his purpose by

49
00:03:21,300 --> 00:03:25,780
being of one mind and handing
over their royal power to the beast

50
00:03:26,020 --> 00:03:28,340
until the words of God are fulfilled.

51
00:03:29,060 --> 00:03:34,740
And the woman that you saw is
the great city that has dominion

52
00:03:35,060 --> 00:03:37,630
over the kings, the earth.

53
00:03:38,190 --> 00:03:38,830
Amen.

54
00:03:39,230 --> 00:03:41,630
This is the word of God.

55
00:03:43,630 --> 00:03:47,630
This morning we were thinking
of the children of Israel and a report

56
00:03:47,710 --> 00:03:51,790
card that they may be given
since their exodus from Egypt.

57
00:03:52,510 --> 00:03:57,030
And through each difficulty
they faced, they questioned if God

58
00:03:57,030 --> 00:03:58,830
was really on their side.

59
00:04:00,910 --> 00:04:06,020
Now, the passages would tell
us that they grumbled and they quarreled

60
00:04:06,020 --> 00:04:11,820
against God, yet God remained
faithful because it was they who

61
00:04:11,820 --> 00:04:14,620
needed to trust him more.

62
00:04:15,660 --> 00:04:20,980
That's why we would suggest a
need to try harder report when it

63
00:04:20,980 --> 00:04:23,100
came to trusting the God of
their salvation.

64
00:04:24,220 --> 00:04:28,220
And as we come to Revelation
17, we again get a sense of a report

65
00:04:28,380 --> 00:04:34,670
card, only this time it is a
judgment card against the great prostitute

66
00:04:35,070 --> 00:04:35,950
and the beast.

67
00:04:36,670 --> 00:04:40,950
As we finished chapter 16, we
saw through John's vision the things

68
00:04:40,950 --> 00:04:43,630
that will take place at the
end of human history.

69
00:04:44,190 --> 00:04:47,870
The seventh bowl of God's
wrath will be poured out into the

70
00:04:47,870 --> 00:04:51,870
air, and that would bring
judgment and punishment against Babylon.

71
00:04:52,270 --> 00:04:56,910
She and all that she
represents would face God's wrath.

72
00:04:57,060 --> 00:05:02,730
And because of her rejection
of him, even though they would have

73
00:05:02,730 --> 00:05:07,890
had the opportunity to repent,
we consider this to be the end of

74
00:05:07,890 --> 00:05:12,730
the opportunity for gospel
response as this seventh bowl of

75
00:05:12,730 --> 00:05:14,970
wrath was poured out on the world.

76
00:05:16,330 --> 00:05:19,610
So now, as we come into
chapter 17, we're going to see a

77
00:05:19,610 --> 00:05:20,010
shift.

78
00:05:20,730 --> 00:05:24,510
We're going to drill down
deeper into what this means and what

79
00:05:24,510 --> 00:05:30,150
this looks like between
chapters 17 and 19, but particularly

80
00:05:30,150 --> 00:05:33,750
in chapter 17, we're now told
what John is, or that John has given

81
00:05:33,750 --> 00:05:37,110
more details about the
punishment that Babylon will face

82
00:05:37,590 --> 00:05:39,670
here, called the great prostitute.

83
00:05:40,230 --> 00:05:44,270
But between chapter 17 and 19,
we're going to be presented with

84
00:05:44,270 --> 00:05:48,870
two women in the text, the
harlot of Babylon and the bride of

85
00:05:48,870 --> 00:05:49,350
the lamb.

86
00:05:50,230 --> 00:05:53,990
The former is judged and the
latter is blessed.

87
00:05:54,390 --> 00:05:58,310
The former is faithless and
the latter is faithful.

88
00:05:59,030 --> 00:06:02,870
The former is a prostitute
worshipping false gods.

89
00:06:04,230 --> 00:06:09,590
The latter is a celibate bride
devoted to the Lord.

90
00:06:11,510 --> 00:06:15,520
Now, there's a few words in
this passage that might make us bright.

91
00:06:15,670 --> 00:06:19,070
Blush and you will be happy to
know I'm not going to give you a

92
00:06:19,070 --> 00:06:21,190
definition of a prostitute
this evening.

93
00:06:21,990 --> 00:06:24,790
However, we will know what
that means.

94
00:06:26,150 --> 00:06:31,150
Someone who does not live by
the standards of God, who does not

95
00:06:31,150 --> 00:06:36,910
keep in a correct place the
gifts that God has given to a man

96
00:06:36,910 --> 00:06:38,630
and woman in marriage alone.

97
00:06:40,150 --> 00:06:46,150
And so we see someone who is
in another sense abusing what is

98
00:06:46,150 --> 00:06:48,070
the standard of God.

99
00:06:48,070 --> 00:06:52,670
And verses 1 and 2 tell us of
what is called the harlot Babylon.

100
00:06:54,350 --> 00:06:57,830
Then one of the seven angels
who had the seven bowls came and

101
00:06:57,830 --> 00:06:58,990
said to me, come.

102
00:06:58,990 --> 00:07:02,470
So the invitation to John is
to come, I will show you the judgment

103
00:07:02,470 --> 00:07:05,910
of the great prostitute who is
seated on many waters, with whom

104
00:07:05,910 --> 00:07:09,930
the kings of the earth have
committed sexual immorality, with

105
00:07:09,930 --> 00:07:13,250
the wine of whose sexual
immorality the dwellers on earth

106
00:07:13,490 --> 00:07:14,770
have become drunk.

107
00:07:15,410 --> 00:07:17,490
So John isn't seeing anything yet.

108
00:07:17,890 --> 00:07:20,930
He's simply being told what
he's about to see.

109
00:07:21,650 --> 00:07:24,730
And he's told that he's going
to see the great prostitute sitting

110
00:07:24,730 --> 00:07:25,890
on many waters.

111
00:07:26,370 --> 00:07:29,490
And she's called a prostitute
because of her spiritual adultery

112
00:07:29,490 --> 00:07:34,610
and her worship of false gods,
not because of her sexual deviance,

113
00:07:34,610 --> 00:07:37,170
although the former clearly
leads to the latter.

114
00:07:38,390 --> 00:07:42,070
The waters are identified
later in this chapter, in verse 15,

115
00:07:42,230 --> 00:07:46,070
as Peoples and multitudes and
nations and languages.

