Revelation Ch7v1-17-Ch8v2 - Secure In Jesus

Thanks, Radha.

So all the talks have been recorded.

If you've missed any, you can follow up on our website.

You should have received a link recently.

Ralph sent that around, which is helpful to us all.

So let's hear God's word to us.

We're going to start at Revelation chapter 1 through to the end of the chapter.

Revelation 1 · chapter mention

Revelation. Sorry, did I say chapter 1?

Chapter 7. Thank you.

After this, I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth,

holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea,

or on any tree.

Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God.

He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea.

Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.

Then I heard the number of those who were sealed.

144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.

From the tribe of Judah, 12,000 were sealed.

From the tribe of Reuben, 12,000.

From the tribe of Gad, 12,000.

From the tribe of Asher, 12,000.

From the tribe of Naphtali, 12,000.

From the tribe of Manasseh, 12,000.

From the tribe of Simeon, 12,000.

From the tribe of Levi, 12,000.

From the tribe of Ishikar, 12,000.

From the tribe of Zebulun, 12,000.

From the tribe of Joseph, 12,000.

From the tribe of Benjamin, 12,000.

After this I looked.

And there before me was a multitude that no one could count.

From every nation, tribe, people and language.

Standing before the throne and before the Lamb.

They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.

And they cried out in a loud voice.

Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb.

All the angels were standing round the throne and round the elders and the four living creatures.

They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshipped God saying.

Amen.

Praise and glory.

And wisdom and thanks and honour and power and strength.

Be to our God forever and ever.

Amen.

Then one of the elders asked me.

These in white robes.

Who are they?

And where did they come from?

I answered.

Sir, you know.

And he said.

These are they who have come out of the great tribulation.

They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

Therefore, they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple.

And he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence.

Never again will they hunger.

Never again will they thirst.

The sun will not beat down on them nor any scorching heat.

For the Lamb at the centre of the throne will be their shepherd.

And he will lead them to springs of living water.

And God will wipe every tear from their eyes.

Let's pray.

Amen.

Right now as we sit, as we listen, as we read your word.

Right now heaven is singing in praise.

Salvation to our God.

Father, we want to know your salvation.

We want every person here.

And every person in our families.

In our community.

To know the salvation of God.

And so we pray that you would give us a vision afresh.

Of all that you have done.

Amen.

So that we may be filled with hope and encouragement.

To share that salvation with others.

Please do that work amongst us.

We ask for nothing less.

And it's for your glory.

And your honour.

And your praise.

Amen.

Well, I had begun with great confidence.

Walking up Mangerton in Kerry was easy as far as I was concerned.

I had spotted a few other walkers in the distance.

So felt I was rather safe.

But once at the top, it started to rain.

And then the winds started blowing.

And then the clouds came down.

I continued on.

But the wind got stronger.

The visibility less.

And then I had one of those terrible thoughts.

As the cloud just cleared for just a moment.

There to my left hand side was this sheer drop.

Johnny.

You're not going to make it.

I didn't like to admit it.

But I was struggling.

I began to doubt that I would actually get down to the bottom.

Now perhaps that's how you feel about the Christian life.

You wonder if you're going to make it through.

Am I going to get to that eternal glory?

The struggles we face.

The trials we go through.

Are like a storm.

The winds blowing.

And we begin to have this terrible thought.

I'm not sure I'm going to get through this.

Well that's why we have chapter 7 of Revelation.

Because it will show us that if we are Christians.

And for anybody who puts their trust in Christ.

Then not even suffering.

Not even sin.

And not even Satan.

Will be able to destroy.

Our salvation.

In fact we're going to discover.

That because of God.

Our salvation.

Is absolutely secure.

Because that's the song of heaven isn't it?

Do you see it there in verse 10?

Salvation belongs.

To our God.

God secures.

Our salvation.

So as we go through.

Chapter 7.

We're going to look at three big themes.

Secure.

In our suffering.

Secure.

On judgment day.

And secure.

For eternity.

Secure in suffering.

Secure in judgment.

And secure.

In eternity.

So first.

Secure.

Secure.

Secure.

Secure.

In suffering.

