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Speaker 1: Life Audio.

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Speaker 2: For more resources to help you in your walk with Christ,

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Speaker 2: please visit us at Bible Studyheadquarters dot com. Today we're

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Speaker 2: going to be in chapter eleven, so we're making our

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Speaker 2: way through the book. We're about halfway through the Book

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Speaker 2: of Revelation. We're picking up at Revelation eleven today and

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Speaker 2: we're going to look at the first fourteen verses of

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Speaker 2: Revelation eleven. You're going to see that it speaks of

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Speaker 2: a variety of things, but in particular, there are two

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Speaker 2: witnesses that are referenced in this chapter. And because the

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Speaker 2: section we're looking at is a little bit longer today,

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Speaker 2: I'm not going to read it all right at the beginning.

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Speaker 2: I'm going to read it in segments as we work

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Speaker 2: our way through looking at the specific verses. But before

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Speaker 2: we take a look at what it says about these

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Speaker 2: two witnesses in Revelation eleven, let me just have a

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Speaker 2: word of prayer for us. Lord, thank you so much

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Speaker 2: for the privilege to be able to spend this time together.

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Speaker 2: I'm grateful for every adult and every child that's in

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Speaker 2: this place, and for the fact that we have the

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Speaker 2: privileg to worship You today, and we have the privilege

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Speaker 2: to look at your word together, and so Lord, we

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Speaker 2: pray that you would fill us with your spirit, that

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Speaker 2: you give us your understanding, and that you'd help us

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Speaker 2: to grow on our walk with you. As we look

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Speaker 2: at what your word contains. We thank you Lord for

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Speaker 2: all these things. In Jesus' name, we pray Amen. So

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Speaker 2: Revelation eleven. If you've been following along as we've been

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Speaker 2: working our way through this genuinely interesting book, it drops

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Speaker 2: us right in the middle of intense prophetic action. So

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Speaker 2: trumpets are sounding at this point, judgment is unfolding. You

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Speaker 2: could see that nations are restless, and right in the

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Speaker 2: middle of it, this section that we're looking at right now,

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Speaker 2: God does something that feels a little personal. And I'll

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Speaker 2: explain what I mean by personal in just a second.

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Speaker 2: I'll illustrate it. But what I'll kind of just tip

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Speaker 2: you off to what to look for, because you're going

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Speaker 2: to see here that he does something like he measures,

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Speaker 2: So he's going to measure something so appoints two witnesses.

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Speaker 2: You could also see that he protects his purposes and

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Speaker 2: he makes it unmistakably clear that he's not finished with

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Speaker 2: this world, that he's not finished with Israel, and that

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Speaker 2: he's not finished with this plan of redemption. You'll see

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Speaker 2: all of that unfolding here in this chapter. I'll tell

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Speaker 2: you ahead of time, even before I read the first section.

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Speaker 2: Here in this passage, in total, you'll see numbers, you'll

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Speaker 2: see symbols, you'll see judgments, you'll even see deaths. All

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Speaker 2: of these things are referenced in this chapter. But beneath

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Speaker 2: all of that, beneath all of those details, there's actually

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Speaker 2: a very hopeful message that we're going to be focusing on.

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Speaker 2: God knows who belongs to him, and even when this

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Speaker 2: world refuses to listen, God still speaks. And you're going

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Speaker 2: to notice that in this context. And one other thing

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Speaker 2: I want to point out, even ahead of time, before

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Speaker 2: we illustrate it, God always vindicates his truth. He shows

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Speaker 2: what is true, and you're going to see a moment

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Speaker 2: that illustrates that very, very powerfully. So let's take this

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Speaker 2: a piece of a time. Let's just start with the

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Speaker 2: first two verses. In the first two verses of Revelation eleven,

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Speaker 2: we read this, it says, then I was given a

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Speaker 2: measuring rod. So this is the apostle John speaking here

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Speaker 2: as the Holy Spirit is giving him these words. He says,

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Speaker 2: Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff,

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Speaker 2: and I was told, rise and measure the Temple of

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Speaker 2: God and the altar and those who worship there. But

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Speaker 2: do not measure the court outside the temple. Leave that out,

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Speaker 2: for it is given over to the nations, and they

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Speaker 2: will trample the Holy City for forty two months. So

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Speaker 2: it's interesting this starts off with John being told, rise

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Speaker 2: and measure the Temple of God and the altar and

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Speaker 2: those who worship there. Now, when you look in scripture

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Speaker 2: and you look at measuring, measuring is often connected to

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Speaker 2: things like ownership or protection, or sometimes just intention. So

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Speaker 2: the measuring that's being taken here, it's not God measuring

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Speaker 2: to inspect flaws. He's actually measuring to mark what belongs

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Speaker 2: to him, and he's demonstrating what indeed belongs to him.

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Speaker 1: It also reminds us.

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Speaker 2: If you're familiar with some of the prophetic books of

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Speaker 2: the Old Testament, when you get to the Book of Ezekiel.

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Speaker 2: The Book of Ezekiel I've referenced many times throughout our

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Speaker 2: study of the Book of Revelation, because there's a lot

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Speaker 2: of parallels in the Book of Ezekiel, and in the

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Speaker 2: Book of Revelation, and when you get to Ezekiel chapter

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Speaker 2: forty and forty one and forty two, there we're told

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Speaker 2: there's this heavenly figure who carefully measures a future temple.

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Speaker 2: So you see a parallel passage to what we're looking

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Speaker 2: at here in Revelation chapter eleven. I think this passage

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Speaker 2: also reminds us of something else from the Old Testament.

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Speaker 2: When you get into the Book of Zechariah chapter two. There,

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Speaker 2: Jerusalem we're told is measured, and it's measured because God

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Speaker 2: intends to dwell in her midst and be a wall

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Speaker 2: of fire around her. So this isn't the only time

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Speaker 2: in scripture, specifically in prophetic literature, in scripture where things

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Speaker 2: are measured in this way. Measurement isn't about exclusion, It's

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Speaker 2: about preservation. There's some thing here that God wants to preserve.

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Speaker 2: Now he's speaking here of a temple. And sometimes people

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Speaker 2: look at this portion of scripture and they wonder these

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Speaker 2: references to the temple that it seems so similar to

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Speaker 2: what we saw during the Old Testament era, during the

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Speaker 2: Old Covenant era, and people wonder, is this figurative language,

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Speaker 2: or will there literally be a.

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Speaker 1: Temple in Jerusalem.

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Speaker 2: Again, well, I personally believe there are different interpretations of

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Speaker 2: passages like this, But I'll tell you where I land

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Speaker 2: on this, and you could decide between you and the

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Speaker 2: Lord where you land. But I believe that this temple

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Speaker 2: is best understood as a literal future temple in Jerusalem

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Speaker 2: that will exist during that future tribulation period, that seven

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Speaker 2: year period of time, that time of judgment on this earth.

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Speaker 2: I do believe that it's a literal temple. I believe

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Speaker 2: that God's covenant purposes with Israel have not been abandoned.

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Speaker 1: Well, why do I believe that? In part?

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Speaker 2: I believe that when you look at something like Romans

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Speaker 2: eleven twenty nine, there it tells us that the gifts

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Speaker 2: and the calling of God are irrevocable. And so I

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Speaker 2: look at this and I think, all right, even in

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Speaker 2: a time of judgment, God is still working out his

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Speaker 2: promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and you're seeing some

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Speaker 2: of that unfold in a passage like this. But then

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Speaker 2: I look at this, and I also think there's a

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Speaker 2: comforting truth for those of us living right here and now,

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Speaker 2: even reading this portion of scripture that references future things.

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Speaker 2: I look at this and I see this measuring that's

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Speaker 2: taking place, and it reminds me God knows who belongs

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Speaker 2: to him. God knows who belongs to him. Just think

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Speaker 2: about that in a personal way. Don't just think about

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Speaker 2: it from a prophetic standpoint or from a prophetic calendar.

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Speaker 2: Think about it in a personal way right now for

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Speaker 2: us as well. God knows who belongs to him. There

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Speaker 2: are seasons that we go through in this world, and

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Speaker 2: I'm saying we meaning Christians of all generations, where the

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Speaker 2: world feels genuinely hostile.

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Speaker 1: To Christian faith.

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Speaker 2: There are some moments where it really doesn't and then

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Speaker 2: other moments where it feels very hostile. There are moments

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Speaker 2: when it feels like truth gets trampled, when obedience feels costly.

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Speaker 2: Where to be a Christian in the public sphere and

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Speaker 2: to wear that badge, to wear that label might cost

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Speaker 2: you something. And maybe you've experienced that in big ways

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Speaker 2: in your life already, or maybe you've experienced it in

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Speaker 2: small ways, or maybe that kind of test is something

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Speaker 2: that's still yet future for you. Either way, understand what

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Speaker 2: God's indicating by what he illustrates in a passage like this,

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Speaker 2: and some of the other passages I just referenced. God

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Speaker 2: has not lost track of his people. God knows who

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Speaker 2: is his This measuring that takes place. You look at

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Speaker 2: this and you recognize there's something personal about it. God

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Speaker 2: hasn't lost track of his people. You are not overlooked

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Speaker 2: in a personal standpoint or a personal sense. You can

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Speaker 2: look at this and say, okay, that must mean that.

