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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. We're continuing

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Speaker 2: our look at the Book of Revelation, and if you're

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Speaker 2: here with us for the very first time, perfect because

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Speaker 2: you've come right in the middle of the Book of Revelation,

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Speaker 2: which everyone says is clearly the easiest book of the

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Speaker 2: Bible to understand, and so showing up right at the

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Speaker 2: halfway point, you'll understand everything. It's going to be a

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Speaker 2: piece of cake to make that easier. To be honest

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Speaker 2: with you, there's a few things that I'm going to

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Speaker 2: reference from earlier in the book, just in case this

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Speaker 2: is the first that you're looking at the book with us.

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Speaker 2: I'm going to show you how it connects to earlier

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Speaker 2: portions in the book. Because here in Revelation ten, we're

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Speaker 2: actually at kind of an interlude. We're at one of

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Speaker 2: these moments of pause where new things are being set up.

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Speaker 2: So it's a perfect time to kind of look back

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Speaker 2: a little bit as we look forward, while also looking

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Speaker 2: at the chapter itself. We're gonna look at the whole chapter.

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Speaker 2: It's only eleven verses. One of the shorter chapters in

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Speaker 2: Revelation obviously, And so if you would take your bibles

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Speaker 2: and turn with me to Revelation ten, and I'm gonna

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Speaker 2: read the first eleven verses of Revelation ten. We're gonna

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Speaker 2: see the angel and the little scroll here and what

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Speaker 2: those things symbolize and mean. So here it says in

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Speaker 2: verse one of Revelation ten, it says, then I saw

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Speaker 2: another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud,

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Speaker 2: with a rainbow over his head, and his face was

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Speaker 2: like the sun, and his legs like pillars of fire.

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Speaker 2: He had a little scroll open in his hand, and

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Speaker 2: he set his right foot on the sea and his

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Speaker 2: left foot on the land, and called out with a

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Speaker 2: loud voice, like a lion roaring. When he called out,

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Speaker 2: the seven thunders sounded. And when the seventh thunders had sounded,

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Speaker 2: I was about to write, but I heard a voice

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Speaker 2: from heaven saying, seal up what the seven thunders have said,

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Speaker 2: and do not write it down. And the Angel whom

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Speaker 2: I saw standing on the sea and on the land,

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Speaker 2: raised his right hand to heaven and swore by him

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Speaker 2: who lives forever and ever, who created heaven, and what.

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Speaker 1: Is in it?

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Speaker 2: The Eric and what is in it and the sea

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Speaker 2: and what is in it, that there would be no

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Speaker 2: more delay, but that in the days of the trumpet

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Speaker 2: call to be sounded by the seventh Angel, the mystery

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Speaker 2: of God would be fulfilled, just as he announced to

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Speaker 2: his servants the prophets. Then, in verse eight, it says,

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Speaker 2: then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke

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Speaker 2: to me again, saying, go take the scroll that is

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Speaker 2: open in the hand of the Angel, who is standing

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Speaker 2: on the sea and on the land. So I went

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Speaker 2: to the angel and told him to give me the

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Speaker 2: little scroll. And he said to me, take and eat it.

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Speaker 2: It will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth

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Speaker 2: it will be sweet as honey. And I took the

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Speaker 2: little scroll from the hand of the Angel and ate it.

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Speaker 2: It was sweetest honey in my mouth. But when I

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Speaker 2: had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter, and I

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Speaker 2: was told, you must again prophesy about many peoplesations and

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Speaker 2: languages and kings. Let's pray together, Father, We thank you

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Speaker 2: so much for the privilege that it is to be

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Speaker 2: able to look at your word together today. I thank

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Speaker 2: you Lord for each adult, each child, each person that's

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Speaker 2: even in between that Lord that is present here able

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Speaker 2: to look at your word together with us. I'm grateful

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Speaker 2: that on a day like today, we have just this

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Speaker 2: opportunity to be able to start off our week together

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Speaker 2: in worship. And Lord, I pray that as we look

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Speaker 2: at your word, that you'd give us wisdom, that you'd

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Speaker 2: give us insight, that you'd help us to understand the

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Speaker 2: things that we're reading together here, knowing that these are

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Speaker 2: things that Christians throughout the centuries have wondered about, and

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Speaker 2: there's certain things that you tell us here that we

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Speaker 2: could look at other passages and develop some level of understanding.

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Speaker 2: But we also know, Lord that there are certain things

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Speaker 2: here that you even tell us as you tell us

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Speaker 2: about them, that they are mysterious, that they are meant

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Speaker 2: to be sealed up at least for a time, And

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Speaker 2: so we accept that as well.

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Speaker 1: We commit this time to you.

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Speaker 2: Now we pray that you'd speak to our hearts and

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Speaker 2: that you'd help us to be men and women who

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Speaker 2: grow on our walk with you as we look at

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Speaker 2: your word, and we allow your word to have a

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Speaker 2: formative effect on our lives.

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Speaker 1: And we pray this all in Jesus' name, Amen, So.

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Speaker 2: Revelation Chapter ten is certainly a very interesting chapter to study.

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Speaker 2: It's not a long chapter in the Book of Revelation,

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Speaker 2: but there's a lot of things that are referenced in it,

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Speaker 2: and it's interesting not only because of what it contains,

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Speaker 2: but also because.

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Speaker 1: Of what came before, what leads up to it.

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Speaker 2: Now up to this point, just to get us all

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Speaker 2: caught up so we know what's going on here, the

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Speaker 2: apostle John, whom the Holy Spirit inspired these this to

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Speaker 2: be written down through the apostle John, who traveled with Jesus,

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Speaker 2: walked with Jesus, learned from Jesus during the course of

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Speaker 2: jesus earthly ministry. John at this point, as he's writing

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Speaker 2: these things down, he's an old man at this season here,

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Speaker 2: and he's been shown trumpet judgments that shake the earth,

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Speaker 2: trumpet judgments that darken the skies, things that bring humanity

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Speaker 2: face to face with God's authority. And now before the

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Speaker 2: seventh trumpet sounds, we come.

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Speaker 1: To this portion of scripture here.

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Speaker 2: That's like something new that gets inserted because God offers

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Speaker 2: basically a moment of explanation. That's one way that you

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Speaker 2: could talk about Revelation chapter ten. It's like this moment

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Speaker 2: of explanation before the next big thing takes place. It's

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Speaker 2: also a moment of reassurance. It's also a moment of

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Speaker 2: recommissioning because he recommissions. You'll see this at the very

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Speaker 2: end of the chapter. He recommissions John and says, look,

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Speaker 2: you've got a.

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Speaker 1: Mission to do. Let people know about these things taking place.

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Speaker 2: So you'll see this as we work through here, explanation, reassurance,

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Speaker 2: and are recommissioning. Revelation chapter ten isn't so much about

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Speaker 2: new judgments as much. It is as it is about

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Speaker 2: renewed confidence in God, in his purposes, in renewed responsibility

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Speaker 2: that he gives to his servants. You could see all

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Speaker 2: of that here in Revelation chapter ten. And I think

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Speaker 2: when we look at this, and I'll even say this

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Speaker 2: just to kind of set this up before we look

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Speaker 2: at it a piece of a time, I think this

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Speaker 2: chapter also has a very helpful way of reminding us

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Speaker 2: that even in the midst of seasons of upheaval or confusion,

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Speaker 2: or seasons of waiting, maybe you're going through a season

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Speaker 2: of waiting, that the Lord is still in control. In fact,

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Speaker 2: even just this morning, I check something on social media

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Speaker 2: and so someone I know who lives on the other

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Speaker 2: side of the United States, and one of the things

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Speaker 2: that he said was, I hope that churches will address

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Speaker 2: kind of the concern that so many of us feel

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Speaker 2: in this particular season. And I imagine that if you

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Speaker 2: pay attention to anything going on around you, you notice

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Speaker 2: there as certain things that feel good and then other

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Speaker 2: things that feel unsettling, and you wonder, how does this

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Speaker 2: all resolve? Well, when you look at a chapter like

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Speaker 2: Chapter ten of Revelation, when you look at a book

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Speaker 2: like Revelation ten, what it's telling us is that even

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Speaker 2: in the midst of seasons that feel shaky or concerning

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Speaker 2: or anything like that, we know how this resolves. The

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Speaker 2: Lord's actually telling us There's going to be bumpy moments

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Speaker 2: along the way, and there's going to be really difficult

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Speaker 2: moments that this world experiences, and yet it all resolves.

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Speaker 2: The Book of Revelation keeps working toward that resolution. The

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Speaker 2: Lord is still in control, his word is still open,

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Speaker 2: his plan is still moving forward.

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Speaker 1: And in the midst of all of this.

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Speaker 2: The generation we live in and the generation that lives

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Speaker 2: after us, in the midst of that, his servants, those

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Speaker 2: who follow Christ are still called to speak and point

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Speaker 2: hearts toward him. Now, let's take a look at this

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Speaker 2: a piece of a time. Let's reread the first three verses.

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Speaker 2: I'm just going to reread it really quickly. But it

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Speaker 2: says here something about this mighty angel. It says, then

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Speaker 2: I saw another mighty angel. So John's been seeing all

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Speaker 2: sorts of visions and signs and all sorts of things

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Speaker 2: that the Lord's revealing to him. But here he says,

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Speaker 2: I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped

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Speaker 2: in a cloud with a rainbow over his head. So

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Speaker 2: as I read this, try and picture what this looks like.

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Speaker 1: He says.

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Speaker 2: It's fit was like the sun, and his legs like

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Speaker 2: pillars of fire.

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Speaker 1: He had a.

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Speaker 2: Little scroll open in his hand, and he set his

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Speaker 2: right foot on the sea and his left foot on

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Speaker 2: the land, and called out with a loud voice, like

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Speaker 2: a lion roaring. When he called out, the seven thunders sounded.

