1 00:00:12,400 --> 00:00:17,680 In 1998, Touchstone Pictures, a film studio of the Walt Disney 2 00:00:17,680 --> 00:00:20,720 Company, released a film called Armageddon. 3 00:00:21,200 --> 00:00:25,840 It actually ended up being the studio's most successful film starring 4 00:00:25,840 --> 00:00:29,170 Bruce Willis, Ben Affleck and Liv Tyler. 5 00:00:29,490 --> 00:00:33,410 And if you don't recognize any of those names, as we left the 90s 6 00:00:33,410 --> 00:00:36,850 and into the early 2000s, these were the three big names in 7 00:00:36,850 --> 00:00:37,570 Hollywood. 8 00:00:38,130 --> 00:00:42,690 And it was a science fiction disaster film following a group of 9 00:00:42,690 --> 00:00:47,890 blue collar deep core drillers sent by NASA to destroy a gigantic 10 00:00:47,890 --> 00:00:51,930 asteroid which was the size of Texas and was on a direct collision 11 00:00:51,930 --> 00:00:57,470 course with Earth, as would be expected and in a way that only the 12 00:00:57,470 --> 00:01:02,630 Americans can they succeed and Earth is saved. 13 00:01:03,670 --> 00:01:06,830 Now, the storyline doesn't concern us so much this evening as 14 00:01:06,830 --> 00:01:10,910 much as the film's title does, because the name of such a global 15 00:01:10,910 --> 00:01:15,030 disaster to hit humanity that the writers turned to to find it 16 00:01:15,030 --> 00:01:18,550 was revelation and to find a word that would suggest just how 17 00:01:18,550 --> 00:01:21,790 bad things would be if the asteroid collided with Earth. 18 00:01:21,790 --> 00:01:25,810 And of course, anything they projected in the storyline, nothing 19 00:01:26,290 --> 00:01:29,970 compared to what would happen if such an event took place. 20 00:01:30,450 --> 00:01:34,810 A collision of that size with an asteroid would knock Earth off 21 00:01:34,810 --> 00:01:39,730 its axes and we would either all freeze to death or we'd burn 22 00:01:39,890 --> 00:01:40,770 in the heat. 23 00:01:42,130 --> 00:01:45,250 And so they chose the name Armageddon. 24 00:01:45,570 --> 00:01:51,470 And Armageddon is often used in a lot of culture, and particularly 25 00:01:51,470 --> 00:01:57,590 film culture, and it's used as a term to describe complete desolation, 26 00:01:59,110 --> 00:02:02,710 be it by natural disaster or by warfare. 27 00:02:02,870 --> 00:02:06,790 And it's a word that conjures up all kinds of apocalyptic ideas 28 00:02:07,110 --> 00:02:08,430 in fantasy literature. 29 00:02:08,430 --> 00:02:12,070 And with that, then there has been a lot of unhelpful interpretations 30 00:02:12,390 --> 00:02:13,990 regarding this one event. 31 00:02:14,390 --> 00:02:18,470 And the reason why I mentioned here this evening is because, as 32 00:02:18,470 --> 00:02:21,470 you'll see, it was the concluding word of our scripture 33 00:02:21,470 --> 00:02:26,370 passage as the sixth bowl of judgment is poured out on the earth 34 00:02:27,410 --> 00:02:29,690 for the sixth bowl and there's another bowl to come. 35 00:02:29,690 --> 00:02:32,090 And we'll look at that next week, but we'll only look at the 36 00:02:32,090 --> 00:02:32,690 first six. 37 00:02:33,330 --> 00:02:39,730 It concludes with a plan set for battle, a battle that will end 38 00:02:40,450 --> 00:02:46,770 all time, because after this will come Christ and the consummation 39 00:02:47,490 --> 00:02:48,450 of the kingdom. 40 00:02:49,680 --> 00:02:52,880 So what we're looking at this evening, as I've already said, are 41 00:02:52,880 --> 00:02:59,360 events that must take place close to the end of human time so 42 00:02:59,360 --> 00:03:04,320 that Christ will come and so we will see him and his reign and 43 00:03:04,320 --> 00:03:04,799 rule. 44 00:03:07,280 --> 00:03:10,880 So when we concluded chapter 15 two weeks ago or three weeks ago, 45 00:03:10,880 --> 00:03:14,600 we saw how from heaven God would bring his final judgment on 46 00:03:14,600 --> 00:03:15,120 the earth. 47 00:03:16,020 --> 00:03:18,980 And as we concluded that passage, one of the Four living creatures 48 00:03:18,980 --> 00:03:23,140 had given seven bowls of judgment that would then be poured 49 00:03:23,140 --> 00:03:24,340 out by the seven angels. 50 00:03:24,340 --> 00:03:30,420 And John told us in verse one, then I saw another sign in heaven. 51 00:03:30,420 --> 00:03:33,860 This is chapter 15, great and amazing. 52 00:03:34,580 --> 00:03:39,700 Seven angels with seven plagues, which are the last, for 53 00:03:39,700 --> 00:03:42,390 with them the wrath of God is finished. 54 00:03:42,390 --> 00:03:47,790 And so what we're looking at here is the moment where God has 55 00:03:47,790 --> 00:03:51,310 done everything to punish wicked humanity. 56 00:03:52,670 --> 00:03:55,990 Now, it's also interesting that in chapter 15, verse 1, the 57 00:03:55,990 --> 00:04:00,790 word plague is used, because as we read through these bowls of 58 00:04:00,790 --> 00:04:04,190 wrath, we will see them very closely linked to the plagues in 59 00:04:04,190 --> 00:04:04,750 Egypt. 60 00:04:05,310 --> 00:04:08,870 And as I said in September, there is nothing new presented to 61 00:04:08,870 --> 00:04:12,350 us in Revelation that Scripture has not already revealed 62 00:04:12,350 --> 00:04:14,170 to us in one way or another. 63 00:04:14,890 --> 00:04:19,370 Rather, revelation is showing us what must take place in these 64 00:04:19,370 --> 00:04:24,330 end times so that we will be ready for the coming of Christ. 65 00:04:25,850 --> 00:04:30,210 So what we have now before us in chapter 16 is the final judgment 66 00:04:30,210 --> 00:04:30,810 of God. 67 00:04:31,450 --> 00:04:35,210 And within these judgments we will see how they have been foretold. 68 00:04:35,610 --> 00:04:41,640 But now we see in them the complete wrath of God being poured 69 00:04:41,640 --> 00:04:43,160 out on a rebellious people. 70 00:04:43,720 --> 00:04:47,640 And in verse one of chapter 16, John hears a voice from the temple 71 00:04:47,800 --> 00:04:52,000 telling the angels to go out on the earth and pour the bowls of 72 00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:52,440 wrath. 