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Speaker 2: Also in my life, I guess I am measured in

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Speaker 2: the sense of being known and seen by God. I'm measured,

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Speaker 2: I'm known, I'm seen. I'm marked off as belonging to him.

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Speaker 2: You're marked off as belonging to him. That's something to

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Speaker 2: keep in mind because you see Jesus echo that same

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Speaker 2: kind of reassurance in John chapter ten. Now, I love

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Speaker 2: reading through the Gospel of John. I read through it

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Speaker 2: with some regularity, not just because my name is in

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Speaker 2: the Gospel of John, although that probably does illustrate some bias. Also,

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Speaker 2: I didn't plan on saying this, but can I show

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Speaker 2: you something kind of weird. I have a very unique

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Speaker 2: last name Stany. Some of you don't even know how

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Speaker 2: to pronounce it, even though I just said it.

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Speaker 1: And that's fine.

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Speaker 2: Sometimes I'm not sure I pronounce it correctly. Do you

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Speaker 2: know what that last name means In German? It means

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Speaker 2: like a rod, a staff, or a poll. And if

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Speaker 2: I read Revelation chapter eleven in German and I was

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Speaker 2: given a measuring stangy like a stany.

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Speaker 1: Even the last name's in there, yes, I love that right.

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Speaker 2: Why am I saying any of this to point something

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Speaker 2: out from the Gospel of John that actually encourages me heart?

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Speaker 2: In John chapter ten, verse fourteen, Jesus said.

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Speaker 1: This, I know my own, and my own know me.

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Speaker 2: I know that preacher with a funny last name. I

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Speaker 2: know the congregation, I know my own of all generations.

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Speaker 2: I know the people that are going to live in

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Speaker 2: the tribulation period. I know the people that live now.

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Speaker 2: I've got them marked off. They're measured off, they're marked off.

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Speaker 2: They belong to me. I know my own, and my

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Speaker 2: own know me. That's ultimately what's being illustrated here. The

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Speaker 2: measuring rod in Revelation. It points forward to the good

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Speaker 2: shepherd who already knows his sheep by name. That's what

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Speaker 2: our relationship is like with our Lord. You're not overlooked.

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Speaker 2: You're not just one of eight billion people on this planet.

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Speaker 2: Right now, you're measured off, you're marked off. You belong

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Speaker 2: to him. He knows his own and he gives us

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Speaker 2: the privilege to know him. Now we're also told that

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Speaker 2: there's this outer core area, and again this is mirroring

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Speaker 2: what we're told in the Old Testament about how that

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Speaker 2: area that taps the temple would be set up. The

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Speaker 2: outer court is given over to the nations. We're told

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Speaker 2: here for forty two months, so that's three and a

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Speaker 2: half years. And I think that's important to note, not

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Speaker 2: in an academic way. I think we should notice what

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Speaker 2: we're shown here in the sense that evil is allowed,

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Speaker 2: but it's limited. God places a boundary, you could say,

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Speaker 2: on rebellion. So even though he you know, you could say,

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Speaker 2: all right, he marks off his people, he measures off

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Speaker 2: his people. He also puts a boundary around rebellion. He

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Speaker 2: only allows it to go so far. Now, forty two

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Speaker 2: months are referenced here for three and a half years.

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Speaker 2: That corresponds to the second half of the Tribulation. Theologians

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Speaker 2: typically called that second half of the Tribulation, the tribulation

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Speaker 2: being seven years in length, so three and a half

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Speaker 2: years would be half of it. A lot of theologians

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Speaker 2: reference the second half, and there's biblical support for calling

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Speaker 2: it this the Great Tribulation. So you have the Tribulation

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Speaker 2: and the Great Tribulation, the tribulation being that whole seven

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Speaker 2: year period at the second half being called the Great Tribulation.

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Speaker 2: If you go back into the book of Daniel chapter nine,

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Speaker 2: and if you go back into Daniel chapter twelve, and

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Speaker 2: you also compare that to Jesus words in Matthew chapter

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Speaker 2: twenty four. Giving you a little homework if you want

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Speaker 2: to take me up on it, but those three chapters

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Speaker 2: Daniel nine, Daniel twelve, Matthew twenty four, they also all

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Speaker 2: point to the same intense.

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Speaker 1: Period of distress.

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Speaker 2: It's severe, this three and a half year period that's

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Speaker 2: being referenced here.

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Speaker 1: It's severe.

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Speaker 2: But also understand this, and we're going to get into

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Speaker 2: some of the details in coming weeks of the severity

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Speaker 2: of it. But also understand it isn't endless. It's marked off,

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Speaker 2: it's measured, it's got a period of time, it's got

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Speaker 2: a start point, it's got an end point.

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Speaker 1: It isn't endless.

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Speaker 2: I think that's encouraging when you look at this. It's

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Speaker 2: got a starting point, it's got an ending point, and

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Speaker 2: I think that that's useful. Whether or not that this

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Speaker 2: is way off, or whether or not this is something

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Speaker 2: that's going to be in the near future, I have

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Speaker 2: no idea, but I do know this that there are

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Speaker 2: sometimes in your life and in my life where it

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Speaker 2: feels like cultural darkness or darkness that's invaded our own

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Speaker 2: life or our family. Sometimes it feels loud, and sometimes

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Speaker 2: it can be very tempting to think that those things

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Speaker 2: are permanent. Sometimes it can be very tempting to think

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Speaker 2: that some of the things that this world's thrown at

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Speaker 2: us that feel very dark and very discouraging, that they're

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Speaker 2: going to last forever. And then you look at scripture

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Speaker 2: and what a scripture keep reminding us of. Scripture reminds

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Speaker 2: us none of them. That stuff is not forever. For

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Speaker 2: those who know Jesus Christ, that stuff is not forever.

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Speaker 2: God has set a clock, things start and they end,

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Speaker 2: and He's not isn't improvising with this right, He's executing

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Speaker 2: a plan, a very detailed, specific plan that has time

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Speaker 2: associated to it, and what happens will it leads to

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Speaker 2: the restoration of the world and the reign of Christ.

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Speaker 2: So all of these things that you look at. I

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Speaker 2: don't know if you ever get exhausted looking at things.

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Speaker 1: I mean, the news.

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Speaker 2: Has been crazy, crazy, crazy crazy, the past couple weeks

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Speaker 2: news I've ever heard in my entire life, the past

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Speaker 2: few weeks, crazy stuff, things that have been rumored for

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Speaker 2: a long time, And all of a sudden, you're.

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Speaker 1: Looking at it. You're like, that's true. I don't know why.

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Speaker 2: I'm surprised, should anything surprise us? And I look at

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Speaker 2: that and I think, you know what, Lord, expose everything

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Speaker 2: to the light. The truth is every single thing that

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Speaker 2: human beings think is going to be secret. Now this

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Speaker 2: is our own life too, but it's also the world

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Speaker 2: in general. There are no secrets. There are no secrets.

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Speaker 2: Everything eventually gets exposed to the light. We might as

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Speaker 2: well live in the light now because it's all getting

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Speaker 2: exposed to the light eventually, and some of it we're

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Speaker 2: seeing a reckoning of it right now.

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Speaker 1: And I'm like, great, good. It's hard to think.

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Speaker 2: About that stuff, but I'm glad that it's happening.

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Speaker 1: I'm glad there's a reckoning.

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Speaker 2: And I look at a portion of scripture like this,

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Speaker 2: and it reminds me that there are times that feel.

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Speaker 1: Dark and weird, strange.

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Speaker 2: You look at some of this stuff and you think,

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Speaker 2: what on earth is happening, Like, how could this even

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Speaker 2: be real? And then you also look at what this says,

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Speaker 2: and it says, yeah, and it comes to an end.

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Speaker 1: There'll be a day where that is no more.

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Speaker 2: Right now, we live in that period of time where

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Speaker 2: it's temporarily still taking place. But the Book of Revelation

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Speaker 2: we're seeing it's like this big accounting where everything comes

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Speaker 2: into the light and everything eventually gets addressed. There will

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Speaker 2: be justice for everything. There will be justice for everything,

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Speaker 2: and that's what we're seeing here. God's executing a plan here.

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Speaker 1: Now.

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Speaker 2: The good thing is that plan leads to restoration, and

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Speaker 2: when you keep reading through the Book of Revelation, it

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Speaker 2: leads to the reign of Christ.

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Speaker 1: And I'm grateful for that.

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Speaker 2: But John goes on to tell us a few more details.

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Speaker 2: Look at what he says in verses three through six.

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Speaker 2: He says, as the Lord gives him this information, the

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Speaker 2: Lord says, and I will grant authority to my two witnesses,

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Speaker 2: and we're going to focus on these two witnesses today.

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Speaker 1: But here's what else it says.

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Speaker 2: And they will prophesy for one thousand, two hundred and

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Speaker 2: sixty days, clothed in sackcloth. Verse four says, these are

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Speaker 2: the two olive trees and the two lamp stands that

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Speaker 2: stand before the Lord of the Earth. And if anyone

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Speaker 2: would harm them, fire pours from their mouth and consumes

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Speaker 2: their foes. If anyone would harm them, this is how

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Speaker 2: he is doomed to be killed. They have the power

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Speaker 2: to shut the sky that no rain may fall during

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Speaker 2: the days of their prophesying, and they have power over

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Speaker 2: the waters, to turn them into blood, and to strike

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Speaker 2: the earth with every kind of plague as often as

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Speaker 2: they desire. So let's pause there for a moment. Just

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Speaker 2: look at what the Lord reveals to us. We're told

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Speaker 2: here that God appoints two witnesses who will prophesy for

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Speaker 2: one thousand, two hundred and sixty days.