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Speaker 2: So let's just pause there for a moment, because you

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Speaker 2: look at this angel that John is describing here, and

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Speaker 2: he's described in very interesting terms. So we're told he

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Speaker 2: comes down from heaven. He doesn't rise from the earth.

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Speaker 2: He comes down from heaven. He's clothed with a cloud,

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Speaker 2: he's clothed with or he's crowned with a rainbow. We're

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Speaker 2: told that he's radiant like the sun, and he's stable

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Speaker 2: in some way like pillars of fire. And here you

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Speaker 2: look at every detail of this description and you realize

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Speaker 2: that it's actually trying to point us toward divine authority.

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Speaker 2: It's trying to point us toward heavenly origin. Now, some

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Speaker 2: have looked at this and assumed that what John is

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Speaker 2: seeing here is Jesus himself. Some have looked at this

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Speaker 2: and this must be Jesus himself. But I actually think

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Speaker 2: that this being, this angel that's being referenced here, is

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Speaker 2: best understood as a powerful angel who reflects the glory

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Speaker 2: of God rather than embodying it. And I'll explain there's

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Speaker 2: a few things you'll notice along the way that kind

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Speaker 2: of help me come to that understanding, And a lot

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Speaker 2: of theologians agree with that interpretation. But I will say this, Admittedly,

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Speaker 2: the language here reminds us of some of the descriptions

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Speaker 2: of God in the Old Testament, and so that's why

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Speaker 2: I say I believe this is a created being, an

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Speaker 2: angel that reflects God's authority. He's not embodying God's authority.

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Speaker 2: He reflects God's authority. But you can see examples of

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Speaker 2: that in this idea of like the cloud of God's

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Speaker 2: presence when you look at Exodus thirteen, the rainbow of

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Speaker 2: God's covenant faithfulness that we see in Genesis nine, the

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Speaker 2: fiery pillars of guidance and judgment that we see again

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Speaker 2: in Exodus when you get to Exodus fourteen. But again,

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Speaker 2: it's my belief that while this angel bears God's authority,

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Speaker 2: he's coming in the name of God. He's coming in

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Speaker 2: the authority of God. I don't believe that this angel

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Speaker 2: is God himself. I believe he's a created being reflecting

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Speaker 2: God's authority, reflecting God's glory. Now it says in his

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Speaker 2: hand was a little scroll, and it tells us that

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Speaker 2: it's open, a little scroll, and that it's open.

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Speaker 1: Well, why is that an important detail to note? Well,

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Speaker 1: if you.

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Speaker 2: Remember going back into Revelation chapter five, there we also

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Speaker 2: had a scroll, but that scroll was sealed and nobody

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Speaker 2: could open it.

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Speaker 1: So here we see a little scroll that is open.

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Speaker 2: You go back in Revelation five and you see another

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Speaker 2: scroll that no one could open except one, there was

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Speaker 2: one who was able to open that scroll. Finally, after

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Speaker 2: they exhausted all options, it was revealed that the Lamb

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Speaker 2: Jesus Christ could open that scroll. But now this smaller

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Speaker 2: scroll that's referenced here in Revelation ten, it's already open,

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Speaker 2: and it's kind of indicating to us that God's plan

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Speaker 2: is no longer hidden. This is something he's revealing. There

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Speaker 2: are details that he's unfolding, unveiling, and what he's about

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Speaker 2: to do is is something that will be revealed and declared,

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Speaker 2: and you'll see that it's ready to be announced. And

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Speaker 2: then this angel, we're told something else about this angel.

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Speaker 2: We're told this angel plants one foot on the sea

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Speaker 2: and one foot on the land. So as I was

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Speaker 2: reading this, were you're trying to picture this in your mind,

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Speaker 2: what this angel might look like. John's trying to give

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Speaker 2: this description in terms that you and I would be

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Speaker 2: able to wrap our minds around. But he says, I

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Speaker 2: looked at the many plants one foot on the sea

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Speaker 2: and one foot on the land. And many theologians look

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Speaker 2: at that and they say, yeah, we see what's going

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Speaker 2: on there. This is a symbol of the universal authority

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Speaker 2: of God. One foot on the sea, one foot on

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Speaker 2: the land, meaning nothing lies outside of God's jurisdiction. If

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Speaker 2: this angel's coming in the name and the authority of God,

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Speaker 2: it's demonstrating that nothing lies outside of God's jurisdiction. That

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Speaker 2: means oceans, that means continents, that means nations, that means individuals,

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Speaker 2: that means visible and invisible realms. They all stand beneath

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Speaker 2: God's rule. One foot on the sea, one foot on

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Speaker 2: the land.

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Speaker 1: And then the angel cries out.

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Speaker 2: And we're told in verse three that when the angel

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Speaker 2: cries out, seven thunders sounded.

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Speaker 1: Now again.

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Speaker 2: In scripture, thunder often represents God's voice. When you look

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Speaker 2: at Psalm twenty nine, it repeats the phrase the voice

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Speaker 2: of the Lord like rolling thunder. When you look at

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Speaker 2: Job thirty seven, it speaks of God thundering wondrously with

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Speaker 2: his voice. And here we're told that seventh thunders speak,

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Speaker 2: but the message is intentionally withheld.

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Speaker 1: Did you catch that?

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Speaker 2: Look at verse four it says, I'll bring it up

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Speaker 2: for us. Here it says, and when the seventh thunders

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Speaker 2: had sounded, John says, I was about to write the

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Speaker 2: seventh thunders had sounded. I was about to write, but

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Speaker 2: I heard a voice from heaven saying, seal up what

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Speaker 2: the seventh thunders have said, and do not write it down.

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Speaker 2: So that part, do not write that down. So John

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Speaker 2: prepared to write what he hears the seventh Unders say,

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Speaker 2: but he hears a command from heaven saying don't write

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Speaker 2: that part.

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Speaker 1: Don't write that down. Now.

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Speaker 2: I don't know if that detail frustrates you when you

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Speaker 2: read this passage, because I know when I'm preparing for

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Speaker 2: messages on Sunday, when I'm studying scripture.

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Speaker 1: What I'm trying to do. In addition to just grow in.

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Speaker 2: My appreciation for the Lord and try to grow as

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Speaker 2: a Christian, I'm also trying to figure stuff like this out.

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Speaker 2: I'm looking for the details, and i also feel a

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Speaker 2: responsibility knowing that I'm going to have to stand in

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Speaker 2: front of you on Sunday mornings, and I'm pretty sure

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Speaker 2: that it's your expectation that I explain it. You're like,

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Speaker 2: all right, well, well, you know, on Sunday morning, John,

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Speaker 2: I'll have done the work this week and he will

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Speaker 2: explain it. And so then I come before you this

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Speaker 2: morning and say, I don't know what to tell you

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Speaker 2: about it other than the Lord says you're not allowed

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Speaker 2: to know. That's a good I want to know. And

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Speaker 2: so I don't know if you get frustrated when you

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Speaker 2: look at stuff like that. It certainly makes me curious. Yes,

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Speaker 2: I'm like, what do you mean?

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Speaker 1: What a teaser? Right? What a teaser? It's like a

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Speaker 1: cliffhanger here.

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Speaker 2: But by nature, we want answers, and when I go

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Speaker 2: through Scripture, I want answers. And I know some of

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Speaker 2: you have seen some of the Bibles that you use

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Speaker 2: just for personal study. One of my favorite features that

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Speaker 2: modern day bibles have started to use. And some of

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Speaker 2: you have these where they'll have like a margin on

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Speaker 2: the side where you could take notes. And so my

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Speaker 2: wife uses a Bible like that. I have a variety

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Speaker 2: of students who use Bibles like that. Some of you

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Speaker 2: in the church here use Bibles like that.

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Speaker 1: It's nice.

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Speaker 2: And what do we do with bibles like that? We're

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Speaker 2: jotting down things that the Lord is helping us to

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Speaker 2: make connections and applications, things that he reveals to us

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Speaker 2: from Scripture. And we're like, oh, that makes sense. We

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Speaker 2: jot it down in the margins. And here John's told

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Speaker 2: don't write it down don't write it down. You get

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Speaker 2: to hear it. So he lets John hear it, and

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Speaker 2: he's like, don't write it down. But by nature, we're

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Speaker 2: curious people. We want full explanations. We want God to

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Speaker 2: lay out every detail of the future in neat, understandable terms.

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Speaker 2: And when it comes to books of like this, that's

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Speaker 2: what we're trying to do. We're trying to take something

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Speaker 2: apocalyptic and wrap our heads around it. And yet scripture

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Speaker 2: reminds us in places like this that God, and He's

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Speaker 2: done this all throughout human history, that God intentionally chooses

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Speaker 2: not to reveal everything at once. That is very much intentional.

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Speaker 2: When you look at how things unfold over time, you know,

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Speaker 2: be grateful that you live when you live, because you

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Speaker 2: understand things that the Old Testament believers did not understand,

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Speaker 2: and they understood things that people living in the generation

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Speaker 2: prior to the Old Testament being written didn't understand. So

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Speaker 2: each generation, you know, each season offers a benefit. Right

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Speaker 2: as we get closer to the return of Jesus, the

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Speaker 2: Lord has revealed things to us in the New Testament

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Speaker 2: that we have the we're beneficiaries of. So that's wonderful.

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Speaker 2: But everything in his season everything in his time. I

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Speaker 2: actually like what it says in Deuteronomy chapter twenty nine.

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Speaker 2: It kind of sets up this mindset. Deuteronomy twenty nine

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Speaker 2: twenty nine says this the secret thing belong to the Lord,

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Speaker 2: our God, but the things that are revealed belong to

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Speaker 2: us and to our children forever, that we may do

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Speaker 2: all the words of the law, or all the words

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Speaker 2: of this law. So what's it saying there. It's saying,

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Speaker 2: all right, there's certain things that God keeps for himself,

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Speaker 2: at least for a season, But there are things that

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Speaker 2: he does reveal.