Look at verse 1.

After this.

Well.

After what?

Well.

In chapter 6.

We learn that Christians.

Go through times.

Of terrible suffering.

But now.

As we venture into chapter 7.

John sees something else in his vision.

That Christians will be kept.

In.

Their suffering.

You see.

Chapter 6.

And chapter 7.

Look at the same event.

But from a different perspective.

If you wanted to write a heading over chapter 6.

You could say struggles.

And over chapter 7.

You could write security.

So two things are going to help us understand.

Our security.

First.

Oddly.

You might think.

Suffering is promised.

Let's read verse 1.

After this I saw four angels.

Standing at the four corners of the earth.

So these are angels.

God's servants.

Who have all authority.

Over the whole world.

What are they doing?

Well.

They're holding back the four winds of the earth.

To prevent any wind from blowing on the land.

Or on the sea.

Or on any tree.

Now these four winds.

Are not good.

They are devastating.

It leads to terrible destruction.

And relentless death.

I think these four winds.

Are actually a reference back.

To the four horsemen.

That we saw in chapter 6.

Let's remind ourselves of them.

Just turn back to chapter 6.

Verse 2.

Verse 2.

Verse 2.

Verse 2.

The four horsemen describe the suffering that comes.

That's unleashed.

Verse 2.

I looked and there before me was a white horse.

Its rider held a bow.

That's a weapon of war.

And was given a crown.

And he rode out as a conqueror.

Bent on conquest.

Then verse 4.

Another horse came out.

A fiery red one.

Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth.

And to make people kill each other.

To him was given a large sword.

And then verse 5.

Middle of verse 5.

We see there was a black horse.

Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand.

And I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures saying.

A kilogram of wheat for a day's wages.

And three kilograms of barley for a day's wages.

It was extortion.

And do not damage the oil and the wine.

And there wasn't much left.

And then in verse 8 we read.

That there was a pale horse.

Its rider was named Death.

And Hades, the place of death.

Was following close behind him.

And they were given power over a quarter of the earth.

To kill by sword, famine and plague.

And by the wild beasts of the earth.

You see the message of chapter 6 there is that Christians are to expect times of suffering.

And that's the point of chapter 7 at the beginning.

The four winds will bring about the same effect.

Look what the other angel says in chapter 7 and verse 2.

The middle of verse 2.

The angel called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given, what?

Power to harm the land and the sea.

Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees.

You see this is the experience of life.

This side of the return of Jesus.

We will go through times of suffering.

Now I know you know one another and you know people's stories.

And I know some of your stories.

And some of you here have experienced upheaval in your own countries.

War.

Some of you amongst your families have experienced violent bloodshed.

Some economic injustice.

And for us all sadly the deaths of loved ones.

You see when these winds blow.

They can knock us down.

And we begin to ask.

Where are you God?

Why are you allowing this?

Don't you care?

It shakes our salvation to the very core.

And we wonder.

Am I going to make it through?

All this suffering.

Has God abandoned me?

Doesn't he love me?

Is he giving up on me?

And in our moments of grief and pain.

We have this terrible thought.

I'm not going to make it.

Well thankfully.

That's not the only thing we see.

Because not only is suffering promised.

But salvation is protected.

You see verse 1.

We've got this picture of the four winds of destruction coming.

Which is about to be unleashed on the world.

But before it does happen.

Let's read verse 2 again.

Then something happens.

I saw another angel coming up from the east.

Having the seal of the living God.

He called out in a loud voice to the other four angels.

Who had been given power to harm the land and the sea.

Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees.

Don't harm the world.

Until we put a seal on the foreheads.

The servants of the servants of our God.

This is the command of heaven.

It's saying we need to protect the servants of God.

We need to secure the Christians.

The suffering is going to come.

It will be experienced.

But through it all.

Your salvation will be protected.

That protection is symbolised.

Verse 3.

With a seal on your forehead.

A name will be put on your forehead.

To mark you out as belonging to God.

Look what God has already said to his church.

Have a look back in chapter 3.

Verse 12.

As we think about this mark.

This name that is given to his people.

Chapter 3.

Verse 12.