116
00:07:46,630 --> 00:07:50,670
So Babylon's sitting on the
water signifies her sovereignty and

117
00:07:50,670 --> 00:07:51,830
rule over them.

118
00:07:52,470 --> 00:07:56,830
But she has had influence over
the rulers of the age, and they have

119
00:07:56,830 --> 00:08:02,030
accepted her advances, the
advances of a prostitute, as if selling

120
00:08:02,030 --> 00:08:03,590
her wares on a street corner.

121
00:08:04,550 --> 00:08:09,150
So telling us that Babylon's
evil has influenced and persuaded

122
00:08:09,150 --> 00:08:13,350
the nations to follow her path
of rebellion against God.

123
00:08:14,630 --> 00:08:17,990
We also have in this
invitation for John to come and see

124
00:08:17,990 --> 00:08:22,990
the image of intoxication,
drunkenness, telling us how freely

125
00:08:22,990 --> 00:08:28,910
the world has followed her
without question, and how the world

126
00:08:28,910 --> 00:08:32,620
is kept in its stupor because
of its drunkenness.

127
00:08:34,540 --> 00:08:36,540
So John knows what he's about
to see.

128
00:08:37,340 --> 00:08:39,660
He's been warned, as it were.

129
00:08:41,420 --> 00:08:44,220
But it's now in verse three
that John is taken away to see this,

130
00:08:44,220 --> 00:08:46,140
and he's brought into a wilderness.

131
00:08:47,260 --> 00:08:50,860
And as we've already seen in
Revelation and in other parts of

132
00:08:50,860 --> 00:08:55,900
Scripture, in the wilderness
is either a place of judgment or

133
00:08:55,900 --> 00:08:57,100
it's a place of blessing.

134
00:08:57,800 --> 00:09:00,800
Even as we think of the
Exodus, wanderings in the wilderness,

135
00:09:00,800 --> 00:09:04,480
it is both a place of judgment
on the people for their disbelief

136
00:09:04,480 --> 00:09:08,040
against God and his provision,
but also a blessing to them as God

137
00:09:08,040 --> 00:09:11,080
reveals himself to them in
that pillar of cloud and pillar of

138
00:09:11,080 --> 00:09:11,400
fire.

139
00:09:12,520 --> 00:09:15,560
So brought into a wilderness
is John, and he sees there a woman

140
00:09:15,560 --> 00:09:17,560
sitting on a scarlet beast.

141
00:09:19,000 --> 00:09:25,040
Now, I'm sorry to Manchester
United fans, but a red devil.

142
00:09:26,240 --> 00:09:27,760
Now you know where it comes from.

143
00:09:29,440 --> 00:09:35,320
Now we know why the devil's
always painted red, why this beast

144
00:09:35,320 --> 00:09:38,240
of evil is seen as scarlet.

145
00:09:38,960 --> 00:09:43,560
Because here the woman is
sitting on a scarlet beast, whom

146
00:09:43,560 --> 00:09:46,320
we will know and understand to
be the evil one.

147
00:09:48,410 --> 00:09:50,370
But we even get a glimpse of
that here because we're told in this

148
00:09:50,370 --> 00:09:53,610
verse that the beast itself is
full of blasphemous names.

149
00:09:53,610 --> 00:09:55,210
Remember what we're told about
the devil.

150
00:09:56,410 --> 00:09:57,770
He's the father of lies.

151
00:09:58,650 --> 00:10:00,610
No truth can ever come from
his mouth.

152
00:10:00,610 --> 00:10:02,250
And what is blasphemy, after all?

153
00:10:02,810 --> 00:10:04,490
Blasphemy ultimately is lies.

154
00:10:05,450 --> 00:10:10,370
Blasphemy is saying something
in rage or in frustration or anger

155
00:10:10,370 --> 00:10:13,130
or simply to get a rise out of someone.

156
00:10:14,980 --> 00:10:16,580
But of course, blasphemy is
never true.

157
00:10:18,020 --> 00:10:21,700
So this beast is very quickly
identified as the devil because he's

158
00:10:21,700 --> 00:10:23,220
full of blasphemous names.

159
00:10:23,860 --> 00:10:25,140
There's no truth in him.

160
00:10:25,860 --> 00:10:30,460
And as we know the devil to be
the father of lies, so we see that

161
00:10:30,460 --> 00:10:30,820
here.

162
00:10:32,980 --> 00:10:36,260
So this is not a good thing on
which the woman is sitting on.

163
00:10:37,780 --> 00:10:41,290
But it also doesn't look like
anything John would naturally see

164
00:10:41,290 --> 00:10:41,810
on earth.

165
00:10:41,810 --> 00:10:46,210
John seeing something that is
not what he would see around him.

166
00:10:46,610 --> 00:10:50,050
Because the beast has seven
heads and ten horns, demonstrating

167
00:10:50,050 --> 00:10:52,210
its authority and strength.

168
00:10:53,570 --> 00:10:57,010
And we've already seen this in
chapter 13.

169
00:10:58,050 --> 00:11:00,970
The beast should use its
strength for humane and righteous

170
00:11:00,970 --> 00:11:05,210
purposes, but it resists truth
and goodness, using its strength

171
00:11:05,210 --> 00:11:08,610
to revile and blaspheme the
one true God.

172
00:11:09,250 --> 00:11:12,490
And so verse four describes
the woman now for us by saying the

173
00:11:12,490 --> 00:11:15,970
woman was arrayed in purple
and scarlet and adorned with gold

174
00:11:16,050 --> 00:11:20,410
and jewels and pearls, holding
in her hand a golden cup full of

175
00:11:20,410 --> 00:11:24,210
abominations and the
impurities of her sexual immorality.

176
00:11:25,330 --> 00:11:28,130
What we're given here is a
picture of wealth and opulence.

177
00:11:28,930 --> 00:11:33,690
Purple and scarlet in John's
time were the rich colors that you

178
00:11:33,690 --> 00:11:34,770
couldn't just afford.

179
00:11:34,770 --> 00:11:36,380
They were so expensive.

180
00:11:37,100 --> 00:11:39,980
And she's adorned in gold and
jewels and pearls.

181
00:11:40,060 --> 00:11:41,500
So there's opulence here.