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Speaker 1: And here's the thing.

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Speaker 2: He reveals what we need to know when we need

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Speaker 2: to know it. So my responsibility before him. Your responsibility

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Speaker 2: before him isn't to just like complain about what we

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Speaker 2: don't yet know.

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Speaker 1: It's to obey what we already do.

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Speaker 2: Because I know that there's a whole bunch of things

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Speaker 2: that I could look at in scripture and say, you

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Speaker 2: know what, I could do a better job applying that

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Speaker 2: truth to my life, and that truth to my life.

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Speaker 2: My mind's already wanting to learn new things, and it's like, okay,

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Speaker 2: well how about I start by applying what I already know?

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Speaker 2: How about I start by applying what's already clear, and

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Speaker 2: I think that's something useful for us to wrestle through.

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Speaker 2: When we look at something like this, it's like, yeah,

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Speaker 2: I want to know what those thunders are saying. And

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Speaker 2: someday I will know that, and someday you will as well.

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Speaker 2: It'll be when we're in heaven something to look forward to.

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Speaker 2: You get to see, you know, a whole bunch of

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Speaker 2: people you miss, and you get to know some secrets

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Speaker 2: like this that you didn't know yet.

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Speaker 1: It's a good day.

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Speaker 2: However, right now, my job and your job is to

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Speaker 2: obey what we already know.

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Speaker 1: The things.

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Speaker 2: God's very intentional. Whatever he's revealed to you and to

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Speaker 2: me right now, that's what he wants you and I

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Speaker 2: to know right now. And when it's time for that

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Speaker 2: stuff to be revealed, then it'll be revealed. And I

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Speaker 2: think that this practice, or that this moment in Revelation ten,

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Speaker 2: actually teaches us to practice humility. Because even John the

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Speaker 2: Apostle entrusted with the Book of Revelation, the one given

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Speaker 2: the task to reveal. That's why I think of the

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Speaker 2: name of the book revelation called revelation why because it's

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Speaker 2: revealing things to us. So He's given this test to

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Speaker 2: reveal a whole bunch of things from God to people.

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Speaker 2: But even he wasn't permitted to record everything he heard,

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Speaker 2: So there are certain mysteries that God just reserves for himself.

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Speaker 2: And that doesn't mean that he's unkind. It doesn't mean

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Speaker 2: that he's distant. It does mean that he's wise. And

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Speaker 2: I'll tell you what, when we face unanswered questions just

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Speaker 2: in a general way in our day to day life,

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Speaker 2: or unfulfilled expectations or unclear next steps, come to a

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Speaker 2: passage like this and think about how that even applies

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Speaker 2: to moments like that, because it reminds us that silence

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Speaker 2: from heaven. You know, if there's something you've been praying

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Speaker 2: about and it feels like God's been silent for a

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Speaker 2: little while about it, and you're thinking, when's he going

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Speaker 2: to reveal the answer? When's he going to tell me?

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Speaker 2: When's he going to resolve the thing? Silence from heaven

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Speaker 2: is not absence from heaven. If you're in a season

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Speaker 2: of silence, a season of waiting, understand that God's still

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Speaker 2: speaking through what He's already revealed, and if you're waiting

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Speaker 2: for an answer, trust his character. Just trust that there

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Speaker 2: must be a reason, There must be a lesson that

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Speaker 2: he wants you to learn in the.

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Speaker 1: Midst of the waiting.

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Speaker 2: There's some things I've only learned because God made me

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Speaker 2: wait before or he revealed the answer. And then I

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Speaker 2: waited and I waited, and then finally what happens. Then

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Speaker 2: in his timing he shows why he made you wait.

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Speaker 2: So here he's making us wait for something, But he

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Speaker 2: also does that in your day to day life. He

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Speaker 2: does that in my life quite regularly, and in those times,

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Speaker 2: those moments what ends up happening. I'm not gonna get

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Speaker 2: mad at him about it, because when I look back

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Speaker 2: at Hi, I'm like, my faith grew stronger in the waiting.

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Speaker 1: If he gave me the answer right away.

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Speaker 2: I probably wouldn't have had my faith tested in a

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Speaker 2: way that it needed to be tested. But then John

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Speaker 2: goes on and you look at verses five through seven,

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Speaker 2: and he says this, and the angel whom I saw

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Speaker 2: standing on the sea and on the land, raised his

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Speaker 2: right hand to heaven. Now I'm going to keep reading

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Speaker 2: in a moment, but I want to just pause.

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Speaker 1: Right there.

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Speaker 2: John's telling us these things, and we can picture them

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Speaker 2: in our mind. But he saw them with his eyes.

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Speaker 2: He saw it. It was revealed to him with his eyes.

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Speaker 2: Would you want to be in his position? Would you

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Speaker 2: want to be able to see this with your eyes?

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Speaker 2: There's a part of me that answers that question and

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Speaker 2: says yes. Then there's another part of me that thinks

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Speaker 2: that had to be terrifying. Could you imagine seeing that?

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Speaker 2: Think about what angels say every time they encounter people

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Speaker 2: in scripture. The first thing they always seem to say

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Speaker 2: is what something like fear not or don't be afraid?

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Speaker 2: And then when you look in the Book of Daniel,

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Speaker 2: Daniel when he sees an angel passes out and here

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Speaker 2: John is being shown this angel that apparently is large

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Speaker 2: enough to have one foot on sea and one foot

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Speaker 2: on land, signifying this like this huge authority. And John

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Speaker 2: says again, the angel whom I saw, so he sees it.

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Speaker 2: I'm seeing it in my mind's eye. You're seeing it

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Speaker 2: in your mind's eye. He saw it with his eyes, right,

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Speaker 2: says the angel whom I saw standing on the sea

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Speaker 2: and on the land, raises his right or raised his

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Speaker 2: right hand to heaven, and swore by him who lives

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Speaker 2: forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it.

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Speaker 1: By the way, that's also why.

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Speaker 2: I believe that this is a created being, not the creator,

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Speaker 2: because what's he doing. He's he's swearing by the one

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Speaker 2: who created. He's swearing by the one who created. If

436
00:21:03,800 --> 00:21:06,439
Speaker 2: this was Jesus, Scripture tells us all things have been

437
00:21:06,480 --> 00:21:08,600
Speaker 2: created through Jesus, he wouldn't be swearing by the one

438
00:21:08,640 --> 00:21:09,199
Speaker 2: who created.

439
00:21:09,240 --> 00:21:11,320
Speaker 1: He's the creator, right.

440
00:21:11,240 --> 00:21:13,639
Speaker 2: So it says who it says, and he swore by

441
00:21:13,720 --> 00:21:15,879
Speaker 2: him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and

442
00:21:15,880 --> 00:21:17,840
Speaker 2: what is in it, the earth and what is in it,

443
00:21:18,119 --> 00:21:19,920
Speaker 2: and the sea and what is in it, that there

444
00:21:19,960 --> 00:21:22,520
Speaker 2: would be no more delay, but that in the days

445
00:21:22,560 --> 00:21:25,160
Speaker 2: of the trumpetcall to be sounded by the seventh Angel,

446
00:21:25,280 --> 00:21:27,800
Speaker 2: the mystery of God would be fulfilled, just as he

447
00:21:27,840 --> 00:21:30,840
Speaker 2: announced to his servants the prophets. So you have the angel.

448
00:21:30,880 --> 00:21:34,600
Speaker 2: He raises his hand, he swears an oath. This oath

449
00:21:34,640 --> 00:21:39,119
Speaker 2: grounds this promise in God's eternal nature and God's creative

450
00:21:39,200 --> 00:21:41,200
Speaker 2: authority is authority over creation.

451
00:21:41,640 --> 00:21:44,520
Speaker 1: And he makes that declaration there will be no more delay.

452
00:21:44,560 --> 00:21:46,040
Speaker 1: You know what I think he's talking about here.

453
00:21:46,640 --> 00:21:49,040
Speaker 2: I think this moment anticipates the final stages of the

454
00:21:49,080 --> 00:21:51,919
Speaker 2: tribulation period. If you're not familiar with the tribulation period,

455
00:21:52,720 --> 00:21:54,960
Speaker 2: that's a seven year period of judgment on this earth.

456
00:21:55,000 --> 00:21:55,840
Speaker 1: It's yet to come.

457
00:21:56,240 --> 00:21:58,760
Speaker 2: It's a period of time that gets increasingly more difficult

458
00:21:58,840 --> 00:22:03,399
Speaker 2: until Jesus return. And I believe that here this is

459
00:22:03,440 --> 00:22:08,080
Speaker 2: anticipating those final stages of that tribulation period. But also

460
00:22:08,160 --> 00:22:11,280
Speaker 2: understand that God's judgments aren't acts of random anger, their

461
00:22:11,320 --> 00:22:15,199
Speaker 2: purposeful steps toward the end and completion and fulfillment of

462
00:22:15,240 --> 00:22:19,080
Speaker 2: his redemptive plan. Now the mystery of God that's being

463
00:22:19,080 --> 00:22:22,080
Speaker 2: spoken of here, that includes the completion of judgment, that

464
00:22:22,119 --> 00:22:25,439
Speaker 2: includes the vindication of His holiness, the restoration of Israel,

465
00:22:25,640 --> 00:22:29,280
Speaker 2: the preparation for Christ's millennial reign, meaning when Christ will

466
00:22:29,320 --> 00:22:30,240
Speaker 2: literally rain.

467
00:22:30,119 --> 00:22:34,760
Speaker 1: On this earth. For a thousand years Old Testament prophets also.

468
00:22:34,720 --> 00:22:38,320
Speaker 2: Spoke of this day. It's not just John, it's also

469
00:22:38,359 --> 00:22:42,359
Speaker 2: Old Testament prophets. Daniel was told something. Daniel was told

470
00:22:42,359 --> 00:22:44,760
Speaker 2: this in Daniel Chapter twelve, verse nine. He said he

471
00:22:44,840 --> 00:22:46,919
Speaker 2: was told, go your way, Daniel, for the words are

472
00:22:46,960 --> 00:22:48,920
Speaker 2: shut up and sealed until the time of the end.