73 00:04:52,840 --> 00:04:56,360 And I think it's interesting that a bowl is used in this final, 74 00:04:56,360 --> 00:05:00,080 because if you have ever had a bowl and even trying to pour it out, 75 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:03,000 unless you're very, very careful, there's inevitably always 76 00:05:03,000 --> 00:05:06,740 going to be more poured out than you anticipate. 77 00:05:06,820 --> 00:05:09,940 It's one of the things that I'm discovering as I'm baking. 78 00:05:10,100 --> 00:05:13,220 If you're pouring water from the kettle of a certain temperature, 79 00:05:13,620 --> 00:05:16,620 you know that unless you've got a perfect measuring jug, there's 80 00:05:16,620 --> 00:05:19,460 always going to be more going than you intended. 81 00:05:20,819 --> 00:05:24,180 And so there's no mistake that we're given this visual image of 82 00:05:24,180 --> 00:05:25,380 bowls being poured. 83 00:05:26,660 --> 00:05:31,800 And of course, once a bowl is poured, it's completely empty, thereby 84 00:05:31,800 --> 00:05:36,600 telling us that this is the full punishment of God, his full 85 00:05:36,600 --> 00:05:40,720 wrath poured out on rebellious humanity. 86 00:05:42,080 --> 00:05:46,040 So verse two of chapter 16 gives us the first, and we're told 87 00:05:46,040 --> 00:05:50,000 the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth, 88 00:05:50,400 --> 00:05:54,200 and harmful and painful sores came upon the people who bore the 89 00:05:54,200 --> 00:05:57,530 mark of the beast and worshipped its image. 90 00:05:57,770 --> 00:06:01,050 And immediately we see echoes of the plagues in Egypt. 91 00:06:01,050 --> 00:06:04,930 The sixth plague saw boils coming on the people which would 92 00:06:04,930 --> 00:06:06,730 have been sore and left their mark. 93 00:06:06,730 --> 00:06:10,650 And here the sores now in Revelation are harmful and painful. 94 00:06:10,730 --> 00:06:14,090 And they come on the people because they have followed the beast 95 00:06:14,170 --> 00:06:16,930 in other words, they have followed the systems that the beast 96 00:06:16,930 --> 00:06:21,890 has put in place to deceive, to make people think that he is the 97 00:06:21,890 --> 00:06:23,850 true authority and the true ruler. 98 00:06:24,010 --> 00:06:27,050 And so, in turn, they have then worshiped his image. 99 00:06:28,070 --> 00:06:31,350 We've come across the beast in his image before, and this is the 100 00:06:31,350 --> 00:06:33,270 second time that we're now seeing it. 101 00:06:33,270 --> 00:06:37,670 And the response of what will happen to those who do worship that 102 00:06:37,670 --> 00:06:39,990 image and who do follow the beast. 103 00:06:40,630 --> 00:06:43,990 And so this first judgment falls on people who turn away from 104 00:06:43,990 --> 00:06:48,670 the true and living God and will therefore experience agony because 105 00:06:48,670 --> 00:06:51,190 they have refused the one who offers life. 106 00:06:51,750 --> 00:06:55,750 They have believed the lies in front of them, the lies that the 107 00:06:55,750 --> 00:06:57,150 beast has spilled out. 108 00:06:58,510 --> 00:07:04,430 And because they have, they have rejected Christ and his salvation, 109 00:07:05,630 --> 00:07:08,830 that wonderful, eternal life that he offers. 110 00:07:08,830 --> 00:07:12,710 And so, as a rebellious people against the word of God, as we were 111 00:07:12,710 --> 00:07:16,750 thinking this morning in Exodus, they will be punished. 112 00:07:17,310 --> 00:07:19,230 And this is their punishment. 113 00:07:20,600 --> 00:07:24,160 The second angel comes to us in verse three with the second bowl, 114 00:07:24,160 --> 00:07:26,520 and it is poured out into the sea. 115 00:07:26,520 --> 00:07:29,080 And here's how the devastation is described. 116 00:07:29,080 --> 00:07:32,640 The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became 117 00:07:32,640 --> 00:07:34,160 like the blood of a corpse. 118 00:07:34,160 --> 00:07:37,320 And every living thing died that was in the sea. 119 00:07:37,880 --> 00:07:42,440 Now, there is no doubt of the wealth and the riches that are within 120 00:07:42,680 --> 00:07:44,200 the waters around us. 121 00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:46,320 Coming from this part of the world. 122 00:07:46,320 --> 00:07:49,790 We know that too well in the fishing industry and how much we 123 00:07:49,790 --> 00:07:51,470 enjoy the catch of the day. 124 00:07:52,190 --> 00:07:56,190 Well, can you imagine a situation where the water becomes 125 00:07:56,270 --> 00:08:01,630 uninhabitable for the fish, and look how it's described, becomes 126 00:08:01,630 --> 00:08:02,950 like the blood of a corpse. 127 00:08:02,950 --> 00:08:03,950 It's decaying. 128 00:08:04,030 --> 00:08:07,350 It has no life and has no opportunity of life, and every living 129 00:08:07,350 --> 00:08:09,230 thing died that was in it. 130 00:08:10,190 --> 00:08:14,030 So here we have, in a way, commerce stopped. 131 00:08:15,960 --> 00:08:20,400 It's not water that can be traversed so that catches can be 132 00:08:20,400 --> 00:08:22,760 got or that shipments can be made. 133 00:08:23,320 --> 00:08:26,880 And so this second bowl, and this is again where we now go back 134 00:08:26,880 --> 00:08:28,760 a little bit into revelation. 135 00:08:29,000 --> 00:08:34,120 Just like the second trumpet that was sounded afflicts the sea 136 00:08:34,840 --> 00:08:38,600 in the second trumpet judgment in chapter 8, 1/3 of the sea became 137 00:08:38,600 --> 00:08:40,920 blood, and one third of its creatures die. 138 00:08:40,920 --> 00:08:44,280 But in the second bowl judgment, the entirety of the sea 139 00:08:44,280 --> 00:08:47,780 becomes like the blood of a corpse, and every single creature 140 00:08:47,780 --> 00:08:48,980 in the sea dies. 141 00:08:49,460 --> 00:08:53,220 So the severity and intensity of the judgment suggests this event 142 00:08:53,700 --> 00:08:57,740 comes near to the final judgment, when the entire world is 143 00:08:57,740 --> 00:09:03,220 collapsing and everything sustaining the world begins to fall 144 00:09:03,220 --> 00:09:03,780 apart. 