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Speaker 1: Well, how long is that. It's three and a half years.

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Speaker 1: They're clothed in sackcloth.

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Speaker 2: By the way, when you see people clothed in sackcloth

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Speaker 2: in scripture, it's a sign of mourning.

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Speaker 1: It's also a sign of repentance.

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Speaker 2: So they're clothed in sackcloth, illustrating that, demonstrating that we're

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Speaker 2: also told that their message isn't light, it isn't fluffy,

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Speaker 2: it isn't popular. It's something that's urgent and confrontational. It's

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Speaker 2: also merciful, but it's got urgency and it's confrontational. I

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Speaker 2: get so tired, and maybe you do as well. I

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Speaker 2: look at some of the popular voices in our day

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Speaker 2: and age that are supposed to be representing Christianity, and

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Speaker 2: sometimes I think, boy, they give such light, fluffy, happy messages,

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Speaker 2: and I think, when are they going to get to

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Speaker 2: the real issues that we're really wrestling with. When are

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Speaker 2: they going to get to the things that actually need

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Speaker 2: to be confronted? When are you going to touch on

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Speaker 2: some of that stuff? Because there's just so many light

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Speaker 2: and fluffy voices. And you look at these preachers here,

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Speaker 2: these two witnesses, and that's not the kind of messages

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Speaker 2: that they preach. Now, there's mercy in the midst of it.

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Speaker 2: It's not like they're just harsh and relentless. But at

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Speaker 2: the same time, they're encouraging people to recognize what it

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Speaker 2: means to actually follow the Lord, to repent of ungodliness,

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Speaker 2: and to submit their hearts ultimately to the Lord. And

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Speaker 2: these witnesses are described here in verse four as the

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Speaker 2: two olive trees and the two lamp stands that stand

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Speaker 2: before the Lord of the Earth. Now that language that

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Speaker 2: John is using here comes directly from Zechariah chapter four.

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Speaker 2: So it's helpful to look the Old Testament prophets in

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Speaker 2: lead up to reading the Book of Revelation. But there

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Speaker 2: in Zechariah, for you have this person who's referenced as Joshua,

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Speaker 2: the High Priest, and a person referenced as Zerubbable, the Governor.

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Speaker 2: They're empowered by God's spirit to accomplish his work, and

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Speaker 2: the message there was very clear. Not by might, nor

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Speaker 2: by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord of Hosts. Right,

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Speaker 2: not by might, not by power, but by my spirit,

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Speaker 2: says the Lord of Hosts. Now, these witnesses that are

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Speaker 2: referenced here in this portion of scripture, it's been a

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Speaker 2: lot of debate about the identity of these witnesses. And

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Speaker 2: there's three particular guys whose names get brought up over

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Speaker 2: and over again.

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Speaker 1: I happen to have a picture.

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Speaker 2: Of them, and some of you are saying, no, wait

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Speaker 2: a second, somehow I doubt that part. Well, let's start

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Speaker 2: with who many people believe that they them to be.

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Speaker 2: There's really two going theories. Many people believe that they're

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Speaker 2: Moses and Elijah. And by the way, who showed up

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Speaker 2: with Jesus at the amount of transfiguration. It was Moses

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Speaker 2: and Elijah, right, and somehow the disciples were able.

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Speaker 1: To recognize who they were.

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Speaker 2: But based on the miracles that described here, it sounds

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Speaker 2: a lot like Moses and Elijah. Maybe right, maybe that's them.

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Speaker 2: We're told about fire that consumes enemies. That kind of

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Speaker 2: reminds me of Elijah in Second King's chapter one, where

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Speaker 2: that very much happens. We're also told this idea of

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Speaker 2: turning water into blood and striking the earth with plagues. Well,

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Speaker 2: I was recently reading through the book of Exodus. When

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Speaker 2: you get to Exodus chapter seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven,

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Speaker 2: those chapters speak about all sorts of plagues and things

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Speaker 2: like that that the Lord miraculously did through Moses, and

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Speaker 2: again Moses and Elijah showed up with Jesus on the

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Speaker 2: amount of transfiguration. So there's a lot of people that think,

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Speaker 2: I think those two witnesses might be Moses and Elijah.

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Speaker 1: It's a good theory.

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Speaker 2: It's one of the primary theories related to it. Others

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Speaker 2: suggest it could be Enoch and Elijah. So there isn't

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Speaker 2: a whole lot of debate. I don't hear a whole

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Speaker 2: lot of people debating the Elijah part. But the other

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Speaker 2: part of the debate is, well is the other guy Moses,

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Speaker 2: there's the other guy Enick. So people suggest Enoch and

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Speaker 2: Elijah for a very specific reason. Neither experienced death during

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Speaker 2: the Old Testament. Have you ever notice that with those

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Speaker 2: two men, two guys in the Old Testament who didn't die,

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Speaker 2: And Scripture, by the way, tells us in Hebrews chapter nine,

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Speaker 2: that it's appointed undemand wants to die. It's a pointed

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Speaker 2: undermand wants to die. And neither of those guys died yet,

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Speaker 2: so some people think maybe it's the by the way,

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Speaker 2: this is a side note. If you ever meet somebody

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Speaker 2: that wonders if things like reincarnation are true, take them

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Speaker 2: to Hebrews chapter nine. Hebrews nine says it's appointed undermand

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Speaker 2: once to die, pointed under man wants to die Hebrews

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Speaker 2: chapter nine. But now coming back to the Old Testament,

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Speaker 2: Genesis five tells us that Enoch walked with God and

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Speaker 2: then God took him and he was no more. That's

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Speaker 2: in Genesis chapter five. So some people were like, why

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Speaker 2: did God take Enoch up? What is he planned to

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Speaker 2: do with him? Why did that happen? And then when

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Speaker 2: you get to Second King's chapter two, there it tells

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Speaker 2: us that Elijah was taken up to heaven in a whirlwind.

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Speaker 2: So Enoch and Elijah taken up without experiencing physical deaths.

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Speaker 2: So maybe these two men that were taken up during

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Speaker 2: the Old Testament era taken up to heaven. Maybe they

404
00:20:32,320 --> 00:20:35,919
Speaker 2: were taken up in order to be reserved for this

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Speaker 2: mission that we see outlined here in Revelation chapter eleven.

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Speaker 2: I honestly think that's the case. That's where I land

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Speaker 2: If you ask me which of those two theories I

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Speaker 2: think is mostly most likely, that's the one I land on.

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Speaker 2: I actually think the two witnesses are Enoch and Elijah.

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Speaker 2: But I will say this, I'm giving you a guest.

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Speaker 2: I think it's an educated guess based on some of

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Speaker 2: the other things we see in scripts. Sure, but you

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Speaker 2: know what I do know. Scripture doesn't tell me and

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Speaker 2: it doesn't.

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Speaker 1: Tell you either, So all it is is a guess.

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Speaker 1: It's an educated guest.

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Speaker 2: So when we look at something like this, we should

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Speaker 2: just have humility and just say it's a guest. Maybe

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Speaker 2: it's Moses and Elijah. Maybe it's Enoch in Elijah. Maybe

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Speaker 2: it's two other people that and we're just completely off base.

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Speaker 2: I don't know. Someday i'll know. I don't know yet.

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Speaker 2: That's my guess. What matters most isn't so much which

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Speaker 2: of the two it is, or if it's two other

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Speaker 2: people that I'm not even guessing. What matters most is

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Speaker 2: the role that these two witnesses fulfill because we're told

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Speaker 2: they speak God's truth in a world that hates it.

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Speaker 2: They speak God's truth in a world that absolutely hates it.

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Speaker 2: But they're protected while they're speaking God's truth until their

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Speaker 2: mission is complete. So they get to speak until their

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Speaker 2: mission is complete, and no one can silence them unless.

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Speaker 1: God allows it.

432
00:21:56,600 --> 00:21:58,800
Speaker 2: I say a lot of stuff, and I don't know

433
00:21:58,800 --> 00:22:00,920
Speaker 2: how long the Lord's given me the opportunity to stay

434
00:22:00,960 --> 00:22:03,240
Speaker 2: on this earth, but I put stuff on the internet,

435
00:22:03,359 --> 00:22:05,480
Speaker 2: I say stuff from this pulpit, and you know what,

436
00:22:05,920 --> 00:22:07,760
Speaker 2: so far, the Lord's allowed me to do it, and

437
00:22:07,760 --> 00:22:09,919
Speaker 2: I hope he keeps allowing me to do it because

438
00:22:10,400 --> 00:22:12,399
Speaker 2: I have in mind to say a lot more things.

439
00:22:12,680 --> 00:22:14,399
Speaker 2: And every now and then I say something, I'm like,

440
00:22:14,440 --> 00:22:15,239
Speaker 2: should I have said that?

441
00:22:15,280 --> 00:22:18,240
Speaker 1: And I'm like, why not? You know, the question is

442
00:22:18,280 --> 00:22:22,399
Speaker 1: like is it true? Yeah? Is it helpful? Yeah, well

443
00:22:22,560 --> 00:22:24,919
Speaker 1: maybe you should say it. So you say it.