473
00:22:49,200 --> 00:22:53,000
Speaker 2: Habokuk was assured in Habocok two three. If it seems slow,

474
00:22:53,080 --> 00:22:57,240
Speaker 2: Wait for it. It will surely come. It will not delay.

475
00:22:57,640 --> 00:23:01,880
Speaker 2: And here we're being told, listen, no more delay. The

476
00:23:01,880 --> 00:23:04,199
Speaker 2: idea is that God's timing has never rushed, but his

477
00:23:04,240 --> 00:23:06,680
Speaker 2: timing's also never late. Everything he does in your life

478
00:23:06,720 --> 00:23:09,240
Speaker 2: and in my life and in world history is always

479
00:23:09,320 --> 00:23:11,040
Speaker 2: on time. And here when he says there'll be no

480
00:23:11,119 --> 00:23:13,960
Speaker 2: more delay, what he's saying is, look, the plan's going

481
00:23:14,040 --> 00:23:16,639
Speaker 2: to work forward. It's going to move forward exactly, is

482
00:23:16,720 --> 00:23:19,840
Speaker 2: promised those of you that have been wading through the centuries,

483
00:23:19,840 --> 00:23:22,560
Speaker 2: those of you that have been praying and anticipating this time,

484
00:23:22,640 --> 00:23:25,040
Speaker 2: he's saying in this moment, as he's telling us about

485
00:23:25,040 --> 00:23:27,359
Speaker 2: what's going to happen in the future, when that moment comes,

486
00:23:27,400 --> 00:23:29,920
Speaker 2: he promises that his plan is going to move forward

487
00:23:30,000 --> 00:23:32,560
Speaker 2: exactly is promised, with no more delay. And I look

488
00:23:32,600 --> 00:23:34,080
Speaker 2: at that and I think, all right, well, there's certainly

489
00:23:34,080 --> 00:23:37,040
Speaker 2: a prophetic application there. But I think in a very

490
00:23:37,040 --> 00:23:39,680
Speaker 2: helpful way, this truth speaks directly into the waiting seasons

491
00:23:39,680 --> 00:23:44,240
Speaker 2: of our lives right now, because at times, again, as

492
00:23:44,240 --> 00:23:47,280
Speaker 2: we mentioned a few moments ago, we go through seasons

493
00:23:47,320 --> 00:23:50,480
Speaker 2: where the Lord literally makes us wait for things, and

494
00:23:50,560 --> 00:23:52,720
Speaker 2: maybe you're in one of those seasons right now.

495
00:23:52,840 --> 00:23:54,640
Speaker 1: I'm not going to ask you to raise your hand.

496
00:23:54,440 --> 00:23:56,040
Speaker 2: But if I did, I bet you several of you

497
00:23:56,080 --> 00:23:58,320
Speaker 2: would raise your hand if I asked if you were

498
00:23:58,320 --> 00:24:02,199
Speaker 2: in one of those seasons. I'm certain that there are

499
00:24:02,240 --> 00:24:04,840
Speaker 2: things that you've been praying for. I'm certain that there

500
00:24:04,840 --> 00:24:07,160
Speaker 2: are things that you are waiting for God to do,

501
00:24:07,240 --> 00:24:10,080
Speaker 2: waiting for him to act again. If you're in one

502
00:24:10,080 --> 00:24:12,280
Speaker 2: of those seasons, which I would assume that many of

503
00:24:12,320 --> 00:24:16,040
Speaker 2: us are in, please remember that God doesn't forget his promises.

504
00:24:16,359 --> 00:24:20,240
Speaker 2: He's illustrating that in the prophetic timetable that he speaks

505
00:24:20,280 --> 00:24:26,600
Speaker 2: about here. He also doesn't abandon his people. If you're waiting, understand,

506
00:24:26,680 --> 00:24:29,600
Speaker 2: you're not abandoned. He doesn't abandon his people, and he

507
00:24:29,640 --> 00:24:32,800
Speaker 2: doesn't forget his promises, and he doesn't lose control of

508
00:24:32,880 --> 00:24:36,760
Speaker 2: world history or your personal story. So if his hand

509
00:24:36,840 --> 00:24:40,159
Speaker 2: is on world history, that means your story is a

510
00:24:40,160 --> 00:24:42,639
Speaker 2: little piece of that, and all of that somehow works

511
00:24:42,640 --> 00:24:45,399
Speaker 2: together for his ends, for his goal.

512
00:24:46,720 --> 00:24:47,760
Speaker 1: That's a really good thing.

513
00:24:48,359 --> 00:24:53,760
Speaker 2: And then he goes on from giving those life lessons

514
00:24:53,800 --> 00:24:59,239
Speaker 2: to then asking John to do something very strange. Now,

515
00:24:59,240 --> 00:25:02,159
Speaker 2: as God ever asked you do something strange. They ever

516
00:25:02,280 --> 00:25:03,840
Speaker 2: asked me to do something that you're like, I don't

517
00:25:03,880 --> 00:25:05,600
Speaker 2: know why he's asking me to do this. Do you

518
00:25:05,600 --> 00:25:08,280
Speaker 2: ever get like a strong sense that he's asking you

519
00:25:08,280 --> 00:25:09,919
Speaker 2: to do something strange and you're like, I guess I

520
00:25:10,000 --> 00:25:11,840
Speaker 2: just have to do this, and you're like, boy, this

521
00:25:11,880 --> 00:25:13,320
Speaker 2: is going to be awkward. I remember when I was

522
00:25:13,359 --> 00:25:15,760
Speaker 2: a new pastor. Back then, it was the expectation of

523
00:25:15,800 --> 00:25:18,280
Speaker 2: pastors not that they would wear their favorite sports teams

524
00:25:18,320 --> 00:25:21,400
Speaker 2: on their clothing, but we would wear suits, and so we.

525
00:25:21,359 --> 00:25:22,280
Speaker 1: Wore suits all the time.

526
00:25:22,280 --> 00:25:24,159
Speaker 2: And I remember I was wearing a suit one Sunday

527
00:25:24,200 --> 00:25:28,000
Speaker 2: after and after church, I had to go over into

528
00:25:28,520 --> 00:25:31,440
Speaker 2: an area where there was a Staples store. And as

529
00:25:31,480 --> 00:25:34,520
Speaker 2: I was over there, I drove by a group of

530
00:25:34,520 --> 00:25:37,080
Speaker 2: guys that was very very clear. I could tell by

531
00:25:37,080 --> 00:25:38,879
Speaker 2: how they were dressed and how they walked and how

532
00:25:38,880 --> 00:25:41,800
Speaker 2: they were acting that they were very much into hip

533
00:25:41,800 --> 00:25:45,600
Speaker 2: hop music. Now, you wouldn't assume this about me, but

534
00:25:45,600 --> 00:25:47,840
Speaker 2: I'm just gonna let you know, so am I and

535
00:25:47,880 --> 00:25:49,520
Speaker 2: maybe some of you did assume that, maybe some of

536
00:25:49,520 --> 00:25:51,240
Speaker 2: you saw me this morning, You're like, pet you that

537
00:25:51,240 --> 00:25:55,240
Speaker 2: guy loves hip hop. I'd be like it's true. I

538
00:25:55,320 --> 00:25:58,920
Speaker 2: definitely do. And I was listening to an album as

539
00:25:58,920 --> 00:26:01,720
Speaker 2: a whole. It was like a comp album of all

540
00:26:01,760 --> 00:26:04,080
Speaker 2: these Christian hip hop artists and it was so good

541
00:26:04,160 --> 00:26:06,240
Speaker 2: and I loved it. And this is before streaming music

542
00:26:06,600 --> 00:26:08,600
Speaker 2: was a thing, so you had to go buy your

543
00:26:08,640 --> 00:26:10,040
Speaker 2: album and then listen to it.

544
00:26:10,080 --> 00:26:11,080
Speaker 1: And I was listening to it.

545
00:26:10,960 --> 00:26:13,320
Speaker 2: In the car and then I see these guys and

546
00:26:13,400 --> 00:26:16,360
Speaker 2: in my mind I hear the Holy Spirit indicate give

547
00:26:16,400 --> 00:26:18,879
Speaker 2: them that CD. And I'm like, I just bought the CD.

548
00:26:19,560 --> 00:26:21,800
Speaker 2: I just bought the CD. Give them that CD. And

549
00:26:21,840 --> 00:26:23,879
Speaker 2: I'm like, Oh, they're gonna think it's so weird. This

550
00:26:23,920 --> 00:26:25,480
Speaker 2: guy pulling up to them in a car and he's

551
00:26:25,520 --> 00:26:27,719
Speaker 2: dressed in a suit, and they're not gonna They're not

552
00:26:27,720 --> 00:26:30,160
Speaker 2: gonna This is gonna go weird, isn't it. It's like, yes,

553
00:26:30,200 --> 00:26:33,199
Speaker 2: it's gonna be very weird. Give them the CD. And

554
00:26:33,240 --> 00:26:37,120
Speaker 2: I'm like, that's fine, that's fine, that's fine. I could

555
00:26:37,119 --> 00:26:37,800
Speaker 2: get another one.

556
00:26:38,560 --> 00:26:39,520
Speaker 1: And I pulled up to them.

557
00:26:39,560 --> 00:26:41,760
Speaker 2: I was like, hey, guys, and I'm thinking, what would

558
00:26:41,800 --> 00:26:45,280
Speaker 2: be the icebreaker? You know'd be like.

559
00:26:46,080 --> 00:26:46,600
Speaker 1: What's up?

560
00:26:46,760 --> 00:26:50,840
Speaker 2: Dudes, Like be like, we're not We're not not going

561
00:26:50,920 --> 00:26:52,600
Speaker 2: with this, and I was like, I.