145 00:09:04,660 --> 00:09:07,740 Well, the third angel pours out their bowl in verse four, and 146 00:09:07,740 --> 00:09:11,060 this time the focus is on rivers and springs of water. 147 00:09:11,460 --> 00:09:15,410 And the result is that These rivers and springs of water become 148 00:09:15,490 --> 00:09:15,970 blood. 149 00:09:16,050 --> 00:09:19,330 And again we're taken back to the first plague in Egypt, when the 150 00:09:19,330 --> 00:09:23,010 Nile is turned to blood and every drop of water in the canals 151 00:09:23,010 --> 00:09:26,210 and the pots in the homes becomes undrinkable. 152 00:09:26,770 --> 00:09:30,250 And so the severity and intensification of the judgment points 153 00:09:30,250 --> 00:09:31,810 to the time of the end. 154 00:09:32,530 --> 00:09:38,370 Water is the source of life, and so God is eradicating in judgment 155 00:09:39,210 --> 00:09:41,530 what is vital for life. 156 00:09:43,130 --> 00:09:47,650 So not only do you see God pouring his judgment on all of the 157 00:09:47,650 --> 00:09:53,410 earth, on all of creation, on humanity, on the seas, and on the 158 00:09:53,410 --> 00:09:58,170 sources of rivers, but through them he is bringing about the punishment 159 00:09:58,170 --> 00:10:00,010 that a rebellious people deserve. 160 00:10:00,250 --> 00:10:02,370 And this is going to be our problem, because we're going to hear 161 00:10:02,370 --> 00:10:03,210 them cry out. 162 00:10:03,210 --> 00:10:04,170 It's not fair. 163 00:10:05,650 --> 00:10:10,370 And so the next three verses that we have interpret the sequence 164 00:10:10,370 --> 00:10:13,890 of the bold judgments and comment on the suitability of these 165 00:10:13,890 --> 00:10:14,450 judgments. 166 00:10:15,170 --> 00:10:18,730 And so we're told that there is an angel superintending the waters, 167 00:10:18,730 --> 00:10:22,090 which shows us the close connection between angels and the 168 00:10:22,090 --> 00:10:22,850 world of nature. 169 00:10:23,250 --> 00:10:25,370 And we also see this in the book of Hebrews. 170 00:10:25,370 --> 00:10:29,690 But this angel declares, God is righteous and is holy in judging 171 00:10:29,690 --> 00:10:30,450 the wicked. 172 00:10:31,260 --> 00:10:35,660 Now, John's audience, as the rebellious, will also question the 173 00:10:35,660 --> 00:10:36,860 severity of the judgments. 174 00:10:36,860 --> 00:10:39,860 But the angel assures us that the punishment is fitting and it 175 00:10:39,860 --> 00:10:42,940 is right, because verse six goes on to say that those receiving 176 00:10:42,940 --> 00:10:46,300 the judgments have killed the saints and the prophets. 177 00:10:47,340 --> 00:10:52,060 Therefore they have done dealings with God's people throughout 178 00:10:52,060 --> 00:10:55,980 all of the history of the Church, Old Testament and New Testament 179 00:10:55,980 --> 00:10:56,460 combined. 180 00:10:57,450 --> 00:11:00,330 And now they will face the punishment for their wickedness. 181 00:11:00,490 --> 00:11:03,530 Because here the rightness of God's judgment is explained. 182 00:11:03,930 --> 00:11:07,210 God has turned the rivers and springs to blood because the wicked 183 00:11:07,210 --> 00:11:09,690 have spilled the bloods of the saints and the prophets. 184 00:11:09,930 --> 00:11:14,250 And so the punishment fits, and in fact it accords with the crime. 185 00:11:14,730 --> 00:11:18,330 And so this is an expression, not a miscarriage of justice. 186 00:11:19,450 --> 00:11:23,710 And those who have inflicted suffering on believers will themselves 187 00:11:24,110 --> 00:11:24,750 suffer. 188 00:11:26,750 --> 00:11:32,710 But this little interruption continues because verse 7 now presents 189 00:11:32,710 --> 00:11:37,710 to us voices, and the altar speaks, perhaps representing the 190 00:11:37,710 --> 00:11:38,509 voice of an angel. 191 00:11:38,509 --> 00:11:42,590 But the altar speaks to add its witness on behalf of the saints 192 00:11:42,830 --> 00:11:46,950 who were slain onto the altar of chapter six, affirming that the 193 00:11:46,950 --> 00:11:52,610 judgments of the Lord God Almighty are true and righteous. 194 00:11:53,570 --> 00:11:56,290 And we don't often think of judgment as righteous. 195 00:11:56,370 --> 00:12:00,610 We think of God as righteous, that he's completely right. 196 00:12:01,890 --> 00:12:05,730 But because he is that, then his judgments are righteous. 197 00:12:06,850 --> 00:12:11,330 His judgments are not unfair, and the punishment that follows is 198 00:12:11,330 --> 00:12:12,290 not unfair. 199 00:12:13,170 --> 00:12:14,930 It is right and it is true. 200 00:12:16,460 --> 00:12:21,500 And so John emphasizes that these judgments verify God's justice, 201 00:12:22,140 --> 00:12:26,700 that he truly is a God of justice, and that sin must face its 202 00:12:26,700 --> 00:12:31,820 punishment, just as the redeemed in Christ must enjoy their 203 00:12:31,820 --> 00:12:32,860 eternal reward. 204 00:12:34,540 --> 00:12:41,300 Because the Holy One of Israel always does what is right, even though 205 00:12:41,300 --> 00:12:46,420 life often seems futile and meaningless and irrational, in the 206 00:12:46,420 --> 00:12:50,940 end, God will make everything right. 207 00:12:52,540 --> 00:12:56,300 And this is where we must take hope this evening. 208 00:12:57,500 --> 00:13:01,699 I guess the circumstances of the past couple of months have forced 209 00:13:01,699 --> 00:13:04,900 me to answer the question that many have been asking. 210 00:13:04,900 --> 00:13:06,300 And it's that question. 211 00:13:06,780 --> 00:13:07,900 It's not fair. 212 00:13:07,980 --> 00:13:09,500 Why did this happen? 213 00:13:11,030 --> 00:13:15,990 And the simple truth is, the world in which it is found now is 214 00:13:15,990 --> 00:13:17,510 not the way God intended. 215 00:13:19,030 --> 00:13:22,510 Read Genesis 1 and 2 and it will tell you clearly God created 216 00:13:22,510 --> 00:13:25,110 a perfect world that humanity may enjoy. 217 00:13:26,310 --> 00:13:28,390 And it wasn't God that messed it up. 218 00:13:28,710 --> 00:13:32,310 God set the parameters and God set the limits of what could happen. 