444
00:22:25,400 --> 00:22:27,320
Speaker 2: And I look at this and you realize I take

445
00:22:27,400 --> 00:22:30,080
Speaker 2: encouragements from this passage. No one can stop these men

446
00:22:30,119 --> 00:22:32,120
Speaker 2: from speaking the truth, from preaching the word of God

447
00:22:32,200 --> 00:22:34,359
Speaker 2: until God says now the time is done. They're going

448
00:22:34,440 --> 00:22:36,840
Speaker 2: to preach right up until the Lord says your mission's complete.

449
00:22:37,720 --> 00:22:40,119
Speaker 2: No one can stop it. And I look at that

450
00:22:40,160 --> 00:22:42,080
Speaker 2: and I think, all right, that's a bit sobering. It's

451
00:22:42,080 --> 00:22:45,639
Speaker 2: also quite encouraging. I think it's sobering because rejection of

452
00:22:45,640 --> 00:22:48,119
Speaker 2: truth definitely has consequences, and when you look at this,

453
00:22:48,200 --> 00:22:50,800
Speaker 2: the world's rejecting their truth for the most part. But

454
00:22:50,840 --> 00:22:54,000
Speaker 2: I also think it's encouraging because it illustrates to me

455
00:22:54,080 --> 00:22:56,639
Speaker 2: and should illustrate to all of us, that obedience is

456
00:22:56,720 --> 00:23:00,919
Speaker 2: never wasted. Your obedience to the Lord will never be wasted.

457
00:23:00,960 --> 00:23:02,760
Speaker 2: What do I mean by that, Well, Jesus said something

458
00:23:02,800 --> 00:23:06,800
Speaker 2: to is his disciples in Luke chapter twenty one. He

459
00:23:07,080 --> 00:23:10,080
Speaker 2: promised them that not a hair of their heads would

460
00:23:10,119 --> 00:23:15,040
Speaker 2: perish apart from God's will. So as you walk through

461
00:23:15,040 --> 00:23:17,600
Speaker 2: this world obedient to the Lord, serving the Lord with

462
00:23:17,640 --> 00:23:20,480
Speaker 2: however much time he gives you, understand this, not a

463
00:23:20,520 --> 00:23:22,800
Speaker 2: hair of your head will perish apart from God's will.

464
00:23:23,480 --> 00:23:26,359
Speaker 2: You will be here exactly as long as the Lord

465
00:23:26,400 --> 00:23:28,480
Speaker 2: has ordained for you to be here. You will serve

466
00:23:28,800 --> 00:23:31,320
Speaker 2: exactly as long as He has ordained for you to serve,

467
00:23:31,720 --> 00:23:34,120
Speaker 2: And your mission that He is entrusted to you, as

468
00:23:34,119 --> 00:23:37,440
Speaker 2: you submitted over to him, it will succeed when it's

469
00:23:37,440 --> 00:23:40,520
Speaker 2: done for His glory. You basically go into your mission

470
00:23:40,600 --> 00:23:44,080
Speaker 2: already knowing it's going to succeed because you're being obedient

471
00:23:44,119 --> 00:23:46,439
Speaker 2: to the Lord's leading, and it doesn't have to be

472
00:23:46,480 --> 00:23:51,280
Speaker 2: measured by worldly metrics. Faithfulness, not popularity.

473
00:23:52,040 --> 00:23:54,359
Speaker 1: That's what God honors. Faithfulness.

474
00:23:55,520 --> 00:23:57,160
Speaker 2: There's a lot of things that are said in scripture

475
00:23:57,160 --> 00:23:59,120
Speaker 2: that weren't popular when they were first said, and they're

476
00:23:59,119 --> 00:24:01,840
Speaker 2: certainly not popular now when people like you and people

477
00:24:01,880 --> 00:24:05,720
Speaker 2: like me choose to repeat them. But faithfulness, not popularity,

478
00:24:05,800 --> 00:24:08,040
Speaker 2: that's what God honors, and you can see him doing

479
00:24:08,040 --> 00:24:09,320
Speaker 2: that for these two witnesses.

480
00:24:09,720 --> 00:24:09,840
Speaker 1: Well.

481
00:24:09,840 --> 00:24:11,760
Speaker 2: The scripture goes on to tell us a little bit more.

482
00:24:13,359 --> 00:24:15,080
Speaker 2: The scripture goes on to say this. When you look

483
00:24:15,080 --> 00:24:19,160
Speaker 2: at Revelation eleven, verse seven, and following down to verse ten,

484
00:24:19,200 --> 00:24:23,439
Speaker 2: it says, and when they have finished their testimony, the

485
00:24:23,480 --> 00:24:25,640
Speaker 2: beast that rises from the bottomless pit.

486
00:24:25,680 --> 00:24:27,439
Speaker 1: We're going to come back to who that beast is

487
00:24:27,480 --> 00:24:28,080
Speaker 1: in a second.

488
00:24:28,440 --> 00:24:31,440
Speaker 2: The beast that rises from the bottomless pit will make

489
00:24:31,600 --> 00:24:36,879
Speaker 2: war on them and conquer them and kill them, and

490
00:24:36,920 --> 00:24:38,960
Speaker 2: their dead bodies will lie in the street of the

491
00:24:39,000 --> 00:24:39,920
Speaker 2: great city.

492
00:24:39,600 --> 00:24:42,119
Speaker 1: That symbolically is called Sodom.

493
00:24:41,600 --> 00:24:45,199
Speaker 2: In Egypt, where their lord was crucified for three and

494
00:24:45,200 --> 00:24:48,520
Speaker 2: a half days. Some from the peoples and tribes and

495
00:24:48,640 --> 00:24:52,719
Speaker 2: languages and nations will gaze at their dead bodies and

496
00:24:52,800 --> 00:24:55,720
Speaker 2: refuse to let them be placed in a tomb, and

497
00:24:55,760 --> 00:24:58,240
Speaker 2: those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them

498
00:24:58,520 --> 00:25:02,600
Speaker 2: and make marry and exchange presence, because these two prophets

499
00:25:02,600 --> 00:25:06,320
Speaker 2: had been a torment to those who dwell on the earth.

500
00:25:07,840 --> 00:25:09,960
Speaker 2: So it's interesting when you look at verses seven through ten,

501
00:25:10,000 --> 00:25:12,400
Speaker 2: because it's basically telling us that when these witnesses finish

502
00:25:12,480 --> 00:25:15,640
Speaker 2: their testimony, the beast will at that point be permitted

503
00:25:15,640 --> 00:25:18,600
Speaker 2: to kill them, not before, not at that exact point.

504
00:25:19,000 --> 00:25:20,600
Speaker 2: By the way, this is the first mention of the

505
00:25:20,600 --> 00:25:23,240
Speaker 2: Beast in the Book of Revelation. Later in the book,

506
00:25:23,440 --> 00:25:25,560
Speaker 2: it's going to be explained to us that that beast,

507
00:25:25,800 --> 00:25:28,240
Speaker 2: that one who's being called the beast here, that someone

508
00:25:28,320 --> 00:25:29,920
Speaker 2: also known as the Antichrist.

509
00:25:29,960 --> 00:25:31,480
Speaker 1: Do you ever hear that term?

510
00:25:31,720 --> 00:25:33,760
Speaker 2: That we're going to get into that in particular, when

511
00:25:33,800 --> 00:25:36,680
Speaker 2: we get into chapter thirteen, we're going to discuss who

512
00:25:36,680 --> 00:25:39,160
Speaker 2: that person is more fully, But since he's referenced here,

513
00:25:39,359 --> 00:25:42,119
Speaker 2: let me give you a slight preview. The Beast is

514
00:25:42,200 --> 00:25:45,840
Speaker 2: the Antichrist. I believe this is a real future individual

515
00:25:45,880 --> 00:25:49,480
Speaker 2: who will rise to global power during that tribulation period,

516
00:25:49,880 --> 00:25:52,159
Speaker 2: someone of great influence, someone of great power some of

517
00:25:52,200 --> 00:25:55,920
Speaker 2: the nations will be aligned with. And again, when we

518
00:25:55,960 --> 00:25:58,399
Speaker 2: get to chapter thirteen, we'll be discussing who that is

519
00:25:58,920 --> 00:26:02,639
Speaker 2: more fully. But the bodies of these two witnesses are

520
00:26:02,680 --> 00:26:05,560
Speaker 2: gonna lie in the street in Jerusalem, it says here

521
00:26:06,440 --> 00:26:09,880
Speaker 2: symbolically that area being called Sodom in Egypt. And when

522
00:26:09,920 --> 00:26:13,200
Speaker 2: that happens, the world rejoices. We're told, people exchange gifts,

523
00:26:13,960 --> 00:26:19,240
Speaker 2: celebration breaks out because truth has been silenced, meaning people say,

524
00:26:19,280 --> 00:26:21,199
Speaker 2: I don't want to hear the truth. They celebrate the

525
00:26:21,200 --> 00:26:24,760
Speaker 2: fact that truth has been silenced. And I look at

526
00:26:24,760 --> 00:26:25,960
Speaker 2: that and I think, you know what, that scene is

527
00:26:26,000 --> 00:26:28,720
Speaker 2: a bit unsettling because it feels a little bit too familiar.