562
00:26:52,640 --> 00:26:54,800
Speaker 1: Was like, just play the part. Just be I was like, hey,

563
00:26:56,160 --> 00:26:59,560
Speaker 1: strange question for you guys, and they're like, okay, are

564
00:26:59,560 --> 00:27:01,920
Speaker 1: we in tro I was like, no, no, everything's fine.

565
00:27:02,800 --> 00:27:04,560
Speaker 2: What kind of music do you guys listen to? And

566
00:27:04,560 --> 00:27:06,000
Speaker 2: then the one guy looks at another and he's like,

567
00:27:06,040 --> 00:27:08,000
Speaker 2: why is he asking us that. The guy goes, we

568
00:27:08,040 --> 00:27:10,880
Speaker 2: listened to hip hop and rap music. I was like, perfect,

569
00:27:11,640 --> 00:27:14,000
Speaker 2: ejected the CD, put it in the case. I was like,

570
00:27:14,560 --> 00:27:16,560
Speaker 2: check this out. I think you're gonna really like it.

571
00:27:16,880 --> 00:27:20,879
Speaker 2: They're like not what we expected, but thank you. And

572
00:27:20,920 --> 00:27:22,480
Speaker 2: I was like, all right, have a great one. I

573
00:27:22,520 --> 00:27:25,520
Speaker 2: should have been like peace out and then drove away,

574
00:27:25,840 --> 00:27:27,040
Speaker 2: but I didn't do that. I was like, all right,

575
00:27:27,080 --> 00:27:30,479
Speaker 2: have a good one. Sometimes God's gonna ask you to

576
00:27:30,480 --> 00:27:34,280
Speaker 2: do something that's odd. And when you look at Revelation ten,

577
00:27:34,280 --> 00:27:37,240
Speaker 2: when you get to verses eight through ten, John this

578
00:27:37,440 --> 00:27:40,119
Speaker 2: John gets asked to do something that's really odd.

579
00:27:40,760 --> 00:27:42,200
Speaker 1: Look at what it says. We already read it, but

580
00:27:42,200 --> 00:27:43,280
Speaker 1: I'm gonna read it again. It says.

581
00:27:43,280 --> 00:27:44,960
Speaker 2: Then the voice that I heard from heaven spoke to

582
00:27:45,000 --> 00:27:49,000
Speaker 2: me again, saying, go take the scroll that is open

583
00:27:49,040 --> 00:27:51,159
Speaker 2: in the hand of the Angel who is standing on

584
00:27:51,280 --> 00:27:53,679
Speaker 2: the sea and on the land. So I went to

585
00:27:53,720 --> 00:27:56,800
Speaker 2: the angel. Can you imagine this conversation. I'm gonna need

586
00:27:56,840 --> 00:27:59,080
Speaker 2: that thing, right, I'm gonna need that. So I went

587
00:27:59,080 --> 00:28:02,160
Speaker 2: to the angel. I told him, hey, you know, like hey,

588
00:28:02,320 --> 00:28:08,200
Speaker 2: giant angel, give me the little scroll. And he said

589
00:28:08,200 --> 00:28:17,160
Speaker 2: to me, take and eat it. It will make your

590
00:28:17,200 --> 00:28:19,600
Speaker 2: stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet

591
00:28:19,640 --> 00:28:22,000
Speaker 2: as honey. And then you have John. Look at what

592
00:28:22,040 --> 00:28:24,080
Speaker 2: he does, it says. And I took the little scroll

593
00:28:24,119 --> 00:28:26,960
Speaker 2: from the hand of the angel and I ate it.

594
00:28:26,960 --> 00:28:28,880
Speaker 2: It was sweet as honey in my mouth. But when

595
00:28:28,880 --> 00:28:33,280
Speaker 2: I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter. So

596
00:28:33,359 --> 00:28:37,320
Speaker 2: John's actually commanded to take that open scroll from the

597
00:28:37,359 --> 00:28:42,880
Speaker 2: angel and eat it. Now we have a dinner following

598
00:28:43,080 --> 00:28:44,920
Speaker 2: church Day. It's one of my favorite dinners of the year.

599
00:28:45,160 --> 00:28:47,040
Speaker 2: I hope you'll be able to stick around and enjoy

600
00:28:47,080 --> 00:28:49,280
Speaker 2: some food. But have you ever had something to eat

601
00:28:49,360 --> 00:28:52,040
Speaker 2: or drink that didn't make your stomach feel so good?

602
00:28:53,400 --> 00:28:55,360
Speaker 2: This is more information than you want to know, so

603
00:28:55,480 --> 00:29:00,000
Speaker 2: why not? But if I drink orange juice on it

604
00:29:00,000 --> 00:29:04,320
Speaker 2: an empty stomach, the acidic nature of it I find

605
00:29:04,440 --> 00:29:07,000
Speaker 2: very disturbing. It hurts my stomach to do it. So

606
00:29:07,040 --> 00:29:11,400
Speaker 2: I've noticed, don't do it. Let me follow that up

607
00:29:11,480 --> 00:29:15,200
Speaker 2: with something else at my daughter in law's insistence. All right,

608
00:29:15,240 --> 00:29:21,760
Speaker 2: so abby, you'll be my daughter in law twenty days, okay,

609
00:29:21,920 --> 00:29:24,440
Speaker 2: twenty days exactly. So I'm just gonna call you that now.

610
00:29:24,520 --> 00:29:27,240
Speaker 2: All right, We're just gonna like step up this game.

611
00:29:27,440 --> 00:29:29,200
Speaker 2: So at my daughter in law, not my future daughter

612
00:29:29,240 --> 00:29:30,840
Speaker 2: in law. I'm just gonna call you that now, all right,

613
00:29:31,600 --> 00:29:36,760
Speaker 2: at her insistence. I recently tried an energy drink and

614
00:29:36,840 --> 00:29:42,040
Speaker 2: I don't drink energy drinks, and it was a regrettable choice.

615
00:29:42,280 --> 00:29:44,240
Speaker 1: Now I will say it tasted good.

616
00:29:45,080 --> 00:29:48,160
Speaker 2: And this was while the weather was still warm, because

617
00:29:48,160 --> 00:29:49,640
Speaker 2: it was right before I went out to mow the lawn.

618
00:29:49,680 --> 00:29:51,240
Speaker 2: I was like, I could use a boost of energy

619
00:29:51,320 --> 00:29:54,600
Speaker 2: right now. So I bought two two cans of it,

620
00:29:54,640 --> 00:29:57,160
Speaker 2: one for her, one for me. I gave her hers

621
00:29:57,200 --> 00:29:59,000
Speaker 2: and I was like, all right, time for mine, and

622
00:29:59,040 --> 00:30:00,960
Speaker 2: I drank the whole thing and then I went out

623
00:30:00,960 --> 00:30:04,840
Speaker 2: to mow and it definitely gave me an energy boost.

624
00:30:04,840 --> 00:30:06,880
Speaker 2: And then after like soon after that, I was like,

625
00:30:07,720 --> 00:30:11,000
Speaker 2: what have I done? And it hurt so bad. I

626
00:30:11,040 --> 00:30:14,160
Speaker 2: was like oow, how why does she drink these things?

627
00:30:14,160 --> 00:30:16,040
Speaker 2: I still don't know, and I think of that every

628
00:30:16,040 --> 00:30:17,560
Speaker 2: time I see people drinking these things.

629
00:30:17,560 --> 00:30:18,840
Speaker 1: I was like, that hurts so bad.

630
00:30:19,160 --> 00:30:20,680
Speaker 2: And then you look at this here, and it says

631
00:30:20,840 --> 00:30:23,520
Speaker 2: you have the imagery that John's using when he describes

632
00:30:23,840 --> 00:30:27,000
Speaker 2: the taste of this scroll. What he ends up telling

633
00:30:27,120 --> 00:30:31,800
Speaker 2: us here is that it tasted good and then it hurt.

634
00:30:31,960 --> 00:30:34,760
Speaker 2: And by the way, it's not the first time it's

635
00:30:34,800 --> 00:30:38,000
Speaker 2: happened in the Bible. This isn't the first time that

636
00:30:38,400 --> 00:30:41,040
Speaker 2: a prophet's been asked to do this very thing. In fact,

637
00:30:41,240 --> 00:30:44,400
Speaker 2: Ezekiel experienced something very similar when God told him to

638
00:30:44,880 --> 00:30:47,600
Speaker 2: eat a scroll that was filled with words of lamentation

639
00:30:47,800 --> 00:30:51,600
Speaker 2: and judgment. And Ezekiel said, in Ezekiel three to three,

640
00:30:51,640 --> 00:30:54,200
Speaker 2: he said it was sweet in it was in my

641
00:30:54,200 --> 00:30:59,320
Speaker 2: mouth as sweet as honey. But then what happens, You know,

642
00:30:59,440 --> 00:31:01,000
Speaker 2: there's like a bitterness that comes with it.

643
00:31:01,000 --> 00:31:01,240
Speaker 1: All right.

644
00:31:01,320 --> 00:31:04,440
Speaker 2: Psaul nineteen verse ten speaks of the word of God

645
00:31:04,480 --> 00:31:07,680
Speaker 2: in our mouth. It says God's words are also sweeter

646
00:31:07,760 --> 00:31:12,080
Speaker 2: than honey. So there's this sweetness, but then there's this bitterness.

647
00:31:13,000 --> 00:31:16,280
Speaker 2: Sweetness and bitterness. You're like, what's this sweetness, what's this bitterness?

648
00:31:16,280 --> 00:31:17,200
Speaker 2: How does it work together?

649
00:31:17,440 --> 00:31:17,600
Speaker 1: Well?

650
00:31:17,640 --> 00:31:20,640
Speaker 2: God's word is sweet. I spend a significant amount of

651
00:31:20,680 --> 00:31:24,560
Speaker 2: my time each week studying the word of God. Not

652
00:31:24,680 --> 00:31:27,480
Speaker 2: because he makes me and not because I'm your pastor.