182
00:11:42,540 --> 00:11:43,980
This is what the world wants.

183
00:11:44,860 --> 00:11:49,900
She looks like what the world
wants to be with wealth and beauty

184
00:11:50,300 --> 00:11:51,739
and with that coming par.

185
00:11:52,460 --> 00:11:56,220
But her beauty, we see, has
been defaced because she has given

186
00:11:56,220 --> 00:11:59,300
herself to evil and to false gods.

187
00:11:59,300 --> 00:12:02,540
And that's what the golden cup
full of abominations and impurities

188
00:12:02,540 --> 00:12:02,940
are.

189
00:12:03,780 --> 00:12:07,540
It may look as if it's
tantalizing on the outside a gold

190
00:12:07,540 --> 00:12:10,580
cup, but inside it is full of sin.

191
00:12:11,300 --> 00:12:14,660
And so she has been defeated
because of her immorality.

192
00:12:15,060 --> 00:12:20,420
She has enriched herself by
giving her allegiance to others and

193
00:12:20,420 --> 00:12:23,340
has devoted herself to
material wealth instead of the one

194
00:12:23,340 --> 00:12:24,100
true God.

195
00:12:24,100 --> 00:12:28,260
And we think of what Daniel
says about Antiochus IV Epiphanes

196
00:12:28,340 --> 00:12:30,820
in Daniel, chapter 11 and
verse 38.

197
00:12:31,430 --> 00:12:37,230
Daniel says this about
Antiochus forth the Epiphanies, he

198
00:12:37,230 --> 00:12:39,430
shall honor the God of fortresses.

199
00:12:39,430 --> 00:12:43,750
Instead of these, a God whom
his fathers did not know, he shall

200
00:12:43,750 --> 00:12:48,110
honor with gold and silver,
with precious stones and costly gifts.

201
00:12:48,110 --> 00:12:52,270
And the reason why we look at
this is to remind us that humanity

202
00:12:52,270 --> 00:12:52,950
doesn't change.

203
00:12:53,990 --> 00:12:56,590
Whether it be at the time of
Daniel or what John sees, or even

204
00:12:56,590 --> 00:12:59,990
in our age or in the age of
what is yet to come in human history,

205
00:13:01,260 --> 00:13:02,460
humanity doesn't change.

206
00:13:03,580 --> 00:13:09,420
It goes after what is flashy,
what is perceived to be wealth.

207
00:13:09,420 --> 00:13:13,580
If you remember the game, the
Game of Life, which was about in

208
00:13:13,580 --> 00:13:18,300
the 1980s and the 1990s, one
of the things you got was status,

209
00:13:18,620 --> 00:13:19,660
social status.

210
00:13:20,700 --> 00:13:23,780
You got a wealth card, because
that's what we believe the world

211
00:13:23,780 --> 00:13:24,860
wanted us to have.

212
00:13:25,990 --> 00:13:29,030
So even here in Daniel's time
and in John's time, even in our own

213
00:13:29,030 --> 00:13:33,670
time, and whatever is yet to
come, we will continue to see this

214
00:13:33,750 --> 00:13:34,550
played out.

215
00:13:35,190 --> 00:13:39,510
That instead of worshipping
the one true God who gives us spiritual

216
00:13:39,510 --> 00:13:46,870
wealth, the world will want to
go after gold, silver, purple and

217
00:13:46,870 --> 00:13:51,030
scarlet clothing, jewels and pearls.

218
00:13:53,040 --> 00:13:56,840
But as we get back to this
woman in chapter 17, she has something

219
00:13:56,840 --> 00:13:58,120
inscribed on her forehead.

220
00:13:58,120 --> 00:14:01,880
And we might automatically
think that it'll be the mark of the

221
00:14:01,880 --> 00:14:05,920
beast and his number,
certainly not the mark of the risen

222
00:14:05,920 --> 00:14:08,080
Lord Jesus that revelation
speaks of.

223
00:14:08,880 --> 00:14:11,360
But we're told that it is a
mystery of what she has.

224
00:14:11,360 --> 00:14:14,760
And typically in Scripture, a
mystery is something previously hidden

225
00:14:14,760 --> 00:14:15,840
that is now revealed.

226
00:14:15,840 --> 00:14:18,600
And here, the true nature and
character of the woman is revealed

227
00:14:18,600 --> 00:14:22,400
to us so that believers will
not give their affection to the city

228
00:14:22,480 --> 00:14:23,200
of man.

229
00:14:23,900 --> 00:14:28,100
And the woman suggested as the
city of Rome is identified as Babylon

230
00:14:28,100 --> 00:14:31,540
the Great, the mother of
harlots and the abominations polluting

231
00:14:31,540 --> 00:14:32,060
the earth.

232
00:14:32,540 --> 00:14:35,380
Now, this would have been
known as a definition of Babylon

233
00:14:35,380 --> 00:14:40,100
in John's time, although in
his time, Babylon was a simple trading

234
00:14:40,100 --> 00:14:42,700
center with all its glorious
days behind it.

235
00:14:42,700 --> 00:14:45,700
The knowledge of her
conquering Israel from the time of

236
00:14:45,700 --> 00:14:49,300
Daniel and leading captives
into exile would not be lost on the

237
00:14:49,300 --> 00:14:51,610
original readers and hearers
of this.

238
00:14:52,010 --> 00:14:55,130
They knew how to define
Babylon from their Jewish history.

239
00:14:55,770 --> 00:14:59,330
And so, even though historical
Babylon may no longer have existed

240
00:14:59,330 --> 00:15:04,290
when John wrote, there's still
a manifestation of evil in the city

241
00:15:04,290 --> 00:15:07,690
of man that reflects Babylon
and her evil.

242
00:15:08,010 --> 00:15:10,890
And for John, in his day, it
was the city of Rome.

243
00:15:11,690 --> 00:15:16,090
Hence, those with eyes to see
would realize that Babylon was revived

244
00:15:16,720 --> 00:15:17,680
in the city of Rome.

245
00:15:18,160 --> 00:15:21,480
And throughout history,
Babylon has arisen again and again.

246
00:15:21,480 --> 00:15:25,680
And Babylon will continue to
rise with each generation until she

247
00:15:25,680 --> 00:15:29,520
will face her ultimate
punishment for her rebellion and

248
00:15:29,520 --> 00:15:30,800
rejection of God.