528
00:26:29,840 --> 00:26:34,160
Speaker 2: There is something in the human heart that resents repentance.

529
00:26:34,720 --> 00:26:38,840
Speaker 2: There's something in the human heart that resists accountability. Jesus

530
00:26:38,960 --> 00:26:42,280
Speaker 2: warned that the world would hate his followers just as

531
00:26:42,320 --> 00:26:44,920
Speaker 2: the world hated him. He said that in John chapter fifteen.

532
00:26:45,320 --> 00:26:47,240
Speaker 2: So the world's gonna hate you just like it hates me.

533
00:26:47,280 --> 00:26:49,200
Speaker 2: And by the way, I don't know why I ever

534
00:26:49,280 --> 00:26:51,800
Speaker 2: expect to be treated better in this world than Jesus was,

535
00:26:52,040 --> 00:26:54,159
Speaker 2: And I don't know why you sometimes expect the same thing.

536
00:26:54,160 --> 00:26:56,800
Speaker 2: Why do we expect that if you bear the name

537
00:26:56,840 --> 00:26:59,000
Speaker 2: of Christ, why should you ever expect to be treated

538
00:26:59,040 --> 00:27:02,160
Speaker 2: better in this world than Jesus was? When Jesus himself

539
00:27:02,240 --> 00:27:05,239
Speaker 2: said that the world would hate his followers just as

540
00:27:05,280 --> 00:27:08,560
Speaker 2: the world hated him. So what happens to the witnesses?

541
00:27:08,600 --> 00:27:09,240
Speaker 1: Think about this.

542
00:27:09,440 --> 00:27:12,200
Speaker 2: What happens to the witnesses here is actually an extension

543
00:27:12,240 --> 00:27:15,239
Speaker 2: of what happened to Jesus at the cross. Well what

544
00:27:15,280 --> 00:27:18,760
Speaker 2: do I mean by that? Well, from a human perspective.

545
00:27:19,600 --> 00:27:22,520
Speaker 2: You see these two witnesses killed. The beast is allowed

546
00:27:22,520 --> 00:27:24,840
Speaker 2: to kill them, and from a human perspective, that would

547
00:27:24,880 --> 00:27:27,560
Speaker 2: look like a defeat, wouldn't it. You're like, these guys

548
00:27:27,600 --> 00:27:31,040
Speaker 2: are killed, that looks like a defeat. God's messengers, the

549
00:27:31,040 --> 00:27:33,360
Speaker 2: guys that are speaking truth that the world needs to hear,

550
00:27:33,960 --> 00:27:37,320
Speaker 2: they're dead. And so in that moment, God's word appears

551
00:27:37,359 --> 00:27:41,040
Speaker 2: to be what mocked or insufficient. That's what looks like

552
00:27:41,240 --> 00:27:44,280
Speaker 2: it's taking place in that moment. But Scripture has a

553
00:27:44,320 --> 00:27:46,679
Speaker 2: habit of doing something pretty cool. It keeps teaching us

554
00:27:46,720 --> 00:27:51,280
Speaker 2: that what initially looks like defeat it's often the doorway

555
00:27:51,320 --> 00:27:54,800
Speaker 2: to some of God's greatest victories. And this isn't going

556
00:27:54,840 --> 00:27:56,760
Speaker 2: to be an exception. This is one of those moments.

557
00:27:56,760 --> 00:27:59,520
Speaker 2: It looks like a defeat, but it's a doorway to

558
00:27:59,560 --> 00:28:02,119
Speaker 2: one of God's greatest victories. Never forget that the Cross

559
00:28:02,160 --> 00:28:05,000
Speaker 2: itself looked like a failure in the moment. Even Jesus'

560
00:28:05,040 --> 00:28:09,159
Speaker 2: closest followers were heartbroken, devastated trying to figure out what

561
00:28:09,200 --> 00:28:10,960
Speaker 2: was going on. And then you have the resurrection on

562
00:28:11,000 --> 00:28:13,879
Speaker 2: the third day, proving otherwise what looks like a great

563
00:28:13,880 --> 00:28:15,840
Speaker 2: defeat all of a sudden, you give it enough time,

564
00:28:16,760 --> 00:28:19,480
Speaker 2: and then you realize, oh, I see what the Lord's

565
00:28:19,560 --> 00:28:22,840
Speaker 2: up to, and it becomes one of God's greatest victories. Well,

566
00:28:22,840 --> 00:28:25,119
Speaker 2: then the scripture elaborates a little bit further when you

567
00:28:25,160 --> 00:28:27,440
Speaker 2: look at verses eleven and twelve in chapter eleven. Here

568
00:28:27,440 --> 00:28:29,560
Speaker 2: it says, but after three and a half days, a

569
00:28:29,680 --> 00:28:33,439
Speaker 2: breath of life from God entered them, and they stood

570
00:28:33,520 --> 00:28:36,640
Speaker 2: up on their feet, and great fear fell on those

571
00:28:36,680 --> 00:28:39,840
Speaker 2: who saw them. Then they heard a loud voice from

572
00:28:39,880 --> 00:28:42,640
Speaker 2: heaven saying to them, come up here, and they went up.

573
00:28:43,440 --> 00:28:45,200
Speaker 2: They went up to Heaven in a cloud, and their

574
00:28:45,360 --> 00:28:48,640
Speaker 2: enemies watched them. So again, after three and a half days,

575
00:28:48,640 --> 00:28:51,120
Speaker 2: the breath of life from God enters the witnesses. They

576
00:28:51,160 --> 00:28:55,080
Speaker 2: stand on their feet, fear fills those who see them,

577
00:28:55,280 --> 00:28:57,040
Speaker 2: and then they hear a loud voice from heaven saying

578
00:28:57,040 --> 00:28:59,120
Speaker 2: come up here, and they ascend in a cloud. And

579
00:28:59,160 --> 00:29:01,600
Speaker 2: I love that quote here where they hear that voice

580
00:29:01,600 --> 00:29:04,400
Speaker 2: come up here. I can't wait till I get to

581
00:29:04,440 --> 00:29:08,800
Speaker 2: hear that same voice. It's like, John, you did what

582
00:29:08,840 --> 00:29:11,560
Speaker 2: I called you to do, Now come up here. That's

583
00:29:11,560 --> 00:29:14,240
Speaker 2: a to me. That's a very friendly voice. When I

584
00:29:14,280 --> 00:29:16,640
Speaker 2: read that. You know, it's kind of like when you

585
00:29:16,680 --> 00:29:19,080
Speaker 2: see someone you love, someone that you care about, a

586
00:29:19,120 --> 00:29:21,920
Speaker 2: family member, a friend, a child, you know, one of

587
00:29:21,960 --> 00:29:24,080
Speaker 2: your kids. You look at one of your grandkids, you're like,

588
00:29:24,080 --> 00:29:26,240
Speaker 2: get over here, right, don't we say get over here?

589
00:29:26,560 --> 00:29:28,280
Speaker 2: You say to one of your kids, get over here.

590
00:29:28,320 --> 00:29:31,360
Speaker 2: They know they're getting a hug. Don't they get over here?

591
00:29:31,880 --> 00:29:33,560
Speaker 1: You know you say it like that. What does the

592
00:29:33,560 --> 00:29:39,640
Speaker 1: Lord say to these men? Come up here? Nice job?

593
00:29:39,720 --> 00:29:43,480
Speaker 2: Twelve hundred and sixty days high five gentlemen, come up here.

594
00:29:44,960 --> 00:29:48,640
Speaker 2: I love that statement. I think about that every time

595
00:29:48,680 --> 00:29:50,640
Speaker 2: I read this portion of scripture. I love that come

596
00:29:50,720 --> 00:29:55,080
Speaker 2: up here. I think this moment's fascinating. I honestly think

597
00:29:55,080 --> 00:29:57,080
Speaker 2: it's worth thinking about, even just for an extra moment,

598
00:29:57,120 --> 00:29:58,640
Speaker 2: because it's a public vindication.

599
00:29:58,720 --> 00:29:59,960
Speaker 1: They're vindicated publicly.

600
00:30:00,920 --> 00:30:03,320
Speaker 2: God could have quietly fixed this, He could have quietly

601
00:30:03,360 --> 00:30:04,280
Speaker 2: resurrected these men.

602
00:30:04,280 --> 00:30:05,360
Speaker 1: But he doesn't do it quietly.

603
00:30:05,400 --> 00:30:08,120
Speaker 2: He does it very publicly, and he shows that what

604
00:30:08,160 --> 00:30:11,040
Speaker 2: the world's been celebrating, he shows it's insufficient. You've been

605
00:30:11,080 --> 00:30:13,600
Speaker 2: celebrating their execution. I'm saying, come up here. I fill

606
00:30:13,640 --> 00:30:14,720
Speaker 2: them with the breath of life.

607
00:30:15,200 --> 00:30:15,720
Speaker 1: Bring them up.

608
00:30:15,760 --> 00:30:17,640
Speaker 2: He reverses it in full view, and they have no

609
00:30:17,720 --> 00:30:20,840
Speaker 2: way to deny that it's taken place, because it's very visible.