653
00:31:27,520 --> 00:31:29,440
Speaker 2: I'm your pastor because this is something that the Lord

654
00:31:29,440 --> 00:31:32,600
Speaker 2: impressed upon my heart before I was your pastor. He

655
00:31:32,680 --> 00:31:36,080
Speaker 2: developed within me over time a desire for his word.

656
00:31:36,160 --> 00:31:39,280
Speaker 2: I want to know what his word says. And his

657
00:31:39,320 --> 00:31:43,160
Speaker 2: word is sweet. There are times that I've read through

658
00:31:43,160 --> 00:31:44,920
Speaker 2: the Bible. I can't even tell you how many times

659
00:31:44,920 --> 00:31:47,960
Speaker 2: I've read through the Bible, now many many times. I've

660
00:31:47,960 --> 00:31:49,880
Speaker 2: read through every book of the Bible, every verse of

661
00:31:49,880 --> 00:31:53,080
Speaker 2: the Bible many times at this point. And I'm always

662
00:31:53,120 --> 00:31:56,400
Speaker 2: finding truth, sometimes things that I didn't catch the last

663
00:31:56,440 --> 00:31:58,440
Speaker 2: ten times I read it, and I'm like, how did

664
00:31:58,440 --> 00:32:00,800
Speaker 2: I not notice that before I've read this chapter, I've

665
00:32:00,840 --> 00:32:03,200
Speaker 2: read this verse how many times and I didn't notice

666
00:32:03,200 --> 00:32:04,560
Speaker 2: it or I didn't notice.

667
00:32:04,320 --> 00:32:07,280
Speaker 1: It in that way. And it's sweet.

668
00:32:07,880 --> 00:32:13,600
Speaker 2: It reveals hope, and that's sweet, reveals redemption through faith

669
00:32:13,600 --> 00:32:14,480
Speaker 2: in Jesus Christ.

670
00:32:14,560 --> 00:32:16,520
Speaker 1: I experienced a gift of redemption. That's sweet.

671
00:32:17,480 --> 00:32:20,440
Speaker 2: God's the entirety of God's word is pointing us to Jesus,

672
00:32:20,480 --> 00:32:22,960
Speaker 2: the Lamb who is slain, the King who is coming again.

673
00:32:24,560 --> 00:32:25,160
Speaker 1: That's sweet.

674
00:32:26,040 --> 00:32:28,680
Speaker 2: But God's word can also seem bitter at times. Why

675
00:32:28,720 --> 00:32:33,000
Speaker 2: does it sometimes seem bitter, Well, it confronts sin, and

676
00:32:33,040 --> 00:32:36,440
Speaker 2: that's not pleasant, at least in the moment, if it's

677
00:32:36,480 --> 00:32:39,880
Speaker 2: confronting a sin that you're currently indulging in. So sometimes

678
00:32:39,920 --> 00:32:43,560
Speaker 2: I'll come across something in scripture and I'll be like, Yeah,

679
00:32:43,760 --> 00:32:46,120
Speaker 2: that's telling me I need to experience some life change

680
00:32:46,160 --> 00:32:50,080
Speaker 2: in that area, that attitude, that action, whatever it may be,

681
00:32:50,280 --> 00:32:54,160
Speaker 2: every category. Sometimes God's word announces judgment, and that can

682
00:32:54,200 --> 00:32:55,080
Speaker 2: feel a bit bitter too.

683
00:32:55,240 --> 00:32:58,560
Speaker 1: The Book of Revelation, judgment after judgment after judgment.

684
00:33:00,120 --> 00:33:01,720
Speaker 2: Other times, when we saw this at the end of

685
00:33:01,800 --> 00:33:04,720
Speaker 2: chapter nine, what does God's word do? It calls out

686
00:33:04,800 --> 00:33:08,000
Speaker 2: to repentance. But to actually repent, you have to admit

687
00:33:08,040 --> 00:33:09,880
Speaker 2: that there's a problem. And most people would rather not

688
00:33:09,960 --> 00:33:13,040
Speaker 2: admit that there's a problem. Most people would rather just

689
00:33:13,120 --> 00:33:16,240
Speaker 2: kind of go through life and just create this illusion

690
00:33:16,240 --> 00:33:19,000
Speaker 2: and live in this illusion that everything's fine. Everything's not fine.

691
00:33:20,040 --> 00:33:22,120
Speaker 2: So sometimes the word of God feels sweet. Sometimes it

692
00:33:22,120 --> 00:33:25,560
Speaker 2: feels bitter, but it's always helpful. I think the Gospel

693
00:33:25,600 --> 00:33:29,200
Speaker 2: itself carries this dual reality. I think it's sweet to

694
00:33:29,240 --> 00:33:31,440
Speaker 2: know that Jesus died for sinners. I think it's sweet

695
00:33:31,440 --> 00:33:34,520
Speaker 2: to know that Jesus rose from the grave, defeating death.

696
00:33:34,760 --> 00:33:38,280
Speaker 2: I think it's sweet to know that Jesus offers forgiveness

697
00:33:38,840 --> 00:33:43,200
Speaker 2: an eternal life to everyone who believes. I think it's

698
00:33:43,200 --> 00:33:46,160
Speaker 2: also a little bit bitter to acknowledge that judgment is real,

699
00:33:47,000 --> 00:33:51,240
Speaker 2: that sin has consequences, and that not everyone we know

700
00:33:51,320 --> 00:33:54,560
Speaker 2: and love is going to respond to God's grace. That

701
00:33:54,600 --> 00:33:58,640
Speaker 2: feels a bit bitter, doesn't it? If we only want

702
00:33:58,640 --> 00:34:02,520
Speaker 2: the sweetness without the bitterness, have we truly consumed God's word?

703
00:34:03,080 --> 00:34:05,000
Speaker 2: If you only want the sweetness and not the bitterness,

704
00:34:05,240 --> 00:34:07,240
Speaker 2: do you really even get what you're reading? Do I

705
00:34:07,280 --> 00:34:08,920
Speaker 2: really get what I'm reading? If I only want the

706
00:34:08,920 --> 00:34:11,680
Speaker 2: sweetness and not the bitterness. Scripture shapes us when we

707
00:34:11,760 --> 00:34:16,920
Speaker 2: receive all of it, both the comfort and the conviction,

708
00:34:17,600 --> 00:34:20,440
Speaker 2: and we're not supposed to skip any of it.

709
00:34:20,520 --> 00:34:21,719
Speaker 1: Taste sweet feels bitter.

710
00:34:21,800 --> 00:34:25,800
Speaker 2: Sometimes it is what it is, and that moment reminds

711
00:34:25,880 --> 00:34:29,400
Speaker 2: us here that God's word is meant to be internalized

712
00:34:29,480 --> 00:34:31,920
Speaker 2: in a particular way. It's not just to be observed,

713
00:34:31,960 --> 00:34:35,560
Speaker 2: it's to be internalized. So John doesn't merely read the scroll,

714
00:34:35,680 --> 00:34:37,920
Speaker 2: he eats it. And so in our context, I look

715
00:34:37,920 --> 00:34:41,000
Speaker 2: at this, I think, devour the word of God. Devour it,

716
00:34:41,120 --> 00:34:45,160
Speaker 2: consume it daily, make it something that you just consume daily.

717
00:34:45,239 --> 00:34:48,880
Speaker 2: God's truth must move from our eyes to our hearts,

718
00:34:49,280 --> 00:34:52,200
Speaker 2: to our lives. And we've got to consume it. And

719
00:34:52,200 --> 00:34:55,160
Speaker 2: it's going to taste sweet, it's going to feel better.

720
00:34:56,640 --> 00:35:00,000
Speaker 2: Let it be both. It'll have a good effect on you.

721
00:35:01,120 --> 00:35:03,520
Speaker 2: One last verse that John brings up in this chapter,

722
00:35:03,560 --> 00:35:06,880
Speaker 2: and that's verse eleven. It says, and I was told

723
00:35:06,920 --> 00:35:10,759
Speaker 2: you must again prophesy about many peoples and nations and

724
00:35:10,880 --> 00:35:16,839
Speaker 2: languages and kings. So that's how this that's how this

725
00:35:17,080 --> 00:35:21,279
Speaker 2: ends here. You know, John is like recommissioned at this point.

726
00:35:21,400 --> 00:35:25,080
Speaker 2: John is recommissioned to speak and to share the messages

727
00:35:25,080 --> 00:35:29,000
Speaker 2: that God's revealing to him with others. He's supposed to

728
00:35:29,040 --> 00:35:31,239
Speaker 2: convey these things, but God's revealing these things to him.

729
00:35:31,280 --> 00:35:34,680
Speaker 2: I think it's fair to say that God's revelation. If

730
00:35:34,680 --> 00:35:37,520
Speaker 2: God reveals something like that to a man, that that also.

731
00:35:37,320 --> 00:35:38,520
Speaker 1: Leads to responsibility.

732
00:35:38,560 --> 00:35:40,239
Speaker 2: If God's doing a work in your life. That means

733
00:35:40,280 --> 00:35:43,239
Speaker 2: He's also making you responsible to share that blessing with

734
00:35:43,320 --> 00:35:45,239
Speaker 2: somebody else. And I look at that and I think

735
00:35:45,239 --> 00:35:48,080
Speaker 2: that recommissioning that John experience is here in this portion

736
00:35:48,120 --> 00:35:51,320
Speaker 2: of Scripture. I think it underscores the the the global

737
00:35:51,440 --> 00:35:54,000
Speaker 2: scope of God's plan because when you look at the

738
00:35:54,040 --> 00:35:58,960
Speaker 2: judgments of the Tribulation, they're not something that's limited to

739
00:35:59,080 --> 00:36:02,040
Speaker 2: just one geograph, one nation, one region.