219 00:13:32,550 --> 00:13:37,450 They could have anything in the garden except eating from the 220 00:13:37,450 --> 00:13:39,170 tree of the fruit of the tree. 221 00:13:41,410 --> 00:13:42,450 And what did they do? 222 00:13:43,410 --> 00:13:45,250 They consumed it and devoured it. 223 00:13:45,330 --> 00:13:46,770 They listened to a lie. 224 00:13:47,250 --> 00:13:50,610 And it wasn't God that brought evil and pain and suffering into 225 00:13:50,610 --> 00:13:51,090 the world. 226 00:13:52,210 --> 00:13:53,410 It was humanity. 227 00:13:54,210 --> 00:13:59,770 Because they broke God's way, they went against him. 228 00:13:59,770 --> 00:14:04,600 And as we've been seeing in these past couple of texts, a rebellious 229 00:14:05,160 --> 00:14:05,560 people. 230 00:14:06,840 --> 00:14:10,480 And so we need to know tonight that where there is pain, where there 231 00:14:10,480 --> 00:14:14,040 is suffering, where there is grieving and mourning, God will make 232 00:14:14,040 --> 00:14:15,880 everything right one day. 233 00:14:16,680 --> 00:14:18,680 One day he'll make everything new. 234 00:14:19,479 --> 00:14:22,040 One day we will rejoice in Him. 235 00:14:23,480 --> 00:14:29,800 But we have to wait until all is fulfilled and Christ will take 236 00:14:29,880 --> 00:14:31,320 his people home. 237 00:14:33,910 --> 00:14:37,670 And so we turn to the fourth of these bowl judgments in verse 238 00:14:37,670 --> 00:14:38,070 eight. 239 00:14:38,550 --> 00:14:42,310 And this time the angel pours out their bowl on the sun. 240 00:14:43,190 --> 00:14:46,790 The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed 241 00:14:46,870 --> 00:14:49,030 to scorch people with fire. 242 00:14:50,470 --> 00:14:54,670 If you recall the fourth trumpet judgment, then you'll remember 243 00:14:54,670 --> 00:14:57,830 that a third of the sun, moon and stars were darkened. 244 00:14:58,800 --> 00:15:02,000 But this is different, because here the judgment of the fourth bowl 245 00:15:02,000 --> 00:15:04,560 appears to make the sun more intense. 246 00:15:04,720 --> 00:15:09,280 For by it people are scorched, experiencing something like a very 247 00:15:09,280 --> 00:15:10,800 painful sunburn. 248 00:15:11,680 --> 00:15:15,240 And this punishment tells us of the intense punishment experienced 249 00:15:15,240 --> 00:15:17,040 by those who reject the Lord. 250 00:15:17,920 --> 00:15:21,160 And aren't we already knowing of what's going to happen to the 251 00:15:21,160 --> 00:15:21,440 lost? 252 00:15:22,080 --> 00:15:24,240 They will be thrown into the lake of fire. 253 00:15:24,970 --> 00:15:28,490 And is this not telling us what that experience is like? 254 00:15:29,130 --> 00:15:33,010 That it is intense punishment for those who reject the Lord? 255 00:15:33,010 --> 00:15:36,730 And so those afflicted are certainly unbelievers, responding 256 00:15:36,730 --> 00:15:40,570 with fury to the God who exercises his sovereign authority 257 00:15:40,650 --> 00:15:42,410 to bring these plagues upon them. 258 00:15:42,810 --> 00:15:46,810 They're convinced, and they have the audacity to be convinced 259 00:15:46,810 --> 00:15:48,810 that they don't deserve these punishments. 260 00:15:48,970 --> 00:15:54,170 And so their response is, is to blaspheme and to revile God for 261 00:15:54,170 --> 00:15:57,530 punishing them, complaining that the judgments are unfair and 262 00:15:57,530 --> 00:16:01,170 calling into question his very nature and his very character. 263 00:16:02,050 --> 00:16:04,610 John has just emphasized the justice of the punishment. 264 00:16:04,610 --> 00:16:07,730 So their response is irrational and it's false. 265 00:16:08,610 --> 00:16:12,810 God's judgments and plagues should have provoked them to repent 266 00:16:12,810 --> 00:16:15,930 and give glory to him, acknowledging their guilt for what 267 00:16:15,930 --> 00:16:16,530 they've done. 268 00:16:17,810 --> 00:16:24,370 Instead, in their thrandness, they are angry at what God is doing 269 00:16:25,730 --> 00:16:31,650 and in a way, ironically confirming the justice of the very 270 00:16:31,650 --> 00:16:32,850 judgments they're facing. 271 00:16:33,810 --> 00:16:36,970 And as we move on to the fifth and sixth bowls, our focus moves 272 00:16:36,970 --> 00:16:38,930 to the great deceiver of humanity. 273 00:16:39,330 --> 00:16:43,650 In the fifth bowl, the throne of the beast receives its punishment. 274 00:16:44,310 --> 00:16:47,230 And in the sixth, the river Euphrates, a source of protection 275 00:16:47,230 --> 00:16:48,950 from enemies, is dried up. 276 00:16:49,350 --> 00:16:52,750 And so verses 10 and 11 tell us that the fifth angel poured out 277 00:16:52,750 --> 00:16:56,550 his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged 278 00:16:56,550 --> 00:16:57,430 into darkness. 279 00:16:57,750 --> 00:17:02,070 People gnawed their tongues in anguish and cursed the God of heaven 280 00:17:02,070 --> 00:17:03,750 for their pain and sores. 281 00:17:04,230 --> 00:17:07,030 They did not repent of their deeds. 282 00:17:07,750 --> 00:17:11,470 And so the fifth bowl is poured out on the beast's throne, 283 00:17:11,470 --> 00:17:15,709 in other words, the place of his authority, his realm, his kingdom, 284 00:17:15,709 --> 00:17:20,029 is darkened, echoing the ninth plague to strike Egypt in Exodus 285 00:17:20,029 --> 00:17:20,349 10. 286 00:17:20,509 --> 00:17:24,349 And the apocalyptic language makes the exact nature of this judgment 287 00:17:24,829 --> 00:17:27,469 difficult to determine, because we would not expect, for 288 00:17:27,469 --> 00:17:30,389 instance, people plunged into darkness to gnaw their tongues in 289 00:17:30,389 --> 00:17:30,988 anguish. 290 00:17:31,389 --> 00:17:35,309 So whether this is physical, psychological, or both, what we do 291 00:17:35,309 --> 00:17:39,309 know is that this judgment clearly brings torment and anguish. 292 00:17:39,469 --> 00:17:42,509 And it's fascinating to compare the fifth bowl and the fifth 293 00:17:42,760 --> 00:17:45,080 trumpet, as we've done with the first four. 294 00:17:45,320 --> 00:17:49,160 Because the fifth trumpet brings about unleashes, as it were, 295 00:17:49,160 --> 00:17:53,800 darkness on the earth and a demonic presence bringing agony to 296 00:17:53,800 --> 00:17:54,120 men. 297 00:17:55,000 --> 00:17:59,960 And we're given that in verses 1 to 12 of that chapter where the 298 00:17:59,960 --> 00:18:03,880 trumpets are mentioned, this sense of the agony, of the darkness, 299 00:18:04,920 --> 00:18:07,640 we know that the devil loves darkness. 