610
00:30:21,800 --> 00:30:23,920
Speaker 2: Now the phrase here breath of life, that actually takes

611
00:30:23,960 --> 00:30:26,680
Speaker 2: us back to Genesis chapter two, verse seven. What happened

612
00:30:26,680 --> 00:30:30,959
Speaker 2: in Genesis two seven God breathed life into Adam. It

613
00:30:31,000 --> 00:30:32,920
Speaker 2: also should remind us coming back to the book of

614
00:30:32,920 --> 00:30:36,680
Speaker 2: Ezekiel yet again, Ezekiel thirty seven, what do we have happened?

615
00:30:36,680 --> 00:30:36,960
Speaker 1: There?

616
00:30:37,120 --> 00:30:41,040
Speaker 2: We have dry bones there, dead men's bones, dry bones,

617
00:30:41,080 --> 00:30:43,480
Speaker 2: living again by this spirit of God. You know what

618
00:30:43,520 --> 00:30:46,560
Speaker 2: I love about this? It's resurrection. And you know what

619
00:30:46,640 --> 00:30:51,320
Speaker 2: resurrection is. That's God's signature move. He's all about the resurrection.

620
00:30:51,960 --> 00:30:52,520
Speaker 1: That's what he.

621
00:30:52,520 --> 00:30:56,120
Speaker 2: Does, isn't That's what everything's pointing toward. You know, in

622
00:30:56,120 --> 00:30:57,960
Speaker 2: a few months, it's gonna be Eastern. It's gonna be

623
00:30:57,960 --> 00:30:59,520
Speaker 2: here before you know what, are we gonna be talking

624
00:30:59,520 --> 00:31:04,120
Speaker 2: about resur It's God's signature move, resurrection, and he does

625
00:31:04,120 --> 00:31:07,239
Speaker 2: it here. Now look at that, and I think that

626
00:31:07,280 --> 00:31:10,920
Speaker 2: moment points unmistakably to Jesus because what had revelation already

627
00:31:10,920 --> 00:31:14,080
Speaker 2: introduced to him to us as there he's called the

628
00:31:14,120 --> 00:31:17,479
Speaker 2: Living One, who who died and is alive forevermore. That's

629
00:31:17,520 --> 00:31:20,640
Speaker 2: how the book actually opens up. Told about him in

630
00:31:20,720 --> 00:31:24,280
Speaker 2: chapter one, Jesus who died and is alive forevermore, and

631
00:31:24,280 --> 00:31:26,600
Speaker 2: he's called the Living One. And here you have the

632
00:31:26,600 --> 00:31:30,520
Speaker 2: resurrection of these witnesses. It's really as a preview of

633
00:31:30,560 --> 00:31:33,440
Speaker 2: the greater resurrection hope that's been secured by Christ, that

634
00:31:33,520 --> 00:31:35,840
Speaker 2: he shares with all who believe in him. In fact,

635
00:31:36,040 --> 00:31:39,480
Speaker 2: in one of the longest chapters in the Bible, First

636
00:31:39,480 --> 00:31:41,760
Speaker 2: Corinthians fifteen, it's one of the longest chapters of the Bible,

637
00:31:41,800 --> 00:31:45,920
Speaker 2: it talks about resurrection all throughout it. And there in

638
00:31:46,120 --> 00:31:48,840
Speaker 2: First Corinthians fifteen, verse twenty, we're told that Christ is

639
00:31:48,880 --> 00:31:52,080
Speaker 2: the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep, meaning

640
00:31:52,200 --> 00:31:56,520
Speaker 2: because he lives. Because Jesus defeated sin and defeated death

641
00:31:57,160 --> 00:32:00,320
Speaker 2: through his resurrection, that means death never gets it's the

642
00:32:00,320 --> 00:32:01,880
Speaker 2: final word. I don't know if you live in the

643
00:32:01,880 --> 00:32:05,160
Speaker 2: fear of death, but understand that according to what scripture reveals,

644
00:32:05,280 --> 00:32:08,640
Speaker 2: resurrection is God's signature move, meaning death doesn't get the

645
00:32:08,680 --> 00:32:09,320
Speaker 2: final word.

646
00:32:09,640 --> 00:32:11,360
Speaker 1: All those who are united.

647
00:32:11,000 --> 00:32:14,680
Speaker 2: To Jesus by faith, they will experience the blessing of

648
00:32:14,720 --> 00:32:18,240
Speaker 2: resurrection from death. That's a blessing you will experience. The

649
00:32:18,280 --> 00:32:21,280
Speaker 2: blessing that these two witnesses experience is a blessing you

650
00:32:21,600 --> 00:32:25,959
Speaker 2: will experience if you are united to Jesus Christ by faith.

651
00:32:26,920 --> 00:32:29,920
Speaker 2: It's a signature move where God looks at you and

652
00:32:29,960 --> 00:32:32,480
Speaker 2: he says, come up here.

653
00:32:33,800 --> 00:32:34,600
Speaker 1: You get to hear that.

654
00:32:35,840 --> 00:32:38,040
Speaker 2: Look at verses thirteen and fourteen. There it says this,

655
00:32:38,720 --> 00:32:42,600
Speaker 2: and at that hour there was a great earthquake and

656
00:32:42,680 --> 00:32:46,320
Speaker 2: a tenth of the city fell. This it's unmistakable what's

657
00:32:46,360 --> 00:32:48,560
Speaker 2: taking place here. And it says seven thousand people were

658
00:32:48,640 --> 00:32:51,440
Speaker 2: killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and

659
00:32:51,480 --> 00:32:54,280
Speaker 2: gave glory to the God of Heaven. It says in

660
00:32:54,360 --> 00:32:57,240
Speaker 2: verse fourteen, the second woe has passed. Behold, the third

661
00:32:57,320 --> 00:32:59,600
Speaker 2: woe is soon to come. So you have a great

662
00:32:59,600 --> 00:33:02,200
Speaker 2: earthquake that follows. We're told a tenth of the city falls,

663
00:33:02,640 --> 00:33:06,280
Speaker 2: seven thousand people are killed. And then we're told something

664
00:33:06,280 --> 00:33:08,120
Speaker 2: I think is a little surprising. It says the rest

665
00:33:08,120 --> 00:33:10,360
Speaker 2: were terrified and gave glory to the God of Heaven.

666
00:33:10,400 --> 00:33:12,920
Speaker 2: The rest were terrified and gave glory to the God

667
00:33:12,960 --> 00:33:16,520
Speaker 2: of Heaven. So here, even in judgment, God is still

668
00:33:16,600 --> 00:33:22,400
Speaker 2: drawing people to what repentance, genuine faith and repentance, that's

669
00:33:22,440 --> 00:33:25,160
Speaker 2: God's heart. He doesn't delight in destruction. The whole point

670
00:33:25,200 --> 00:33:27,360
Speaker 2: of him telling about this ahead of time, the whole

671
00:33:27,400 --> 00:33:28,680
Speaker 2: point of not.

672
00:33:28,600 --> 00:33:30,520
Speaker 1: Doing this all in one moment. He could do this

673
00:33:30,560 --> 00:33:32,040
Speaker 1: all in one moment, but what does he do.

674
00:33:32,240 --> 00:33:35,520
Speaker 2: He drags it out a little bit, intentionally giving people

675
00:33:35,600 --> 00:33:39,280
Speaker 2: time to repent again. Coming back to the Book of Ezekiel,

676
00:33:39,280 --> 00:33:41,440
Speaker 2: which we've quoted several times today, I'll quote it one

677
00:33:41,440 --> 00:33:44,200
Speaker 2: more time. Ezekiel thirty three to eleven. I've referenced it

678
00:33:44,240 --> 00:33:47,800
Speaker 2: several times. That chapter. That verse specifically reminds us that

679
00:33:47,880 --> 00:33:50,600
Speaker 2: God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked.

680
00:33:51,640 --> 00:33:56,280
Speaker 2: He desires that the wicked turn and live. And here

681
00:33:56,320 --> 00:33:57,920
Speaker 2: you have a whole group of people. It says the

682
00:33:57,920 --> 00:34:00,640
Speaker 2: rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.

683
00:34:00,680 --> 00:34:01,200
Speaker 1: What do they do?

684
00:34:01,600 --> 00:34:05,600
Speaker 2: They see what God's done, and they repent and they believe.

685
00:34:05,600 --> 00:34:07,280
Speaker 2: And I think that moment shows us that even in

686
00:34:07,320 --> 00:34:11,840
Speaker 2: the tribulation, even after severe warnings, God's mercy is still active.

687
00:34:11,880 --> 00:34:15,839
Speaker 2: He's still showing that mercy, meaning the Gospel is never sidelined.

688
00:34:16,760 --> 00:34:20,839
Speaker 2: You have judgment and you have grace, running alongside each

689
00:34:20,840 --> 00:34:23,480
Speaker 2: other right up to the very end. God giving people

690
00:34:24,000 --> 00:34:27,600
Speaker 2: one more moment, one more opportunity, a little bit extra time.

691
00:34:29,320 --> 00:34:31,280
Speaker 2: Let me say this is I just kind of wrap

692
00:34:31,360 --> 00:34:36,560
Speaker 2: up some thoughts on this this morning Revelation eleven. It's

693
00:34:36,600 --> 00:34:38,640
Speaker 2: interesting we're just looking at the first half today. We'll

694
00:34:38,680 --> 00:34:41,920
Speaker 2: look at the next portion next time. But it doesn't

695
00:34:41,960 --> 00:34:45,960
Speaker 2: just tell us what will happen. That's part of it, obviously,

696
00:34:46,680 --> 00:34:50,160
Speaker 2: But there's a reason why we're giving it now because

697
00:34:51,000 --> 00:34:52,839
Speaker 2: I don't believe I'm gonna be there to.