249
00:15:31,600 --> 00:15:33,760
And verse 6 tells us of her evil.

250
00:15:34,000 --> 00:15:38,120
She has gone after and
persecuted the saints, the followers

251
00:15:38,120 --> 00:15:38,800
of Jesus.

252
00:15:39,440 --> 00:15:42,480
And that's presented here as
being drunk on their blood.

253
00:15:43,870 --> 00:15:46,270
And that's the followers of
the prostitute.

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00:15:46,990 --> 00:15:49,830
They've gone with her and
they, as it were, have taken the

255
00:15:49,830 --> 00:15:56,310
spoils once again drunk in
their blood, celebrating in the destruction

256
00:15:56,310 --> 00:15:57,150
of God's people.

257
00:15:58,589 --> 00:16:06,270
And so in this picture it
looks as if the beast and the prostitute

258
00:16:06,270 --> 00:16:14,080
have won, but they haven't,
because the voices we heard from

259
00:16:14,080 --> 00:16:17,400
beneath the altar are once
again presented to us.

260
00:16:17,960 --> 00:16:22,440
Yes, their blood may be
consumed, telling us of their martyrdom,

261
00:16:22,920 --> 00:16:28,200
but we know their cries have
been heard by God and he has moved

262
00:16:28,840 --> 00:16:34,560
to see them, to see them
restored, to see them glorified in

263
00:16:34,560 --> 00:16:38,270
eternity, and to ensure that
their cries and their prayers are

264
00:16:38,270 --> 00:16:38,630
answered.

265
00:16:38,630 --> 00:16:39,670
Of how long?

266
00:16:40,150 --> 00:16:41,910
Well now we're seeing the answer.

267
00:16:43,270 --> 00:16:45,990
But verse 6 does end with a
surprise for us because we're told

268
00:16:45,990 --> 00:16:49,350
that John marvels at the
prostitute greatly.

269
00:16:49,430 --> 00:16:53,390
This means he was shocked or
he was fearful on seeing her drunk

270
00:16:53,390 --> 00:16:54,550
with the saints blood.

271
00:16:54,550 --> 00:16:58,630
And the angel asks John why he
is shocked and gives him a warning.

272
00:16:59,030 --> 00:17:00,630
And this is what we read in
verse 8.

273
00:17:01,120 --> 00:17:05,640
The beast that you saw was and
is not, and is about to rise from

274
00:17:05,640 --> 00:17:07,680
the bottomless pit and go to destruction.

275
00:17:07,840 --> 00:17:10,920
And the dwellers on earth
whose names have not been written

276
00:17:10,920 --> 00:17:14,320
in the book of life from the
foundation of the world will marvel

277
00:17:14,560 --> 00:17:20,080
to see the beast because it
was and is not and is to come.

278
00:17:21,360 --> 00:17:24,680
In this verse we come face to
face with one of the most difficult

279
00:17:24,680 --> 00:17:26,240
texts in the entire book.

280
00:17:26,890 --> 00:17:31,570
John says the beast was, is
not now, but will be raised from

281
00:17:31,570 --> 00:17:32,170
the abyss.

282
00:17:32,170 --> 00:17:36,490
And so it's puzzling what is
John saying here with this structure

283
00:17:36,890 --> 00:17:37,690
of language?

284
00:17:38,890 --> 00:17:42,809
Because it is puzzling how
John says the beast is not twice

285
00:17:43,130 --> 00:17:43,930
in this verse.

286
00:17:43,930 --> 00:17:47,770
For if the beast refers to the
Roman empire active while John wrote,

287
00:17:47,770 --> 00:17:50,330
how can he say it is not?

288
00:17:51,290 --> 00:17:54,450
And so it may be that rather
than thinking of the Roman Empire

289
00:17:54,450 --> 00:17:58,180
itself, John is thinking of a
particular emperor such as Nero,

290
00:17:58,580 --> 00:18:02,700
whose rule had ended, which
could possibly explain what he means

291
00:18:02,700 --> 00:18:04,660
by saying that there's no
ruler presently.

292
00:18:05,220 --> 00:18:08,860
And some have speculated that
John wrote these words in the in

293
00:18:08,860 --> 00:18:13,740
between period between Nero
and Vespian, nero ending in 68 AD

294
00:18:13,740 --> 00:18:15,940
and Vespian taking up in 69 AD.

295
00:18:16,420 --> 00:18:20,380
And it was in those or that
year or a couple of months that Rome

296
00:18:20,380 --> 00:18:22,020
had three emperors.

297
00:18:22,670 --> 00:18:25,790
Galba, Otho and Vitellius.

298
00:18:25,950 --> 00:18:28,350
They all took power for a
short time.

299
00:18:29,070 --> 00:18:33,190
And it is said that Rome
lacked a ruler in this unstable period,

300
00:18:33,190 --> 00:18:38,110
which ended with Vitellius
being defeated by Vespian's forces,

301
00:18:38,750 --> 00:18:41,390
and the latter began his reign well.

302
00:18:41,390 --> 00:18:45,470
However, John understands that
what he's saying about Rome is true

303
00:18:45,470 --> 00:18:47,550
also of human history generally.

304
00:18:47,950 --> 00:18:52,430
There are periods of history
where totalitarian rule seems a thing

305
00:18:52,430 --> 00:18:58,010
of the past, but history keeps
ro along, and totalitarian power

306
00:18:58,010 --> 00:19:01,930
returns with all its ferocity
and all its cruelty.

307
00:19:02,570 --> 00:19:05,770
And so believers must not
think that evil has been defeated

308
00:19:06,010 --> 00:19:06,650
permanently.

309
00:19:06,650 --> 00:19:11,450
In the periods of relative
peace, the devil is still at work.

310
00:19:13,370 --> 00:19:17,050
Those who dwell on earth are
amazed at the beast.

311
00:19:17,770 --> 00:19:21,690
It seems to be resurrected
again, for it will seem that the

312
00:19:21,690 --> 00:19:26,660
beast's power has ended, but
yet he appears on the scene again.

313
00:19:27,060 --> 00:19:29,420
The inhabitants of the earth
will give their allegiance to the

314
00:19:29,420 --> 00:19:31,860
beast, since it appears that
he has conquered death.