740
00:36:02,040 --> 00:36:03,120
Speaker 1: It's worldwide, right.

741
00:36:03,160 --> 00:36:06,360
Speaker 2: They affect all people, and the call to proclaim God's

742
00:36:06,360 --> 00:36:09,319
Speaker 2: truth likewise extends to the entire world because John's being

743
00:36:09,320 --> 00:36:12,480
Speaker 2: told listen, be a prophet, tell the truth to the

744
00:36:12,520 --> 00:36:15,920
Speaker 2: people and the nations, not just a small geographic area,

745
00:36:16,920 --> 00:36:19,960
Speaker 2: but the nations. And I also think this verse speaks

746
00:36:19,960 --> 00:36:22,880
Speaker 2: to believers today. And while we're not prophets in the

747
00:36:22,920 --> 00:36:24,680
Speaker 2: same sense that John was a prophet.

748
00:36:24,440 --> 00:36:27,160
Speaker 1: We are witnesses. You are a witness.

749
00:36:28,280 --> 00:36:31,719
Speaker 2: We've received the Gospel, which means we're also called to

750
00:36:31,760 --> 00:36:34,200
Speaker 2: speak it and live it and share it faithfully. I

751
00:36:34,239 --> 00:36:37,840
Speaker 2: love what Jesus told his disciples in Acts Chapter one,

752
00:36:38,320 --> 00:36:38,719
Speaker 2: verse eight.

753
00:36:38,760 --> 00:36:39,400
Speaker 1: What did he say?

754
00:36:39,560 --> 00:36:42,080
Speaker 2: He says, you will receive power when the Holy Spirit

755
00:36:42,120 --> 00:36:45,080
Speaker 2: has come upon you, has he not done that. The

756
00:36:45,080 --> 00:36:48,040
Speaker 2: moment you trusted in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit took

757
00:36:48,120 --> 00:36:52,360
Speaker 2: up residence within you. You are indwelled by the Holy Spirit,

758
00:36:52,400 --> 00:36:55,240
Speaker 2: the third person of the Trinity God. The Holy Spirit

759
00:36:55,320 --> 00:36:58,080
Speaker 2: actually lives within you. You are not left powerless in

760
00:36:58,080 --> 00:37:01,840
Speaker 2: this world. You've been given divine power for a divine task. Again,

761
00:37:01,960 --> 00:37:05,680
Speaker 2: Jesus says, you will receive power when the Holy Spirit

762
00:37:05,680 --> 00:37:08,040
Speaker 2: has come upon you, and you will be my what

763
00:37:08,880 --> 00:37:14,239
Speaker 2: witnesses where locally in Jerusalem, and then broader and in

764
00:37:14,360 --> 00:37:18,680
Speaker 2: all Judea, and then broader and Samaria, and then real.

765
00:37:18,520 --> 00:37:20,840
Speaker 1: Broad and to the end of the earth.

766
00:37:22,200 --> 00:37:26,000
Speaker 2: Make sure everybody everywhere has the opportunity to hear. Now

767
00:37:26,000 --> 00:37:28,080
Speaker 2: it's kind of interesting because you look at this, you say,

768
00:37:28,080 --> 00:37:30,880
Speaker 2: all right, this is the mission that continues until Christ returns.

769
00:37:31,200 --> 00:37:33,280
Speaker 2: A mission John was certainly given, but it's a mission

770
00:37:33,320 --> 00:37:35,080
Speaker 2: you and I are given as well. It's not just

771
00:37:35,080 --> 00:37:39,919
Speaker 2: for the apostle John, it's also for us. And even

772
00:37:39,920 --> 00:37:42,400
Speaker 2: though Jesus isn't directly named in this chapter, you do

773
00:37:42,440 --> 00:37:45,080
Speaker 2: see his fingerprints all over the place, don't you, especially

774
00:37:45,120 --> 00:37:47,480
Speaker 2: when you connect it to the earlier portions. He's central

775
00:37:47,520 --> 00:37:50,240
Speaker 2: to every single thing that's revealed here. He's the one

776
00:37:50,400 --> 00:37:53,840
Speaker 2: again who opened the seal on the scroll earlier in Revelation.

777
00:37:54,520 --> 00:37:58,200
Speaker 2: Jesus is the fulfillment of God's mystery. Scripture also tells

778
00:37:58,280 --> 00:38:00,719
Speaker 2: us in the New Testament John here's talking a mystery. Well,

779
00:38:00,800 --> 00:38:03,480
Speaker 2: Jesus is the fulfillment of it. Jesus is also the

780
00:38:03,600 --> 00:38:07,200
Speaker 2: judge who brings justice. Jesus is also the savior who

781
00:38:07,200 --> 00:38:11,080
Speaker 2: brings mercy. So all of this resolves in Jesus. I

782
00:38:11,120 --> 00:38:13,360
Speaker 2: even think the sweetness of this scroll points to the

783
00:38:13,400 --> 00:38:17,080
Speaker 2: grace found in Jesus, because when you connect that sweetness

784
00:38:17,120 --> 00:38:19,840
Speaker 2: to what God's actually doing, the grace of God is

785
00:38:19,880 --> 00:38:22,160
Speaker 2: a sweet thing. The grace of God found in Christ.

786
00:38:22,520 --> 00:38:25,160
Speaker 2: I think the sweetness of that scroll I fits right.

787
00:38:25,000 --> 00:38:25,879
Speaker 1: Hand in hand with that.

788
00:38:26,239 --> 00:38:29,279
Speaker 2: I also think the bitterness points directly to the cost

789
00:38:29,360 --> 00:38:33,880
Speaker 2: of rejecting him. The bitterness of that scroll the cost

790
00:38:33,880 --> 00:38:34,600
Speaker 2: of rejecting him.

791
00:38:34,640 --> 00:38:35,480
Speaker 1: It's tied to that.

792
00:38:36,760 --> 00:38:38,960
Speaker 2: I think the open book reminds us that God has

793
00:38:39,040 --> 00:38:42,200
Speaker 2: not hidden his plan, He's revealed it fully through his son.

794
00:38:42,280 --> 00:38:44,880
Speaker 2: In fact, Scripture tells us that Jesus is the Word

795
00:38:44,960 --> 00:38:48,120
Speaker 2: made flesh. He's the final and complete revelation of God.

796
00:38:48,160 --> 00:38:50,880
Speaker 2: Hebrews Chapter one tells us that God spoke through the

797
00:38:50,880 --> 00:38:53,320
Speaker 2: prophets in many ways, but in these last days he

798
00:38:53,360 --> 00:39:00,239
Speaker 2: has spoken to us. How by his son, What can

799
00:39:00,239 --> 00:39:02,360
Speaker 2: we do with this? You know, if you're looking at

800
00:39:02,400 --> 00:39:04,759
Speaker 2: Revelation chapter ten, even if you don't feel super well

801
00:39:04,840 --> 00:39:07,399
Speaker 2: versed in the Book of Revelation, what came before, what's

802
00:39:07,440 --> 00:39:08,120
Speaker 2: going to come after?

803
00:39:08,640 --> 00:39:11,240
Speaker 1: It's this interlude chapter. It's a really interesting chapter.

804
00:39:11,960 --> 00:39:13,640
Speaker 2: This is what I think it's doing for us in

805
00:39:13,680 --> 00:39:16,840
Speaker 2: a nutshell, I think Revelation ten invites us to trust

806
00:39:16,880 --> 00:39:22,000
Speaker 2: God's timing, to consume his word fully, and to speak

807
00:39:22,040 --> 00:39:26,279
Speaker 2: his truth faithfully. Let me say those three things again.

808
00:39:26,080 --> 00:39:30,200
Speaker 2: I think this chapter is teaching us to trust God's timing.

809
00:39:30,520 --> 00:39:32,760
Speaker 2: So let me pause for a second. Trust God's timing.

810
00:39:33,440 --> 00:39:35,439
Speaker 2: Think about how that applies to your life right now.

811
00:39:35,560 --> 00:39:44,480
Speaker 2: Trust God's timing. Consume his word fully, Devour it sweet parts,

812
00:39:44,480 --> 00:39:46,839
Speaker 2: bitter parts, don't skip anything whole meal.

813
00:39:47,560 --> 00:39:49,040
Speaker 1: Consume his word fully.

814
00:39:50,520 --> 00:39:53,080
Speaker 2: And as you trust his timing and consume his word fully,

815
00:39:53,400 --> 00:39:57,640
Speaker 2: speak his truth faithfully. Be that ambassador to the end

816
00:39:57,719 --> 00:39:59,920
Speaker 2: of the earth. That's the calling God's given you. Any

817
00:40:00,000 --> 00:40:01,759
Speaker 2: He's also said, I don't even expect you to do

818
00:40:01,840 --> 00:40:03,759
Speaker 2: this in your own power. That's why I'm giving you

819
00:40:03,800 --> 00:40:05,319
Speaker 2: the power to do it. You think, do I have

820
00:40:05,320 --> 00:40:06,760
Speaker 2: the power to do this? Do I have the power

821
00:40:06,760 --> 00:40:09,239
Speaker 2: to talk to people I don't know? When you when

822
00:40:09,280 --> 00:40:10,680
Speaker 2: you have that wonder in your mind, do I have

823
00:40:10,680 --> 00:40:12,680
Speaker 2: the power to speak to people I don't know? Please

824
00:40:12,719 --> 00:40:17,680
Speaker 2: remember your pastor in a suit, listening to rap music,

825
00:40:18,400 --> 00:40:20,040
Speaker 2: hearing from God saying.

826
00:40:20,040 --> 00:40:21,360
Speaker 1: You better talk to those people.