698
00:34:52,800 --> 00:34:53,719
Speaker 1: See this stuff happen.

699
00:34:53,760 --> 00:34:55,480
Speaker 2: I believe that the rapture is a real thing, and

700
00:34:55,520 --> 00:34:58,520
Speaker 2: I believe I won't be there for that. We'll see

701
00:34:58,520 --> 00:34:59,319
Speaker 2: if I'm right about that.

702
00:34:59,360 --> 00:34:59,880
Speaker 1: But that's where I.

703
00:35:02,360 --> 00:35:03,879
Speaker 2: But if I'm not there, then why am I being

704
00:35:03,920 --> 00:35:06,399
Speaker 2: given this now? Why are you being given this now?

705
00:35:07,080 --> 00:35:09,399
Speaker 2: What's the point? Is this just for believers that live

706
00:35:09,480 --> 00:35:11,799
Speaker 2: during that time or the unbelieving world, so that they

707
00:35:11,800 --> 00:35:13,719
Speaker 2: could read the warnings while they're happening in real time?

708
00:35:13,800 --> 00:35:16,120
Speaker 2: Is there a reason we're giving it now to read?

709
00:35:16,400 --> 00:35:18,200
Speaker 2: Is there a reason why I have access to be

710
00:35:18,239 --> 00:35:20,040
Speaker 2: able to study it this week? And preach it to

711
00:35:20,080 --> 00:35:23,200
Speaker 2: you today. Why do we have access to it right now.

712
00:35:24,080 --> 00:35:26,560
Speaker 2: I think we have access to it now because it's

713
00:35:26,560 --> 00:35:29,799
Speaker 2: actually supposed to influence how we live now. I don't

714
00:35:29,800 --> 00:35:31,279
Speaker 2: think it's just for the future. And I think that's

715
00:35:31,320 --> 00:35:33,479
Speaker 2: a mistake people make when they read through the Book

716
00:35:33,480 --> 00:35:36,160
Speaker 2: of Revelation. They treat it like it's just a future thing. Yes,

717
00:35:36,239 --> 00:35:39,480
Speaker 2: it's speaking about future events, but it has present day application.

718
00:35:40,440 --> 00:35:43,000
Speaker 2: Think about it this way. Let me kind of recap

719
00:35:43,080 --> 00:35:45,000
Speaker 2: some of the things we looked at and summarize it.

720
00:35:45,480 --> 00:35:48,280
Speaker 2: We live as a people who belong to God, meaning

721
00:35:48,280 --> 00:35:50,160
Speaker 2: we are measured and known by Him.

722
00:35:50,760 --> 00:35:51,959
Speaker 1: We live that way right now.

723
00:35:53,640 --> 00:35:56,959
Speaker 2: We speak truth right now, even when it's a little

724
00:35:56,960 --> 00:36:00,800
Speaker 2: bit costly, and then we trust God God for the outcome.

725
00:36:00,840 --> 00:36:02,680
Speaker 2: We trust God to protect us and guide us.

726
00:36:02,680 --> 00:36:06,080
Speaker 1: We trust Him for the outcome right now.

727
00:36:06,120 --> 00:36:10,279
Speaker 2: We don't mistake temporary silence for permanent defeat. So if

728
00:36:10,320 --> 00:36:12,200
Speaker 2: we go through a moment where it looks like God

729
00:36:12,239 --> 00:36:14,000
Speaker 2: is silent, we look like things maybe you're at a

730
00:36:14,000 --> 00:36:15,799
Speaker 2: low point. We don't look at that and say, all right,

731
00:36:15,840 --> 00:36:18,799
Speaker 2: that must be permanent defeat. Why do we not look

732
00:36:18,840 --> 00:36:21,120
Speaker 2: at that as permanent defeat? Even when we experience those

733
00:36:21,160 --> 00:36:23,320
Speaker 2: low moments in life, well, it's because we're clinging to

734
00:36:23,360 --> 00:36:27,840
Speaker 2: the resurrection hope. We know that God's signature move is resurrection,

735
00:36:27,920 --> 00:36:30,399
Speaker 2: and we're going to experience that. And we can take

736
00:36:30,480 --> 00:36:32,960
Speaker 2: heart in that even when obedience feels heavy, when it

737
00:36:33,000 --> 00:36:35,920
Speaker 2: feels difficult, when it feels challenging to be obedient to

738
00:36:35,960 --> 00:36:38,879
Speaker 2: the Lord in the midst of a fallen world. How

739
00:36:38,880 --> 00:36:42,160
Speaker 2: else does this apply to us right now? Well, I

740
00:36:42,160 --> 00:36:44,440
Speaker 2: think most of all, we should be fixing our eyes

741
00:36:44,560 --> 00:36:48,279
Speaker 2: on Jesus, because even though there's two witnesses referenced here,

742
00:36:48,800 --> 00:36:53,920
Speaker 2: Jesus is referenced as ultimately the true and faithful witness.

743
00:36:54,560 --> 00:36:58,520
Speaker 2: Ultimately he's the witness. Right he was killed in the

744
00:36:58,520 --> 00:37:03,400
Speaker 2: city that rejected him, but he rose in power, he

745
00:37:03,440 --> 00:37:06,800
Speaker 2: ascended in glory. Scripture tells us he's coming back again.

746
00:37:09,320 --> 00:37:11,239
Speaker 2: I think these witnesses, when you look at this from

747
00:37:11,280 --> 00:37:14,960
Speaker 2: a present day application standpoint, they also remind us that

748
00:37:15,040 --> 00:37:17,680
Speaker 2: God still speaks, and he often speaks through people that

749
00:37:17,760 --> 00:37:21,120
Speaker 2: he sends as his representatives into your life and into mind.

750
00:37:21,960 --> 00:37:25,240
Speaker 2: Primary way he speaks to us as how through his word.

751
00:37:25,600 --> 00:37:27,600
Speaker 2: That's why we carve out long portions of time to

752
00:37:27,640 --> 00:37:29,360
Speaker 2: study it here in the church throughout the course of

753
00:37:29,360 --> 00:37:32,280
Speaker 2: the week, teach it to our children, read it together

754
00:37:32,360 --> 00:37:32,759
Speaker 2: at home.

755
00:37:33,560 --> 00:37:34,480
Speaker 1: God still speaks.

756
00:37:34,480 --> 00:37:36,560
Speaker 2: He primarily speaks to us through his word, but also

757
00:37:36,600 --> 00:37:39,400
Speaker 2: again speaks to us through people he puts into our life,

758
00:37:39,880 --> 00:37:42,440
Speaker 2: who reflect the teaching of his word, who communicate the

759
00:37:42,480 --> 00:37:44,960
Speaker 2: teaching of his word, who model it. I think the

760
00:37:45,000 --> 00:37:48,440
Speaker 2: Resurrection reminds us that God still saves. I think the

761
00:37:48,480 --> 00:37:51,160
Speaker 2: Gospel reminds us that no matter how moment or how

762
00:37:51,239 --> 00:37:53,800
Speaker 2: dark a moment may feel when we're in the midst

763
00:37:53,800 --> 00:37:57,560
Speaker 2: of it, that the story is always moving incrementally toward

764
00:37:57,640 --> 00:38:00,320
Speaker 2: the triumph that we're going to experience in Jesus Christ.

765
00:38:00,960 --> 00:38:03,239
Speaker 2: There is no permanent defeat for those who are in

766
00:38:03,320 --> 00:38:06,080
Speaker 2: Christ Jesus. So I look at that, and I think,

767
00:38:07,760 --> 00:38:09,399
Speaker 2: you know, I don't know what you're going through right now.

768
00:38:10,080 --> 00:38:12,000
Speaker 2: I don't know if you're going through bumpy moments. My

769
00:38:12,080 --> 00:38:15,800
Speaker 2: life has been filled with some really really delightful seasons

770
00:38:16,280 --> 00:38:20,800
Speaker 2: and really really weighty seasons, and the Lord just keep teaching,

771
00:38:21,000 --> 00:38:24,600
Speaker 2: keeps teaching me over and over and over again, and

772
00:38:24,640 --> 00:38:27,880
Speaker 2: He's got my attention. He absolutely has my attention. With this,

773
00:38:28,400 --> 00:38:30,000
Speaker 2: I look at this and I think you know what, Lord,

774
00:38:31,040 --> 00:38:32,279
Speaker 2: You've absolutely convinced me.

775
00:38:32,520 --> 00:38:35,560
Speaker 1: Never lose heart. Never lose heart.

776
00:38:37,000 --> 00:38:38,600
Speaker 2: Oftentimes you just have to wait a little bit, and

777
00:38:38,600 --> 00:38:40,560
Speaker 2: then you watch how everything works out, and things work

778
00:38:40,560 --> 00:38:40,920
Speaker 2: out in.

779
00:38:40,880 --> 00:38:41,799
Speaker 1: Such a beautiful way.