315
00:19:32,340 --> 00:19:36,060
So they believe him to be, as
we've known him before in Revelation,

316
00:19:36,060 --> 00:19:40,580
the false Messiah, the unholy
Trinity, or part of the unholy Trinity.

317
00:19:40,820 --> 00:19:43,980
And the inhabitants of the
earth are morally responsible for

318
00:19:43,980 --> 00:19:47,660
their allegiance to the beast,
and yet at the same time, their unbelief

319
00:19:47,660 --> 00:19:50,980
was destined from the
beginning of history, before the

320
00:19:50,980 --> 00:19:53,940
world was created, their names
were not inscribed in the Book of

321
00:19:53,940 --> 00:19:54,180
Life.

322
00:19:54,180 --> 00:19:57,100
That's what John is seeing
here in this chapter.

323
00:19:57,420 --> 00:20:00,580
And such a statement doesn't
mean that people are either justified

324
00:20:00,580 --> 00:20:02,220
or condemned before they're born.

325
00:20:02,300 --> 00:20:05,340
Nor does it indicate our
choices do not matter.

326
00:20:05,980 --> 00:20:09,820
What it does do is signify
that God is sovereign over all of

327
00:20:09,820 --> 00:20:10,140
history.

328
00:20:10,700 --> 00:20:14,300
He knows and he ordains whose
names will be in the Book of Life.

329
00:20:14,780 --> 00:20:18,740
Nothing takes God by surprise
or deters him from accomplishing

330
00:20:18,740 --> 00:20:19,580
his purpose.

331
00:20:20,860 --> 00:20:24,020
The Book of Life is often
mentioned in Revelation, referring

332
00:20:24,020 --> 00:20:27,100
to the book containing the
names of those who will enter the

333
00:20:27,100 --> 00:20:32,060
new Jerusalem and will escape
the second death and the lake of

334
00:20:32,060 --> 00:20:32,380
Fire.

335
00:20:33,580 --> 00:20:36,940
Those who give themselves to
the beast will most certainly be

336
00:20:36,940 --> 00:20:42,540
excluded from this most
precious of books, the Book of Life.

337
00:20:43,980 --> 00:20:47,460
In verse nine, John is warned
that this is not an easy thing to

338
00:20:47,460 --> 00:20:49,820
understand and calls for a
wise mind.

339
00:20:50,620 --> 00:20:53,020
But we do have an explanation
given to us.

340
00:20:53,260 --> 00:20:56,020
We're told that the seven
heads of the beast are identified

341
00:20:56,020 --> 00:20:58,940
with the seven mountains on
which the woman is seated.

342
00:20:59,420 --> 00:21:02,460
For John's mind and the mind
of his readers, that will immediately

343
00:21:02,460 --> 00:21:06,060
take them to the imperial
capital of Rome, because the seven

344
00:21:06,060 --> 00:21:09,340
mountains are almost certainly
those on which the city of Rome was

345
00:21:09,340 --> 00:21:09,900
founded.

346
00:21:10,460 --> 00:21:13,580
John goes on to say that the
seven heads of the beast also stand

347
00:21:13,580 --> 00:21:14,860
for seven kings.

348
00:21:15,500 --> 00:21:17,420
And here we're giving a chronology.

349
00:21:18,170 --> 00:21:22,170
Five of the kings have fallen
and are no more One king is now,

350
00:21:22,410 --> 00:21:25,370
and hence his rule continues
to be exercised.

351
00:21:26,010 --> 00:21:29,490
Still, the rule of the present
king is not the end, for another

352
00:21:29,490 --> 00:21:31,450
king will succeed the sixth one.

353
00:21:31,690 --> 00:21:35,450
Though his reign will be
limited, he will rule only for a

354
00:21:35,450 --> 00:21:36,170
short time.

355
00:21:37,130 --> 00:21:39,370
That's quite the riddle to try
and figure out.

356
00:21:39,850 --> 00:21:43,050
But it would be acceptable to
suggest that the short period of

357
00:21:43,050 --> 00:21:47,410
time designates the entire
period between Jesus first and second

358
00:21:47,410 --> 00:21:47,810
coming.

359
00:21:48,290 --> 00:21:51,730
The same term was used to
designate the devil's time on earth

360
00:21:51,970 --> 00:21:54,930
after being expelled from
heaven by virtue of the cross of

361
00:21:54,930 --> 00:21:56,770
Christ in chapter 12.

362
00:21:57,170 --> 00:22:01,250
And Peter also remarks that
the trials and sufferings or tribulations

363
00:22:01,410 --> 00:22:05,650
affecting believers occur only
for a short time in his first letter,

364
00:22:05,650 --> 00:22:08,370
meaning they last until Jesus returns.

365
00:22:08,930 --> 00:22:13,330
And it's verse 12 helps us
understand what the 10 horns mean.

366
00:22:14,070 --> 00:22:17,630
And the 10 horns that you saw
are 10 kings who have not yet received

367
00:22:17,630 --> 00:22:21,710
royal power, but they are to
receive authority as kings for one

368
00:22:21,710 --> 00:22:23,750
hour together with the beast.

369
00:22:24,870 --> 00:22:27,910
The 10 horns on the beast are
identified as 10 kings.

370
00:22:28,150 --> 00:22:32,550
And these kings are probably
kingly powers outside of Rome's borders.

371
00:22:32,950 --> 00:22:37,030
But they also represent all
earthly powers and governing authorities

372
00:22:37,030 --> 00:22:38,550
that are opposed to God.

373
00:22:39,280 --> 00:22:42,920
And such an identification
still fits with what Daniel saw in

374
00:22:42,920 --> 00:22:46,640
his vision, where the fourth
beast in that vision has ten horns

375
00:22:46,720 --> 00:22:49,680
representing ten kings in
chapter seven of Daniel.

376
00:22:49,920 --> 00:22:53,680
And the fourth beast combines
together the hideous and beastly

377
00:22:53,680 --> 00:22:56,480
character of all four beasts
that Daniel sees.

378
00:22:57,760 --> 00:22:58,800
And as in Daniel.

379
00:22:58,800 --> 00:23:03,320
And so now horns designate
strength and rule, and here they

380
00:23:03,320 --> 00:23:07,930
stand for political force and
strength to subjugate other nations.