In the middle of verse 12 we read.

God says to his people.

I will write on them the name of my God.

And the name of the city of my God.

The new Jerusalem.

Which is coming down out of heaven from my God.

And I will also write on them my new name.

Go back to chapter 7.

It reads like an addressed envelope.

It's like God has tattooed an address on your forehead.

Stamped on your head.

Name.

God's son.

God's daughter.

What's your address?

The city of God.

The new Jerusalem.

You're going to get there.

Of course it's not a real stamp.

It's not a real tattoo.

It's symbolism to say that God has put his seal of ownership on his servants.

He knows who belongs to him.

Each one of his people is identifiable.

Each one is secure with their God given identity.

You see God has his name on his children.

He knows who belongs to him.

And he will keep you.

He will not forget you.

He will never leave you.

In fact, not one of God's servants will ever be forgotten.

That's what we have in verse 4, don't we?

Read with me verse 4.

Then I heard the number of those who were sealed.

We have revealed 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.

Now, we're not to make the same mistake as the Jehovah Witnesses who take this as a literal 144,000 people

who are somehow going to reach paradise and it's just them and then everybody else is kind of left to something else.

no it's symbolism for all the people of God

this is a picture of the true Israel

the true children of Abraham

those who have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ

you see the important thing to notice is

this is a full and complete number

verse 5

from the tribe of Judah

12,000 were sealed

from the tribe of Reuben

12,000 and they were sealed

and from the tribe of God

12,000 and they were sealed

and so on

in other words

not one of God's people is forgotten

they are all accounted for

there is a definite amount

and they are all named and known by God

not one is missing

you see if you are trusting in Christ today

you are part of that great number

you are known

and not forgotten

you are sealed by God

protected forever

we get another glimpse of this

if you just scoot on a little bit

to chapter 14 verse 1

where again there is another vision

as we go through Revelation

we see that it is the same scene

repeated over and over and over again

but from different perspectives

and new information

so chapter 14

in his vision

verse 1

I looked

and there before me was the Lamb

who stands for Jesus Christ

standing on Mount Zion

that is the new heavens

the new Jerusalem

and with him

144,000

who are they?