300 00:18:08,370 --> 00:18:11,010 He doesn't want us walking in the light of Christ, because then 301 00:18:11,010 --> 00:18:12,770 we will know his true lies. 302 00:18:12,930 --> 00:18:16,690 And so it seems that the fifth bowl further intensifies the pain 303 00:18:16,850 --> 00:18:20,050 that indeed it is the evil one causing through the beast. 304 00:18:20,850 --> 00:18:24,570 But this pain, suggesting John is describing events again near the 305 00:18:24,570 --> 00:18:28,690 end of history, near the time when God will truly consummate his 306 00:18:28,690 --> 00:18:29,170 kingdom. 307 00:18:29,650 --> 00:18:33,290 And so the judgments of God, as both the fourth and fifth bulge 308 00:18:33,290 --> 00:18:37,210 reveal, are meant to be a precursor and anticipation of what 309 00:18:37,210 --> 00:18:37,810 is to come. 310 00:18:38,740 --> 00:18:42,340 They're intended to snap people out of their spiritual lethargy 311 00:18:42,500 --> 00:18:44,980 and turn them to God in repentance. 312 00:18:45,940 --> 00:18:49,380 Instead, those suffering from their pains and sores are enraged 313 00:18:49,380 --> 00:18:54,219 at God, thinking that what has happened to them is completely unwarranted, 314 00:18:54,219 --> 00:18:57,780 that actually they're the good ones and God's the baddy. 315 00:18:59,700 --> 00:19:03,980 But Proverbs helps us here because it's Proverbs 19:3 that says 316 00:19:03,980 --> 00:19:09,290 when a man's folly brings his way to ruin, his heart rages against 317 00:19:09,370 --> 00:19:10,010 the Lord. 318 00:19:11,770 --> 00:19:16,170 So they curse and they blaspheme God instead of blessing 319 00:19:16,170 --> 00:19:19,210 him, and they do not repent of their evil deeds. 320 00:19:19,770 --> 00:19:20,810 The irrational. 321 00:19:21,130 --> 00:19:24,650 The irrational response of human beings underscores once again 322 00:19:25,130 --> 00:19:28,970 the rightness of God's actions. 323 00:19:30,810 --> 00:19:34,090 Let me pause here for a moment and ask you a question about judgment. 324 00:19:36,290 --> 00:19:37,490 We don't like judgment. 325 00:19:38,530 --> 00:19:39,410 None of us do. 326 00:19:40,050 --> 00:19:43,850 Whether that be by society around us judging us, or maybe a 327 00:19:43,850 --> 00:19:45,250 court of law judging us. 328 00:19:46,370 --> 00:19:49,970 But how much more when the Sovereign Lord will judge? 329 00:19:49,970 --> 00:19:54,570 And let's be honest with ourselves, we know deep down whether 330 00:19:54,570 --> 00:19:57,650 we are of the redeemed or whether we're not. 331 00:19:58,930 --> 00:20:01,570 And if we're not, then we will face a judgment. 332 00:20:02,860 --> 00:20:06,220 And the reality is, we cannot say that that judgment is not fair, 333 00:20:07,020 --> 00:20:10,780 because even Tonight in Revelation 16, we are presented with 334 00:20:10,780 --> 00:20:15,500 opportunity again and again to repent so that we will not face what 335 00:20:15,500 --> 00:20:20,380 is presented here that must take place before humanity this time 336 00:20:20,380 --> 00:20:22,140 on earth ends. 337 00:20:23,340 --> 00:20:27,290 Now, I don't know when that will be, but I'm not willing to. 338 00:20:27,600 --> 00:20:28,400 To take the risk. 339 00:20:28,640 --> 00:20:32,600 I hope you appreciate I'm not a gambling man, and I hope that encourages 340 00:20:32,600 --> 00:20:32,960 you. 341 00:20:35,600 --> 00:20:36,560 But what about you? 342 00:20:36,560 --> 00:20:40,720 If you're not of the redeemed, you're taking an awful gamble here. 343 00:20:43,199 --> 00:20:48,720 I truly believe this to be the living word of God and given to us 344 00:20:48,880 --> 00:20:53,120 this night as a warning that judgment is coming. 345 00:20:54,290 --> 00:20:56,930 And therefore tonight there must be a response. 346 00:20:56,930 --> 00:20:59,730 And we'll come to that just as we finish. 347 00:21:01,970 --> 00:21:05,610 So the fourth and fifth bowl, although the bowls, five and six 348 00:21:05,610 --> 00:21:11,090 go together, but four and five show us something of our cry of not 349 00:21:11,090 --> 00:21:11,730 being fair. 350 00:21:11,730 --> 00:21:17,010 But yet God says, this is truly fair because he is truly a 351 00:21:17,010 --> 00:21:18,370 God of justice. 352 00:21:19,740 --> 00:21:23,420 But we move to the sixth bowl of wrath, and we see greater detail 353 00:21:23,420 --> 00:21:26,820 of its intention because its target is the river Euphrates. 354 00:21:26,820 --> 00:21:30,660 And as its waters are dried up, we're told that this is preparation 355 00:21:30,660 --> 00:21:32,140 for the kings from the east. 356 00:21:32,140 --> 00:21:35,580 And once again, a comparison can be made with the sixth trumpet 357 00:21:35,580 --> 00:21:39,700 judgment, in which four angels bound at the Euphrates were released, 358 00:21:39,700 --> 00:21:43,740 and an army of 200 million came forth to kill a third of mankind. 359 00:21:44,140 --> 00:21:47,540 Well, in the sixth bowl's drying up the Euphrates, it opens 360 00:21:47,540 --> 00:21:52,600 that pathway now across that river, riverbed for eastern kings. 361 00:21:53,400 --> 00:21:57,800 And what we see here coming across is a kind of unholy exodus 362 00:21:57,800 --> 00:22:02,560 in which evil kings are unable to cross the river, those who are 363 00:22:02,560 --> 00:22:08,600 against God's people to rage in battle, as we'll now find out, 364 00:22:09,080 --> 00:22:12,640 in the hope that they can once and for all defeat the armies of 365 00:22:12,640 --> 00:22:13,000 God. 366 00:22:14,280 --> 00:22:16,760 Perhaps John was thinking of the Parthians. 367 00:22:17,590 --> 00:22:20,070 The Parthians were hardened enemies of Rome. 368 00:22:21,110 --> 00:22:24,910 But the fulfillment of this prophecy is not limited to a specific 369 00:22:24,910 --> 00:22:25,910 historical moment. 