827
00:40:21,840 --> 00:40:23,239
Speaker 2: I think I would have felt guilty for the rest

828
00:40:23,280 --> 00:40:25,480
Speaker 2: of my life if I didn't stop that car and

829
00:40:25,520 --> 00:40:27,279
Speaker 2: talk to those guys. I have no idea what came

830
00:40:27,320 --> 00:40:29,960
Speaker 2: of it, but I was absolutely convincing that moment. It's like,

831
00:40:30,000 --> 00:40:31,840
Speaker 2: this is how you're going to evangelize today. You're going

832
00:40:31,880 --> 00:40:35,280
Speaker 2: to share that CD. I got another copy of that CD,

833
00:40:35,360 --> 00:40:38,640
Speaker 2: by the way, and I actually I'm not kidding. I

834
00:40:38,680 --> 00:40:41,000
Speaker 2: am not kidding. That story happened twenty five years ago.

835
00:40:41,280 --> 00:40:43,400
Speaker 2: I have that CD in my car right now. I

836
00:40:43,480 --> 00:40:45,120
Speaker 2: just thought of that. I have that CD in my

837
00:40:45,200 --> 00:40:47,080
Speaker 2: car right now. I just put it in there the

838
00:40:47,160 --> 00:40:50,640
Speaker 2: other day. I guess it was important to me. But

839
00:40:50,680 --> 00:40:53,400
Speaker 2: I will tell you this, if you're in a season

840
00:40:53,400 --> 00:40:56,000
Speaker 2: of waiting, remember that God's plan is not delayed if

841
00:40:56,000 --> 00:40:59,480
Speaker 2: it's unfolding, except that it's unfolding if you're wrestling with

842
00:40:59,560 --> 00:41:01,799
Speaker 2: hard truth and scripture, which if you dare to read

843
00:41:01,800 --> 00:41:04,360
Speaker 2: the Bible, you're going to find some hard stuff. Don't

844
00:41:04,400 --> 00:41:07,680
Speaker 2: shy away from it. Let God's word shape you even

845
00:41:07,680 --> 00:41:10,440
Speaker 2: when it challenges you. If you feel hesitant to speak

846
00:41:10,480 --> 00:41:13,800
Speaker 2: your faith, remember that God calls his people to proclaim

847
00:41:14,000 --> 00:41:15,640
Speaker 2: what he has revealed to them, and then he.

848
00:41:15,600 --> 00:41:16,799
Speaker 1: Gives us the power to do it.

849
00:41:17,040 --> 00:41:20,040
Speaker 2: Because Jesus is still inviting sinners to come before him.

850
00:41:20,800 --> 00:41:23,480
Speaker 2: He's inviting them to do it before the final trumpet sounds.

851
00:41:23,760 --> 00:41:25,960
Speaker 2: And you even see this interlude here saying before the

852
00:41:26,000 --> 00:41:29,359
Speaker 2: final trumpet sounds, people are given the opportunity to hear.

853
00:41:30,160 --> 00:41:32,359
Speaker 2: I think this chapter reminds us that history is moving

854
00:41:32,360 --> 00:41:35,880
Speaker 2: toward a conclusion, and that that conclusion is centered on

855
00:41:35,960 --> 00:41:38,560
Speaker 2: Christ himself. And until that day we live as people

856
00:41:38,760 --> 00:41:43,080
Speaker 2: who have tasted the Word, and we trust the Lord

857
00:41:43,120 --> 00:41:46,920
Speaker 2: of time. We're given the privilege to speak the Gospel

858
00:41:46,920 --> 00:41:50,000
Speaker 2: with humility and with courage.

859
00:41:50,880 --> 00:41:52,080
Speaker 1: And with hope.

860
00:41:52,239 --> 00:41:56,920
Speaker 2: Let's pray, Lord, thank you so much for your word

861
00:41:57,400 --> 00:41:59,200
Speaker 2: and for the privilege that it is to be able

862
00:41:59,200 --> 00:42:01,240
Speaker 2: to look at a portion of scripture like this today

863
00:42:01,280 --> 00:42:04,839
Speaker 2: and to just think about these things and what it

864
00:42:04,880 --> 00:42:09,399
Speaker 2: actually means. Lord, we know that there are details here

865
00:42:09,440 --> 00:42:14,240
Speaker 2: that are sealed up, and that's fine. Obviously we're curious

866
00:42:14,280 --> 00:42:15,799
Speaker 2: about it. And there'll be a time when you make

867
00:42:15,840 --> 00:42:20,320
Speaker 2: these things known to us. It's not today, but it'll happen.

868
00:42:21,600 --> 00:42:24,279
Speaker 2: But Lord, we're grateful for what you've already revealed to us,

869
00:42:24,320 --> 00:42:27,200
Speaker 2: even all the rest of the details of the passage. Lord,

870
00:42:27,480 --> 00:42:30,360
Speaker 2: help us to not even take that for granted. You

871
00:42:30,440 --> 00:42:32,560
Speaker 2: showed these things to John, he wrote them down. They've

872
00:42:32,600 --> 00:42:35,080
Speaker 2: been passed along to the church throughout the centuries. Here

873
00:42:35,120 --> 00:42:39,560
Speaker 2: we are, many many centuries later, reading them and thinking

874
00:42:39,560 --> 00:42:42,160
Speaker 2: about them and picturing them in our minds, and recognizing

875
00:42:42,200 --> 00:42:45,120
Speaker 2: that this is an impetus. This is a push for

876
00:42:45,239 --> 00:42:47,759
Speaker 2: us to trust in your son, Jesus Christ, through whom

877
00:42:47,760 --> 00:42:51,000
Speaker 2: we are rescued, through whom we are redeemed. The gospel

878
00:42:51,080 --> 00:42:56,319
Speaker 2: is so sweet that through your son, who lived the

879
00:42:56,360 --> 00:42:59,040
Speaker 2: perfect life, we couldn't live. And then atone for our

880
00:42:59,160 --> 00:43:02,040
Speaker 2: sin when he died on the cross and then rose

881
00:43:02,040 --> 00:43:05,400
Speaker 2: from the grave, showing that death is now a defeated foe.

882
00:43:06,719 --> 00:43:10,080
Speaker 2: You now tell us in your word, we can look

883
00:43:10,080 --> 00:43:12,320
Speaker 2: at something like death and say, where O death is

884
00:43:12,360 --> 00:43:12,920
Speaker 2: your victory?

885
00:43:12,960 --> 00:43:13,960
Speaker 1: Where is your sting?

886
00:43:15,800 --> 00:43:19,160
Speaker 2: It doesn't have a victory over us because of your son,

887
00:43:19,280 --> 00:43:20,040
Speaker 2: Jesus Christ.

888
00:43:20,120 --> 00:43:21,520
Speaker 1: And so your word is sweet.

889
00:43:22,239 --> 00:43:24,200
Speaker 2: But Lord, there's also a pain that we feel in

890
00:43:24,239 --> 00:43:26,120
Speaker 2: our stomach because we know that there are people that

891
00:43:26,160 --> 00:43:28,440
Speaker 2: we love deeply, people that you love as well, who

892
00:43:28,520 --> 00:43:32,120
Speaker 2: completely reject you, have no desire to walk with you,

893
00:43:32,160 --> 00:43:35,520
Speaker 2: have no desire to understand the hope of the Gospel,

894
00:43:35,520 --> 00:43:36,359
Speaker 2: who would rather go.

895
00:43:36,360 --> 00:43:37,040
Speaker 1: Their own way.

896
00:43:37,040 --> 00:43:39,160
Speaker 2: And Lord, there are people we genuinely care about who

897
00:43:39,200 --> 00:43:42,200
Speaker 2: are wrestling with these things. And since that's the case, Lord,

898
00:43:42,239 --> 00:43:44,080
Speaker 2: we just lift them up before you, and we pray

899
00:43:44,120 --> 00:43:47,080
Speaker 2: that for whomever you're bringing to our mind right now,

900
00:43:47,440 --> 00:43:50,600
Speaker 2: but you would draw them close to you before that

901
00:43:50,680 --> 00:43:51,800
Speaker 2: last trumpet sounds.

902
00:43:53,360 --> 00:43:55,320
Speaker 1: You draw them unto yourself.

903
00:43:56,280 --> 00:43:59,000
Speaker 2: That today would be the day of their salvation, and that,

904
00:43:59,120 --> 00:44:01,439
Speaker 2: by your grace, we would be confident in the fact

905
00:44:01,480 --> 00:44:03,640
Speaker 2: that you've told us in Acts one to eight that

906
00:44:03,719 --> 00:44:06,000
Speaker 2: we have power to be your witnesses. And so Lord,

907
00:44:06,040 --> 00:44:08,440
Speaker 2: help us not to be fearful when you give us

908
00:44:08,480 --> 00:44:11,319
Speaker 2: those opportunities. Help us to be witnesses because it's through

909
00:44:11,360 --> 00:44:13,960
Speaker 2: your people that you speak to the people that will

910
00:44:13,960 --> 00:44:17,040
Speaker 2: come to faith. It's through us that you're speaking, So Lord,

911
00:44:17,080 --> 00:44:20,760
Speaker 2: help us to understand and accept that responsibility with joy.

912
00:44:21,560 --> 00:44:23,600
Speaker 2: But Father, thank you so much for what you're teaching

913
00:44:23,680 --> 00:44:25,239
Speaker 2: us right now. Even if we're in the midst of

914
00:44:25,280 --> 00:44:28,120
Speaker 2: a season of waiting. We know Lord that you are good,

915
00:44:28,200 --> 00:44:30,240
Speaker 2: and we're grateful for the fact that you are present

916
00:44:30,280 --> 00:44:32,640
Speaker 2: with us. So we thank you for all of these things.

917
00:44:32,680 --> 00:44:34,919
Speaker 2: We're grateful for your word and grateful for the fact

918
00:44:34,920 --> 00:44:36,920
Speaker 2: that it has a formative effect upon us as we

919
00:44:36,960 --> 00:44:38,799
Speaker 2: look at it. We thank you for all of this

920
00:44:38,960 --> 00:44:39,879
Speaker 2: in Jesus' name.

921
00:44:41,040 --> 00:44:41,400
Speaker 1: Amen.