381
00:23:07,930 --> 00:23:10,170
And that's exactly what we see
going on.

382
00:23:10,490 --> 00:23:13,690
These kings have not yet
received their authority, but they

383
00:23:13,690 --> 00:23:17,930
will rule with the beast for a
limited time before the end of history.

384
00:23:19,210 --> 00:23:23,010
But we see within world
history the dangerous work of the

385
00:23:23,010 --> 00:23:24,570
beast and its influence.

386
00:23:25,370 --> 00:23:29,210
The leaders of the world who
have their own right to rule, give

387
00:23:29,210 --> 00:23:30,630
their authority over to the beast.

388
00:23:31,500 --> 00:23:33,020
And this is a moment of great fear.

389
00:23:33,100 --> 00:23:37,020
But the Church should not fear
when nation states conspire together

390
00:23:37,100 --> 00:23:38,460
against the people of God.

391
00:23:38,940 --> 00:23:42,460
And this is what we're warned
about here in verse 14.

392
00:23:42,460 --> 00:23:46,060
We are warned of their
opposition and war against Christ,

393
00:23:46,220 --> 00:23:50,140
but Christ will conquer them
because of who he is.

394
00:23:50,700 --> 00:23:54,140
And John is told that he is
the Lord of lords and King of kings,

395
00:23:54,140 --> 00:23:57,020
something we have affirmed
throughout this evening.

396
00:23:57,910 --> 00:24:01,630
And as we move into verse 15,
we come to a third section in this

397
00:24:01,630 --> 00:24:01,950
passage.

398
00:24:01,950 --> 00:24:05,670
And the angel interprets for
us the waters on which the prostitute

399
00:24:05,830 --> 00:24:06,310
sits.

400
00:24:06,310 --> 00:24:08,950
That's what we saw in the
opening verses.

401
00:24:09,270 --> 00:24:12,590
And the waters are the nations
of the earth, as we mentioned then.

402
00:24:12,590 --> 00:24:16,310
But verse 16 goes on to tell
us in the 10 horns that you saw,

403
00:24:17,590 --> 00:24:20,150
they and the beast will hit
the prostitute.

404
00:24:20,550 --> 00:24:24,550
They will make her desolate
and naked and devour her flesh and

405
00:24:24,550 --> 00:24:25,670
burn her up with fire.

406
00:24:28,550 --> 00:24:33,910
The ten kings who follow along
with the beast are now filled with

407
00:24:33,910 --> 00:24:36,150
hatred towards the harlot.

408
00:24:36,630 --> 00:24:40,230
It seems that the rulers of
the empire will turn against the

409
00:24:40,230 --> 00:24:42,950
economic and religious centers
of their society.

410
00:24:43,830 --> 00:24:48,670
Babylon is a harlot because of
her idolatrous devotion to false

411
00:24:48,670 --> 00:24:52,310
gods and her greedy economic
system that abuses others.

412
00:24:53,460 --> 00:24:58,260
The kings are animated by
hatred and so they destroy the prostitute

413
00:24:58,260 --> 00:25:01,380
who ends up desolate and
naked, destroyed by fire.

414
00:25:02,260 --> 00:25:05,860
Hatred is irrational and demonic.

415
00:25:06,500 --> 00:25:09,180
Evil ultimately implodes upon itself.

416
00:25:09,180 --> 00:25:11,780
It is inherently self destructive.

417
00:25:12,660 --> 00:25:17,020
The city of man will collapse
under the weight of its own evil

418
00:25:17,020 --> 00:25:17,700
and hate.

419
00:25:19,070 --> 00:25:22,030
This is how God has put it in
their hearts.

420
00:25:22,750 --> 00:25:27,150
They will quite literally be
eaten by their own sin.

421
00:25:27,790 --> 00:25:31,230
But a day will come for them
when they will have to pay attention

422
00:25:31,230 --> 00:25:32,590
to the words of the lord.

423
00:25:32,590 --> 00:25:35,950
And verse 18 ends by telling
us who the woman is.

424
00:25:35,950 --> 00:25:38,190
And we're told that she
represents a city.

425
00:25:38,590 --> 00:25:42,670
The text would suggest Rome in
John's time, so that he would understand

426
00:25:42,670 --> 00:25:43,550
this clearly.

427
00:25:43,880 --> 00:25:47,600
And for our present we see
many cities of the world following

428
00:25:47,600 --> 00:25:50,760
the same path as what John
sees in Revelation.

429
00:25:51,560 --> 00:25:55,600
And I guarantee you there is
worse to come, that there will be

430
00:25:55,600 --> 00:26:00,640
cities rising up like Babylon
who will want to follow the way of

431
00:26:00,640 --> 00:26:05,400
the prostitute, who will want
to give allegiance to the beast and

432
00:26:05,400 --> 00:26:07,720
follow the ways of the evil one.

433
00:26:09,410 --> 00:26:12,210
But for now, we must think
about what this means for us today.

434
00:26:12,210 --> 00:26:16,370
And as we finish, I want to
give you two things that we must

435
00:26:16,450 --> 00:26:17,330
marvel at.

436
00:26:17,810 --> 00:26:21,450
And the first thing is to
marvel at the self destruction of

437
00:26:21,450 --> 00:26:21,970
evil.

438
00:26:22,610 --> 00:26:26,130
Now, I don't know if it
surprised you or not to see the rulers

439
00:26:26,130 --> 00:26:29,210
of the world who had given
their authority so freely over to

440
00:26:29,210 --> 00:26:31,330
the prostitute, now turning on it.

441
00:26:32,130 --> 00:26:37,780
And this is the stark reality
that sin never fully satisfies.

442
00:26:39,380 --> 00:26:41,940
And that's what evil is.

443
00:26:42,980 --> 00:26:43,540
Sin.

444
00:26:44,260 --> 00:26:49,060
Sin is any want of conformity
onto or transgression of the law

445
00:26:49,060 --> 00:26:53,460
of God, as question 14 of the
Westminster Shorter Catechism tells

446
00:26:53,460 --> 00:26:53,700
us.

447
00:26:54,980 --> 00:26:58,300
We learn this in our Sunday
school because we must know what

448
00:26:58,300 --> 00:26:59,140
sin is.