370 00:22:26,390 --> 00:22:29,670 And we know that the Parthians did not succeed in bringing Rome 371 00:22:29,670 --> 00:22:29,990 down. 372 00:22:30,550 --> 00:22:32,830 But we also know that Revelation has been a book for the 373 00:22:32,830 --> 00:22:33,510 generations. 374 00:22:34,230 --> 00:22:37,190 And so what we're seeing here is this understanding that Israel's 375 00:22:37,190 --> 00:22:41,030 enemies were always from the east, coming across, attacking them. 376 00:22:42,150 --> 00:22:46,010 And so once again, it is now a final showdown. 377 00:22:46,890 --> 00:22:50,490 What will happen when the enemies of God, and we'll find out 378 00:22:50,490 --> 00:22:53,930 how they're rallied in a moment, think that they can rally 379 00:22:53,930 --> 00:22:55,850 themselves and defeat him. 380 00:22:57,370 --> 00:23:01,130 You see, this bowl tells us of the impending judgment on the wicked. 381 00:23:01,770 --> 00:23:03,730 It tells us of what's about to happen. 382 00:23:03,730 --> 00:23:05,330 But there's more to this scene. 383 00:23:05,330 --> 00:23:10,050 And verse 13 tells us, and I saw coming out of the mouth of the 384 00:23:10,050 --> 00:23:12,570 dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of 385 00:23:12,570 --> 00:23:15,450 the false prophet, three unclean spirits, like frog. 386 00:23:16,150 --> 00:23:18,350 Now, that's a bit bizarre, talking about frogs. 387 00:23:18,350 --> 00:23:21,030 But again, if we know our exodus and the plagues, we know that 388 00:23:21,030 --> 00:23:22,310 frogs were one of the plagues. 389 00:23:22,310 --> 00:23:24,990 But we'll come to that in a minute, because what John sees is 390 00:23:24,990 --> 00:23:28,150 once again the unholy trinity as they've been described, the dragon, 391 00:23:28,150 --> 00:23:30,790 the beast, and the second beast, who now for the first time, 392 00:23:30,870 --> 00:23:32,630 is called the false prophet. 393 00:23:33,510 --> 00:23:36,670 And so something horrific and repulsive is spewed out of their 394 00:23:36,670 --> 00:23:37,270 mouths. 395 00:23:37,430 --> 00:23:41,670 And John repeats the word mouth three times, calling attention 396 00:23:41,670 --> 00:23:44,900 to the words, these unholy sources. 397 00:23:45,540 --> 00:23:50,060 And this fits with the second beast being called the false prophet, 398 00:23:50,060 --> 00:23:52,180 for he speaks words that are not from God. 399 00:23:52,180 --> 00:23:56,540 He speaks lies, he tries to tickle ears and convince of things 400 00:23:56,540 --> 00:23:57,220 that aren't right. 401 00:23:57,460 --> 00:24:01,180 And so what comes out of their mouths is an unclean and disgusting 402 00:24:01,180 --> 00:24:05,900 as frogs, showing that their words defile and destroy, just as 403 00:24:05,900 --> 00:24:08,020 the plague of frogs did in Egypt. 404 00:24:08,340 --> 00:24:12,060 And the use of the word unclean in this section also shows 405 00:24:12,060 --> 00:24:16,560 the demonic character of what issues or what comes out of their 406 00:24:16,560 --> 00:24:17,280 mouths. 407 00:24:17,600 --> 00:24:20,080 As unclean spirits are demonic. 408 00:24:20,560 --> 00:24:25,440 And so we here not just have a battle of the flesh, but of the principalities 409 00:24:25,440 --> 00:24:28,160 and the powers in the spiritual realm. 410 00:24:29,360 --> 00:24:34,080 We see this taking place in these last days of what now must 411 00:24:34,080 --> 00:24:36,320 take place before the end of time. 412 00:24:36,640 --> 00:24:39,600 And it is these demonic spirits that now rally the kings 413 00:24:39,600 --> 00:24:43,000 of the world to assemble for battle as they take on the armies 414 00:24:43,000 --> 00:24:46,760 of God and when he will complete his judgments and his punishments 415 00:24:46,760 --> 00:24:47,440 on the earth. 416 00:24:48,400 --> 00:24:50,640 And we have that little bit in verse 15. 417 00:24:50,640 --> 00:24:54,360 And if you've a Bible that has the words of Jesus in red, you will 418 00:24:54,360 --> 00:24:58,800 see those that text, that verse in red, because Jesus now interrupts 419 00:24:58,800 --> 00:24:59,999 with an exhortation. 420 00:25:00,240 --> 00:25:02,800 He announces that he is coming like a thief. 421 00:25:02,960 --> 00:25:06,000 And this is a phrase that echoes the rest throughout the rest 422 00:25:06,000 --> 00:25:07,040 of the New Testament. 423 00:25:07,360 --> 00:25:10,990 Just as thieves do not announce when they will strike, so 424 00:25:10,990 --> 00:25:14,150 the time of Jesus return will be a surprise. 425 00:25:14,790 --> 00:25:18,310 Jesus then announces one of the seven blessings of this book, 426 00:25:18,550 --> 00:25:22,710 declaring a blessing for those who stay awake and keep their garments 427 00:25:22,710 --> 00:25:23,110 on. 428 00:25:24,310 --> 00:25:28,470 The blessing is reversed for those who stay morally alert and 429 00:25:28,470 --> 00:25:31,110 live righteously, or sorry is reserved. 430 00:25:31,590 --> 00:25:35,510 And here the promise of coming judgment is not merely a word for 431 00:25:35,510 --> 00:25:36,150 unbelievers. 432 00:25:36,310 --> 00:25:39,510 It is an urgent reminder to the church of Jesus that they must 433 00:25:39,510 --> 00:25:43,750 not join forces with the the wicked, as Paul would say, make shipwreck 434 00:25:43,750 --> 00:25:46,750 of our faith by following the ways of the beast and the world. 435 00:25:47,070 --> 00:25:50,510 Because if we do, then we will face the same fate. 436 00:25:51,230 --> 00:25:55,310 And so the battle lines are drawn, and we're told in verse 16 437 00:25:55,310 --> 00:25:59,790 that they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called 438 00:26:00,190 --> 00:26:01,150 Armageddon. 439 00:26:02,030 --> 00:26:06,510 Now, Armageddon was not a new or unknown place to John or his first 440 00:26:06,510 --> 00:26:06,990 readers. 441 00:26:07,600 --> 00:26:10,240 They would have known it to be the plain of Megiddo. 442 00:26:10,800 --> 00:26:14,360 And it's mentioned in 2nd Chronicles 35 and Zechariah chapter 443 00:26:14,360 --> 00:26:14,640 12. 444 00:26:15,040 --> 00:26:18,000 And anyone who's familiar with the land of Israel would know that 445 00:26:18,000 --> 00:26:19,600 this is a plain. 