780
00:38:43,560 --> 00:38:46,240
Speaker 2: Never lose heart. It doesn't matter how deep the valley

781
00:38:46,280 --> 00:38:47,879
Speaker 2: you feel like you're in. You just wait it out

782
00:38:47,880 --> 00:38:50,000
Speaker 2: a little bit. You'll see it's going to be good

783
00:38:50,000 --> 00:38:51,840
Speaker 2: on the other side of that valley. I promise you

784
00:38:51,920 --> 00:38:53,960
Speaker 2: it will be. How can I promise you, because I've

785
00:38:53,960 --> 00:38:58,320
Speaker 2: read what the scripture says, I already know I've already

786
00:38:58,360 --> 00:39:02,560
Speaker 2: seen it in my own life as well. I think

787
00:39:02,600 --> 00:39:04,960
Speaker 2: this is also reminding us, don't measure your success by

788
00:39:05,000 --> 00:39:08,400
Speaker 2: worldly applause. I don't think the world's going to applause

789
00:39:08,440 --> 00:39:10,600
Speaker 2: the type of thing, or it's not going to cheer

790
00:39:10,640 --> 00:39:13,040
Speaker 2: for the type of things that you and I value

791
00:39:13,200 --> 00:39:18,080
Speaker 2: as we internalize the word of God. Don't assume that

792
00:39:18,120 --> 00:39:20,880
Speaker 2: God's absent just because the world looks loud sometimes or

793
00:39:20,880 --> 00:39:24,520
Speaker 2: because the world looks unrepentant. That's no different for you

794
00:39:24,600 --> 00:39:26,799
Speaker 2: and me than it was the generations that came before us,

795
00:39:26,800 --> 00:39:29,120
Speaker 2: And it's certainly no different than what we're going to

796
00:39:29,120 --> 00:39:31,120
Speaker 2: see during these periods of time that a referenced here

797
00:39:31,120 --> 00:39:33,680
Speaker 2: in the Book of Revelation. So as I mean, God's

798
00:39:33,680 --> 00:39:35,800
Speaker 2: still measuring that's a good thing. He knows who belongs

799
00:39:35,840 --> 00:39:38,279
Speaker 2: to him. God's still witnessing. How's he doing that through

800
00:39:38,280 --> 00:39:41,960
Speaker 2: his word and through his people. And God's still bringing

801
00:39:42,120 --> 00:39:46,600
Speaker 2: all things under the rule of his son Jesus Christ,

802
00:39:47,600 --> 00:39:50,640
Speaker 2: because we know that that's where history is headed. That's

803
00:39:50,680 --> 00:39:52,240
Speaker 2: where I want my life to be headed.

804
00:39:52,320 --> 00:39:52,600
Speaker 1: Right now.

805
00:39:52,600 --> 00:39:55,600
Speaker 2: That's why I want your life to be headed. Let's

806
00:39:55,600 --> 00:39:58,840
Speaker 2: bring it all under the rule of Jesus Christ. Submitting

807
00:39:58,840 --> 00:40:02,920
Speaker 2: our heart, our lives, are our intentions, our goals, our aspirations,

808
00:40:02,960 --> 00:40:05,120
Speaker 2: the whole thing submitted all to Christ, because that's where

809
00:40:05,160 --> 00:40:09,200
Speaker 2: it's going. Anyway, get there ahead of time, be an

810
00:40:09,239 --> 00:40:14,160
Speaker 2: advanced student. But that's what the Lord's reminding us. When

811
00:40:14,200 --> 00:40:18,520
Speaker 2: we look at a portion of scripture like this, let's pray, Lord,

812
00:40:18,520 --> 00:40:21,920
Speaker 2: thank you so much for all the things that you

813
00:40:22,000 --> 00:40:23,640
Speaker 2: reveal to us. When we look at a portion of

814
00:40:23,680 --> 00:40:27,520
Speaker 2: your word like this, Lord, it's in many respects.

815
00:40:27,600 --> 00:40:29,839
Speaker 1: I look at it. I think it's fun to look

816
00:40:29,880 --> 00:40:31,319
Speaker 1: at these things. And I don't mean that in a

817
00:40:31,360 --> 00:40:31,799
Speaker 1: light way.

818
00:40:31,840 --> 00:40:34,760
Speaker 2: It's just delightful to be able to look at things

819
00:40:34,800 --> 00:40:39,120
Speaker 2: that are future references and think, Wow, how exciting You

820
00:40:39,200 --> 00:40:41,280
Speaker 2: told us about this ahead of time. When it happens,

821
00:40:42,000 --> 00:40:43,520
Speaker 2: we're not going to look at it and say, oh, yeah,

822
00:40:43,560 --> 00:40:44,200
Speaker 2: that's a surprise.

823
00:40:44,280 --> 00:40:45,800
Speaker 1: You already told us it's going to happen.

824
00:40:45,840 --> 00:40:49,440
Speaker 2: The only surprises will be just some of the particulars

825
00:40:49,440 --> 00:40:53,000
Speaker 2: of how it gets fulfilled. But we know the macro picture.

826
00:40:53,000 --> 00:40:55,239
Speaker 2: You've given it to us here, even given us so

827
00:40:55,280 --> 00:40:59,480
Speaker 2: many micro details as well. But Lord, we're grateful for

828
00:40:59,560 --> 00:41:02,680
Speaker 2: the variety of things that you reveal, But ultimately we're

829
00:41:02,680 --> 00:41:05,040
Speaker 2: grateful for the fact that you've given us time to repent.

830
00:41:05,920 --> 00:41:08,399
Speaker 2: You've given us time to recognize that we need your

831
00:41:08,440 --> 00:41:12,560
Speaker 2: son Jesus Christ to rescue us. That if we want

832
00:41:12,600 --> 00:41:15,319
Speaker 2: to experience the resurrection, if we want to hear your

833
00:41:15,400 --> 00:41:17,360
Speaker 2: voice look at us and say come up here.

834
00:41:20,239 --> 00:41:21,520
Speaker 1: That we need to be right with you.

835
00:41:23,400 --> 00:41:26,319
Speaker 2: We can't be like those who reject the truth and

836
00:41:26,400 --> 00:41:29,120
Speaker 2: ignore the truth. That can't be us. If we do that, Lord,

837
00:41:29,160 --> 00:41:33,240
Speaker 2: we know that we have nothing good to look forward to. Lord,

838
00:41:33,360 --> 00:41:35,839
Speaker 2: I want to hear your voice saying come up here.

839
00:41:36,600 --> 00:41:38,040
Speaker 2: I want you to be able to look at my

840
00:41:38,120 --> 00:41:40,160
Speaker 2: life and say that this was a life submitted to you.

841
00:41:41,080 --> 00:41:43,279
Speaker 2: And I know Lord that I'm not the only one.

842
00:41:43,520 --> 00:41:45,400
Speaker 2: I know that my brothers and sisters here feel the

843
00:41:45,440 --> 00:41:47,160
Speaker 2: exact same way. And so Lord, we lift up our

844
00:41:47,239 --> 00:41:51,000
Speaker 2: lives before you. We submit ourselves before you, and we're

845
00:41:51,040 --> 00:41:54,279
Speaker 2: just joyful for the fact that we could look at

846
00:41:54,320 --> 00:41:58,440
Speaker 2: a book of future prophecy and recognize the application for

847
00:41:58,560 --> 00:42:02,600
Speaker 2: us now are witnessing in our generation. That witness will

848
00:42:02,640 --> 00:42:05,520
Speaker 2: sometimes be rejected, but there will be people who hear,

849
00:42:06,520 --> 00:42:09,600
Speaker 2: and those who here can delighten you and glorify you,

850
00:42:10,239 --> 00:42:12,880
Speaker 2: and we want to be counted among them. So, Lord,

851
00:42:12,920 --> 00:42:15,680
Speaker 2: whatever heavy seasons come, or whatever ones we've gone through,

852
00:42:15,719 --> 00:42:18,120
Speaker 2: help us to be reminded of the fact that You've

853
00:42:18,120 --> 00:42:20,600
Speaker 2: got this all worked out.

854
00:42:21,080 --> 00:42:22,680
Speaker 1: We're truly grateful for that fact.

855
00:42:23,880 --> 00:42:26,560
Speaker 2: Lord, Help us to have hearts that are fully at peace,

856
00:42:27,880 --> 00:42:29,680
Speaker 2: and help us to ultimately delighten you.

857
00:42:29,760 --> 00:42:30,439
Speaker 1: No matter what.

858
00:42:30,520 --> 00:42:33,080
Speaker 2: We're grateful Lord for these reminders from your word. Today

859
00:42:33,520 --> 00:42:36,520
Speaker 2: we submit our hearts over to your son Jesus Christ,

860
00:42:36,920 --> 00:42:39,960
Speaker 2: in whom we find redemption, in whom we have resurrection,

861
00:42:41,239 --> 00:42:46,120
Speaker 2: in whom we're granted the gift of eternal life. You

862
00:42:46,280 --> 00:42:49,719
Speaker 2: know your sheep, and your sheep know you. Thank you

863
00:42:49,800 --> 00:42:53,239
Speaker 2: for that reminder from your word. Today we pray this

864
00:42:53,280 --> 00:42:54,759
Speaker 2: all in Jesus' name.

865
00:42:56,040 --> 00:42:56,400
Speaker 1: Amen,