449
00:26:59,380 --> 00:27:01,880
And sin is evil.

450
00:27:02,200 --> 00:27:07,480
To remain in your sin is to
chance falsehood.

451
00:27:08,680 --> 00:27:12,440
We may think this evening, you
may think that you're not a great

452
00:27:12,440 --> 00:27:15,760
sinner, you might even shudder
at the thought of being called evil.

453
00:27:15,760 --> 00:27:18,800
But if you're not living for
God through Jesus Christ, then you

454
00:27:18,800 --> 00:27:24,120
are a sinner and you are ruled
by evil.

455
00:27:25,080 --> 00:27:30,550
And this should be a warning
Cry to you this night evil and sin

456
00:27:30,550 --> 00:27:36,030
will self destruct and you
will have no hope of salvation because

457
00:27:36,350 --> 00:27:37,750
it will be too late.

458
00:27:37,750 --> 00:27:42,750
As we saw in chapter 16, the
opportunity for gospel response will

459
00:27:42,750 --> 00:27:43,310
be over.

460
00:27:43,870 --> 00:27:47,990
And so while there is still
time, come to the Savior and no true

461
00:27:47,990 --> 00:27:48,830
hope in him.

462
00:27:48,990 --> 00:27:51,270
As James warns us in James 4,
verse 8.

463
00:27:51,270 --> 00:27:53,670
Draw near to God and He will
draw near to you.

464
00:27:53,670 --> 00:27:58,650
Cleanse your your hands, you
sinners, and purify your hearts,

465
00:27:58,650 --> 00:27:59,850
you double minded.

466
00:28:00,250 --> 00:28:01,850
Strong words from James.

467
00:28:02,170 --> 00:28:03,130
Double minded.

468
00:28:03,290 --> 00:28:05,770
Bringing us back to what the
prostitute looks like.

469
00:28:05,770 --> 00:28:11,890
Running after scarlet and
purple clothing of gold and silver

470
00:28:11,890 --> 00:28:13,450
and jewelry and pearls.

471
00:28:14,330 --> 00:28:17,450
That's the image we're given
of what it means to remain in our

472
00:28:17,450 --> 00:28:17,850
sin.

473
00:28:18,810 --> 00:28:20,570
But what was the prostitute holding?

474
00:28:21,950 --> 00:28:23,870
A gold cup that many of us
would want.

475
00:28:24,670 --> 00:28:28,270
But what it contained was
nothing but the evil of the world

476
00:28:29,150 --> 00:28:33,870
that when consumed completely
pollutes our hearts.

477
00:28:36,350 --> 00:28:40,910
You see, we are to marvel at
the self destruction of evil because

478
00:28:40,910 --> 00:28:45,910
if we are not with Christ this
night, then that is what will happen

479
00:28:45,910 --> 00:28:46,430
to us.

480
00:28:48,040 --> 00:28:52,120
We can chase all the gold we
want, we can have all the silver

481
00:28:52,280 --> 00:28:56,960
and all the finest of
clothing, but it will self destruct

482
00:28:56,960 --> 00:29:01,640
because that is what God has
ordained for sin and evil.

483
00:29:02,679 --> 00:29:09,080
So while there is still time,
come to the Savior and know true

484
00:29:09,080 --> 00:29:09,960
hope in him.

485
00:29:09,960 --> 00:29:16,440
But the second thing is to
rejoice at the sovereign victory

486
00:29:16,440 --> 00:29:16,960
of God.

487
00:29:16,960 --> 00:29:21,000
I've put marvel here, but it
is to rejoice at the sovereign victory

488
00:29:21,000 --> 00:29:21,520
of God.

489
00:29:21,840 --> 00:29:26,080
And as much as we see the evil
of rebellious humanity, we also see

490
00:29:26,080 --> 00:29:27,440
the victory of God.

491
00:29:28,239 --> 00:29:32,520
We see in verse 14 of the
Victory of Jesus over evil, meaning

492
00:29:32,520 --> 00:29:36,840
that evil will be no more and
he will consummate his kingdom for

493
00:29:36,840 --> 00:29:39,280
his people to dwell in for all eternity.

494
00:29:39,280 --> 00:29:42,890
And this is a wonderful
reminder that we do not fear, fear

495
00:29:42,890 --> 00:29:44,370
the Babylon around us.

496
00:29:45,250 --> 00:29:47,650
It may want to redefine marriage.

497
00:29:48,530 --> 00:29:51,850
The Babylon around us may want
to decide who has the right to life

498
00:29:51,850 --> 00:29:54,450
through abortion and assisted suicide.

499
00:29:55,170 --> 00:29:59,050
It may want to silence our
free speech and create laws that

500
00:29:59,050 --> 00:30:01,570
make it harder to assemble freely.

501
00:30:02,850 --> 00:30:06,130
But the Babylon in which we
live will not win.

502
00:30:07,250 --> 00:30:10,450
And the victory will will be Christ's.

503
00:30:12,210 --> 00:30:16,090
And I understand how at times
our hearts can be heavy with what

504
00:30:16,090 --> 00:30:19,810
we see in the world, because
my heart is heavy with it too.

505
00:30:20,530 --> 00:30:25,210
We can feel the grip of the
Satan on our lives and on the lives

506
00:30:25,210 --> 00:30:25,730
of others.

507
00:30:26,610 --> 00:30:29,010
But he will not win.

508
00:30:29,570 --> 00:30:32,210
And as we reflected, do not believe.

509
00:30:32,210 --> 00:30:35,560
Simply because he's quiet
doesn't mean he's not at work.

510
00:30:36,840 --> 00:30:40,320
I probably have struggled over
these past six months because I have

511
00:30:40,320 --> 00:30:45,800
had a real sense of the work
of the devil in this area and where

512
00:30:45,800 --> 00:30:48,840
he has really gone after the
people of God.

513
00:30:50,119 --> 00:30:53,880
Did we get this sense a year
ago at the time of mission?

514
00:30:54,440 --> 00:30:54,840
No.

515
00:30:55,240 --> 00:30:59,000
Or in the summer months, or
into September through to December?

516
00:30:59,160 --> 00:30:59,560
No.

517
00:31:00,180 --> 00:31:03,300
We were still knowing the
goodness and the glory of God.