446 00:26:20,240 --> 00:26:23,119 And so whenever Armageddon is here, it's not talking about the 447 00:26:23,119 --> 00:26:26,400 plain of Megiddo, it's actually talking of Mount Megiddo. 448 00:26:26,720 --> 00:26:30,080 But there's no mountain on the plain of Megiddo. 449 00:26:30,560 --> 00:26:33,920 And so here John is telling us something that we may not fully understand, 450 00:26:34,080 --> 00:26:38,170 but calling it Armageddon is telling us something different of 451 00:26:38,170 --> 00:26:40,450 this place, that something different is going to happen. 452 00:26:41,010 --> 00:26:44,650 And John gives us a clue that he's writing perhaps more symbolically 453 00:26:44,650 --> 00:26:47,050 about this particular mountain, not the plain, because 454 00:26:47,050 --> 00:26:51,170 it is real, but for some reason this mountain, by calling 455 00:26:51,170 --> 00:26:52,770 it just that. 456 00:26:53,490 --> 00:26:57,450 And many important battles took place in Megiddo in which Israel 457 00:26:57,450 --> 00:26:58,730 was attacked by its foes. 458 00:26:58,730 --> 00:27:02,880 And here we have a scene of the last battle, the last great battle, 459 00:27:02,880 --> 00:27:06,960 where the enemies will assemble and they will fight to the 460 00:27:06,960 --> 00:27:10,920 death, but they will not be victorious, for it will be the Lord 461 00:27:10,920 --> 00:27:12,160 Almighty who will win. 462 00:27:12,160 --> 00:27:16,120 The nations you see have been deceived by the dragon, by the beast, 463 00:27:16,440 --> 00:27:17,880 and by the false prophet. 464 00:27:18,040 --> 00:27:23,480 They assemble for a final war that they have no chance of winning, 465 00:27:23,960 --> 00:27:27,880 because the victory will be Christ's, and the enemies of God 466 00:27:27,880 --> 00:27:32,530 will be punished for all eternity in this final moment of 467 00:27:32,530 --> 00:27:33,170 human history. 468 00:27:34,530 --> 00:27:39,850 And so the six bowls of wrath have been poured out, and next week 469 00:27:39,850 --> 00:27:41,130 we look at the seventh. 470 00:27:41,130 --> 00:27:46,090 And again, I stress, all of this is to take place at the end 471 00:27:46,090 --> 00:27:51,970 of human history so that we will know the complete judgment of 472 00:27:51,970 --> 00:27:54,290 God on rebellious people. 473 00:27:55,850 --> 00:28:00,370 But what we're reading, as we know, must take place, and it must 474 00:28:00,370 --> 00:28:04,010 happen before the defeat of Satan and the coming kingdom of God. 475 00:28:04,570 --> 00:28:07,890 And it was Jesus himself in verse 15, tells us that he was the 476 00:28:07,890 --> 00:28:09,450 one coming like a thief. 477 00:28:09,450 --> 00:28:12,570 So we won't be able to crack a code to know when all of this is 478 00:28:12,570 --> 00:28:13,130 going to happen. 479 00:28:13,610 --> 00:28:19,490 And so it's presented here to us to assure us that the cry of the 480 00:28:19,490 --> 00:28:23,200 martyrs, that the continued cry of God's people throughout the 481 00:28:23,200 --> 00:28:26,760 generations will be heard and that evil will be punished. 482 00:28:27,000 --> 00:28:30,040 And so this should give us two responses tonight. 483 00:28:30,440 --> 00:28:33,800 The first is to know that when there doesn't seem to be justice 484 00:28:33,800 --> 00:28:37,240 for the wrong that has been done against us, against the church, 485 00:28:37,320 --> 00:28:41,400 or the general injustice of life, those perpetrators of these 486 00:28:41,400 --> 00:28:43,720 injustices will face their punishment. 487 00:28:44,360 --> 00:28:48,280 We may look at them as they swan around and think it's not fair. 488 00:28:48,280 --> 00:28:52,190 And we'll cry out, just like those who are facing judgments cry 489 00:28:52,190 --> 00:28:52,470 out. 490 00:28:53,190 --> 00:28:55,070 But actually it will be them who will cry. 491 00:28:55,070 --> 00:28:57,670 It's not fair, because they think they're perfect. 492 00:28:58,470 --> 00:29:01,110 But judgment will come if they do not turn to Christ. 493 00:29:02,230 --> 00:29:05,430 And that judgment will be right, and it will be true. 494 00:29:05,990 --> 00:29:09,110 You see, nothing is out of sight of God. 495 00:29:09,670 --> 00:29:13,350 And he will bring those to book who have rejected him and those 496 00:29:13,350 --> 00:29:15,110 who have persecuted his people. 497 00:29:16,100 --> 00:29:19,820 Be that to persecute an individual for their faith or a group 498 00:29:19,820 --> 00:29:20,260 of people. 499 00:29:20,900 --> 00:29:26,500 That's why Paul writes in Romans 12:19, Beloved, never avenge 500 00:29:26,500 --> 00:29:29,500 yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, 501 00:29:29,500 --> 00:29:33,060 vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. 502 00:29:34,180 --> 00:29:38,500 And sometimes this is hard for us to accept because we want vindication 503 00:29:38,740 --> 00:29:39,140 now. 504 00:29:40,100 --> 00:29:46,640 But God's timings are perfect, and it is in him that we must trust 505 00:29:46,640 --> 00:29:47,960 to vindicate his people. 506 00:29:49,640 --> 00:29:53,600 So if you have a troubled heart and soul this evening because 507 00:29:53,600 --> 00:29:56,800 you feel that the devil has been against you and he's used people 508 00:29:56,800 --> 00:29:58,120 around you to do it. 509 00:29:58,680 --> 00:30:04,560 Well, take heart, it has not escaped the sight of God and it will 510 00:30:04,560 --> 00:30:10,010 not escape his punishment and judgment for the wicked will be thrown 511 00:30:10,010 --> 00:30:15,410 in their ways and they will receive their just judgment for what 512 00:30:15,410 --> 00:30:18,490 they have done against the name of God and against his people. 513 00:30:19,690 --> 00:30:23,530 But the second response this evening is to be aware of what the 514 00:30:23,530 --> 00:30:24,809 future looks like. 515 00:30:25,690 --> 00:30:31,250 Believer and non believer alike are told to take notice for 516 00:30:31,250 --> 00:30:33,210 the people, just sorry for the believer. 