518
00:31:03,780 --> 00:31:06,740
And while we still know that
goodness and glory of God today,

519
00:31:06,820 --> 00:31:13,700
it seems to me that the devil
has been prowling since the start

520
00:31:13,700 --> 00:31:19,060
of this year, waiting on whom
he may devour, crushing our souls,

521
00:31:19,620 --> 00:31:23,300
wanting to pull us away where
we will question things of God.

522
00:31:25,630 --> 00:31:29,910
So just because he was quiet
for last year didn't mean he wouldn't

523
00:31:29,910 --> 00:31:34,190
rear his ugly head and we
would face his onslaught.

524
00:31:36,510 --> 00:31:38,190
And what do we do as God's people?

525
00:31:39,470 --> 00:31:42,670
Well, I joked that when Ian
Paisley got a black hat, everything

526
00:31:42,830 --> 00:31:43,470
changed.

527
00:31:44,190 --> 00:31:46,510
And I started growing my beard
in January.

528
00:31:48,510 --> 00:31:49,710
The beard's gone.

529
00:31:50,920 --> 00:31:55,160
And I'm hopeful the attacks of
the Evil One are gone too.

530
00:31:56,440 --> 00:32:00,600
Because we must continue to
hide God's word in our hearts.

531
00:32:01,080 --> 00:32:05,680
And we must pray to the
Almighty that His will be done on

532
00:32:05,680 --> 00:32:12,160
earth as it is in heaven, so
that we will know his rule and reign

533
00:32:12,160 --> 00:32:17,930
even in the darkest and most
troublesome of days, and that we

534
00:32:17,930 --> 00:32:23,330
will be found to stand, having
endured the attacks of the Evil One.

535
00:32:23,330 --> 00:32:28,530
For he is real, but he will
not win.

536
00:32:29,890 --> 00:32:35,730
The dark night of the soul and
the valley of great shadow will pass

537
00:32:36,530 --> 00:32:42,930
as we place our trust in the
Lord and we rejoice at his sovereign

538
00:32:43,370 --> 00:32:43,690
victory.

539
00:32:44,170 --> 00:32:48,250
You see, Revelation 17 allows
believers to look to the Savior and

540
00:32:48,250 --> 00:32:50,890
to know that we are safe in
his hands.

541
00:32:51,050 --> 00:32:55,290
That's what Jesus tells us in
John chapter 16 and verse 33.

542
00:32:55,530 --> 00:32:56,810
I have said these things.

543
00:32:56,810 --> 00:33:00,330
Jesus said that in me you may
have peace.

544
00:33:00,570 --> 00:33:02,730
In the world, you will have tribulation.

545
00:33:03,450 --> 00:33:06,810
But take heart, I have
overcome the world.

546
00:33:06,810 --> 00:33:10,170
And this is now the fourth
time that in our studies in Revelation,

547
00:33:10,170 --> 00:33:11,450
we have come to this.

548
00:33:11,910 --> 00:33:14,230
These words of Jesus that John
recorded for us.

549
00:33:14,230 --> 00:33:17,710
And I don't believe it's any
accident, because we have seen the

550
00:33:17,710 --> 00:33:18,390
Evil one.

551
00:33:18,630 --> 00:33:23,470
We have seen Babylon the
Great, we have seen the beast, we

552
00:33:23,470 --> 00:33:26,110
have seen the slaughter of the
saints, and we have heard the cry

553
00:33:26,110 --> 00:33:27,030
of the martyrs.

554
00:33:28,150 --> 00:33:29,990
But yet what does Jesus tell us?

555
00:33:30,630 --> 00:33:32,550
He is the one who has overcome.

556
00:33:33,270 --> 00:33:39,560
Therefore, we can look to him
and we can rejoice in all that God

557
00:33:39,560 --> 00:33:41,800
has done, his sovereign victory.

558
00:33:43,320 --> 00:33:48,840
So this night, be very aware
of the Babylon, the Babylon, that

559
00:33:48,840 --> 00:33:53,720
great harlot and prostitute
that is all around us and that is

560
00:33:53,720 --> 00:33:54,440
still to come.

561
00:33:55,720 --> 00:33:59,720
But also be aware of the
sovereign victory of God through

562
00:33:59,720 --> 00:34:03,720
his Son Jesus where the Lamb
will not be defeated even though

563
00:34:03,720 --> 00:34:06,330
they will try to come and
defeat him.

564
00:34:07,690 --> 00:34:11,130
He will win and the victory is his.

565
00:34:12,090 --> 00:34:17,530
And those of us found in him,
that victory is ours.

566
00:34:18,890 --> 00:34:24,410
But beware of the self
destruction that evil and sin will

567
00:34:24,410 --> 00:34:24,730
bring.

568
00:34:25,370 --> 00:34:27,810
That is its nature nature.

569
00:34:27,810 --> 00:34:32,680
And while it is still time,
come to the Savior and know that

570
00:34:32,680 --> 00:34:40,120
he has overcome so that we can
rest in complete glorious hope that

571
00:34:40,120 --> 00:34:41,720
he will lead us home.

572
00:34:42,440 --> 00:34:43,240
Let's pray.

573
00:34:45,000 --> 00:34:47,480
Our Father God for your word
we thank you.

574
00:34:48,120 --> 00:34:52,760
A word of surprise, a word of
challenge, a difficult word, but

575
00:34:52,760 --> 00:34:56,600
yet one in which we come
before your throne of grace.

576
00:34:57,969 --> 00:35:02,529
That we need not fear the
temptation of the devil that we stand

577
00:35:02,689 --> 00:35:05,769
in Christ for he is victorious.

578
00:35:05,769 --> 00:35:06,929
The risen Lamb.

579
00:35:08,049 --> 00:35:11,929
So Father, help us to marvel
at the self destructive nature of

580
00:35:11,929 --> 00:35:17,969
sin but to rejoice in your
sovereign victory over evil.

581
00:35:18,849 --> 00:35:23,570
And Father, indeed may we be
found on the side of Christ and of

582
00:35:23,570 --> 00:35:24,250
him alone.

583
00:35:25,050 --> 00:35:27,290
And we ask these things in
Jesus name.

584
00:35:28,010 --> 00:35:28,650
Amen.