517 00:30:33,210 --> 00:30:36,290 Just as the people of the exodus from Egypt had to be ready 518 00:30:36,290 --> 00:30:42,250 to depart, so Jesus warns us here in verse 4:15, that we must 519 00:30:42,250 --> 00:30:46,890 be ready, staying close to the faith for the hour when Jesus will 520 00:30:46,890 --> 00:30:47,210 come. 521 00:30:48,650 --> 00:30:54,730 And so that means that we must keep reading our Bibles, praying, 522 00:30:55,290 --> 00:30:58,130 fellowshipping, learning and growing. 523 00:30:58,130 --> 00:31:02,170 And as I often pray, knowing Jesus more tomorrow than we do today, 524 00:31:03,130 --> 00:31:06,730 so that indeed we will know that when he comes we will be ready 525 00:31:07,320 --> 00:31:12,520 and as he says here in verse 15, ready to depart for when he comes. 526 00:31:12,520 --> 00:31:15,640 But to the non believer, he is coming soon. 527 00:31:17,720 --> 00:31:22,320 When he comes, it will be too late and you will face the punishment 528 00:31:22,320 --> 00:31:23,800 you deserve for your sins. 529 00:31:25,160 --> 00:31:28,640 But there is still time to repent of the rebellion that you 530 00:31:28,640 --> 00:31:31,960 have against the Lord and turn to him and he will accept you. 531 00:31:32,040 --> 00:31:34,550 He will receive you into his kingdom as his children. 532 00:31:34,780 --> 00:31:35,020 Child. 533 00:31:36,380 --> 00:31:42,700 So let's stop the cries of it's not fair and let's turn to the 534 00:31:42,700 --> 00:31:47,180 Savior and know him as the only One who can save us and redeem 535 00:31:47,180 --> 00:31:50,939 us and make us a child of God. 536 00:31:52,140 --> 00:31:55,420 Why wouldn't you want this? 537 00:31:55,420 --> 00:31:59,940 And why would you risk not having it by rejecting Christ and 538 00:31:59,940 --> 00:32:01,340 the life that he calls you to? 539 00:32:02,160 --> 00:32:06,120 Because we had this verse this morning and I want to use it again 540 00:32:06,120 --> 00:32:06,640 this evening. 541 00:32:06,640 --> 00:32:10,480 It's Jesus Himself that assures us that all that the Father 542 00:32:10,480 --> 00:32:13,360 gives me will come to Me, and whoever comes to Me, I will never 543 00:32:13,600 --> 00:32:14,560 cast out. 544 00:32:15,760 --> 00:32:19,440 Don't fear the Savior while you still have time to come to Him. 545 00:32:20,400 --> 00:32:23,840 Don't fear the Savior because He offers you the repentance of your 546 00:32:23,840 --> 00:32:28,120 sins and he gives you that freedom to know him and live for 547 00:32:28,120 --> 00:32:28,400 Him. 548 00:32:29,780 --> 00:32:30,660 Don't take the risk. 549 00:32:32,100 --> 00:32:36,340 Don't try to be a gambling man or woman thinking that you'll be 550 00:32:36,340 --> 00:32:37,940 okay, because you won't. 551 00:32:38,660 --> 00:32:42,020 And Revelation 16 has made it very clear that you won't. 552 00:32:42,660 --> 00:32:46,180 And no amount of protestation will ever change that. 553 00:32:48,100 --> 00:32:54,140 Simply accepting Christ is all that we can do to know that we will 554 00:32:54,140 --> 00:32:56,110 be safe forever. 555 00:32:58,830 --> 00:33:04,910 The Plain of Megiddo is given to us as the scene of the final battle. 556 00:33:05,550 --> 00:33:11,230 John gives it to us here as Armageddon, the mount of Megiddo. 557 00:33:12,270 --> 00:33:15,950 Many books and many movies have gone with an Armageddon theme 558 00:33:15,950 --> 00:33:20,350 and that apocalyptic desolation that they believe it brings. 559 00:33:21,590 --> 00:33:27,190 But trust me, it's going to be far worse than anything Hollywood 560 00:33:27,350 --> 00:33:30,870 can present to us tonight. 561 00:33:31,510 --> 00:33:33,430 While there is still time. 562 00:33:34,150 --> 00:33:37,590 Come to the Savior and know Him. 563 00:33:38,310 --> 00:33:42,310 And know that you will pass through the judgment and you will 564 00:33:42,310 --> 00:33:46,870 enter eternity free and completely perfect. 565 00:33:47,980 --> 00:33:52,620 And that will be forever and ever and ever. 566 00:33:53,740 --> 00:33:54,540 Let's pray. 567 00:33:57,260 --> 00:34:00,580 Our Father, we thank you that this evening we do truly have glorious 568 00:34:00,580 --> 00:34:01,900 hope in Jesus Christ. 569 00:34:02,860 --> 00:34:07,100 And however we understand Revelation 16 to be played out on 570 00:34:07,100 --> 00:34:09,180 the world stage at the end of time. 571 00:34:10,060 --> 00:34:13,780 Father, what is more important is that we look to Christ as the 572 00:34:13,780 --> 00:34:16,060 only one who can rescue us and save us. 573 00:34:17,110 --> 00:34:20,310 The only one we can turn to this night, so we will not face these 574 00:34:20,310 --> 00:34:24,630 judgments that have been foretold through the trumpets and 575 00:34:24,630 --> 00:34:28,870 now through the bowls, this wrath of God poured out on a rebellious 576 00:34:28,870 --> 00:34:29,150 people. 577 00:34:29,150 --> 00:34:33,670 May we not be found amongst the rebellious, but may we be found 578 00:34:33,670 --> 00:34:34,830 amongst the redeemed. 579 00:34:34,830 --> 00:34:38,310 This night, as we place our trust and our only trust in Jesus. 580 00:34:39,750 --> 00:34:44,670 Help us to stop looking at the world around us and help us to focus 581 00:34:44,670 --> 00:34:46,270 on Christ and Him alone. 582 00:34:46,270 --> 00:34:48,310 For he is the only one that matters. 583 00:34:48,550 --> 00:34:50,430 He is the only one who can save us. 584 00:34:50,430 --> 00:34:53,910 And it is only his standard by which we are called to live. 585 00:34:54,950 --> 00:34:57,270 So, Lord, help us all to look to the Savior. 586 00:34:57,910 --> 00:35:01,710 Help us all to respond well, not to seek vengeance, but to know 587 00:35:01,710 --> 00:35:05,750 that Christ will bring it on that day when he will come as a thief 588 00:35:05,750 --> 00:35:06,790 comes in the night. 589 00:35:07,590 --> 00:35:11,030 And Father, for His people, may we be ready for that day. 590 00:35:11,890 --> 00:35:16,050 Not make shipwreck of the faith we have, but rather enjoy it 591 00:35:16,050 --> 00:35:20,450 each day that we're given and be drawn closer to the Savior for 592 00:35:20,450 --> 00:35:24,130 this wonderful assurance, and it's in Jesus name we pray. 593 00:35:24,930 --> 00:35:25,570 Amen.