they had his name

and his father's name

written on their foreheads

now let's be clear

what we're looking at

in this first part of chapter 7

is not a promise of protection

from suffering

it's a promise of protection

for salvation

got to underline that

mark that one

this is not a promise of protection

from suffering

it's a promise of protection

for salvation

you see no matter what is thrown at us

no matter how bad it gets

no matter the depth of our suffering

or the length of our suffering

no matter how weak you feel

or how helpless you feel

no matter what storm you may be in right now

or what storm may come upon your life

you are secure

listen

to the promise of God to you today

nothing

and no one

not even suffering

can destroy your salvation

you

are

secure

so we are secure in suffering

and we are secure

on judgment day

chapter 6

ends with a terrifying account

of what to expect

on judgment day

Christ

is going to return

and we read chapter 6

verse 15

then the kings of the earth

the princes

the generals

the rich

the mighty

and everyone else

including you and me

both slave and free

all will be there

hidden caves

and among the rocks

of the mountains

they call to the mountains

and the rocks

fall on us

and hide us

from the face of him

who sits on the throne

and from the wrath of the land

for the great day

of their wrath

has come

and who

can withstand it

you see

when

when justice comes

no one

will be able

to stand against

God's judgment

no one has the power

to withhold it

and push it back

no one

is able

to escape it

now that makes us

ask the question

how am I going to be

on judgment day

answer that for yourself

right now

how will you be

on judgment day

well the good news is

we can be secure

when justice

falls

first

we can stand

before God

as judgment falls

we are shown

something else

look at verse 9

chapter 7

verse 9

after this

I looked

and there before me

was a great multitude

that no one could count

from every nation

tribe

people

and language

what are they doing

can you see

where they are

standing

standing

before the throne

and before the lamb

they are standing

in praise

around the throne

look at verse 9

they were wearing

white robes

and were holding

palm branches

in their hands

and they cried out

in a loud voice

salvation belongs

to our God

who sits on the throne

and to the lamb

it seems

they have escaped

the wrath

of God's judgment

rather than fear

there is joy

instead of panic

there is

confidence

now this isn't

just one or two

lucky ones

who kind of

managed to slip

through the net

no

look what verse 9

says

I looked

and there before me

was a

great multitude

that no one

could count

now this great

number

is not

different

to the

144,000

that we've just

looked at

they are the same

people

servants of God

whose salvation

is secure

in the first picture

the people are

numbered

a sign of

completeness

in the second picture

the people are

unnumbered

a sign of

vastness

vastness

now John

the author

of Revelation

does this

all the time

although the

image changes

it's talking

about the same

thing

we've seen

that already

when he talked

about the four

horsemen

and then the

four winds

let me give you

another example

if you look

back just at

chapter 5

and verse 5

chapter 5

verse 5

Jesus

is described

as a victorious

lion

a triumphant

lion

but then in the

immediate verse

after

Jesus is

described as a

slain

lamb

so which one

is he

is he a lion

or is he a

lamb

well he's both

two pitchers

one person

so that's what

I think is going

on here in

chapter 7

we have

a numbered

people

and we have

an unnumbered

people

in other words

the number

of people

who escape

God's judgment

is both

full

on the one

hand

and far

reaching

on the other

hand

includes people

from the

four corners

of the earth

from every

nation

tribe

people

and language

God has

saved many

people

a multitude

that no one

can count

and they are

secure on the

day of judgment

they are

secure

in their

salvation

but how

how are they

secure

why are they

singled out

as being

secure

well because

they have

been washed

by Jesus

look at

verse 13

then one

of the elders

asked me

these in

white robes

this great

number from

every nation

tribe

people in

language

who are they

where did

they come

from

how did

they get

to be

here

I answered

sir

you know

you

you tell

me

and he

said

these are

they who

have come

out of the

great

tribulation

well what's

the great

tribulation

well it's

the time

of suffering

that God's

people go

through from

the resurrection

of Jesus

to the

return of

Jesus

that time

frame between

the resurrection

and the

return

is the

great

tribulation

or sometimes

referred to

as the

end times

now the

church

Christians

in every

age and

time

go through

this time

of suffering

that's what

we've been

looking at

in chapter

six

the four

horsemen

the four

winds

the military

conquest

the wars

we see

going on

in the

world

the violent

bloodshed

we see

all around

us

the economic

injustice

as people

live without

food

the relentless

death

one day

after another

and on top

of all of

that Christians

face opposition

and persecution

now as we go

through this

tribulation

as we go

through these

times of

sufferings

we can be

tempted

to give up

and to give

in

we can

fail

to live

for Jesus

we can

fall into

sin

we can

grumble

and complain

we can

even

curse

God

and say

I've

had

enough

and what

happens

then

what will

happen to

you then

on the

day of

judgment

will I

stand

confidently

before

God

or will

I be

like the

people

that's

mentioned

there

running

and hiding

will my

sin

destroy

my

security

well let

me

reassure

you

that even

in the

mess and

the

brokenness

of our

life

we

are

secure

here's

how

let's

read

verse 13

again

one of

the elders

asked me

these in

white robes

who are

they

where did

they come

from

and I

answered

sir

you know

and he

said these

are they

who have

come out

of the

great

tribulation

well how

did they

come through

that

well they

have washed

their robes

and made

them white

in the

blood of

the lamb

you see

sin

stains

it spoils

and

it

and it

soils

it

leaves

us

dirty

and

filthy

and

unacceptable

to

god

we

are

a

stench

that

must be

removed

from god

like a

workman

who's been

clearing the

sewage pipes

all day

and then

trying to

gain access

to a fine

dining

restaurant

oh

no way

no thank

you

but if

that worker

went home

and had

his shower

scrubbed

hosed

and cleaned

went to

his wardrobe

and put

on his

brand new

clothes

then he

would be

welcome

to eat

and drink

and feast

well if we

are to be

sure of a

welcome from

god

rather than

face the

wrath of

god

we need

to be

clean

not a

shower

kind of

clean

but a

deep

spiritual

clean

and how

does that

cleaning

happen

well we're

told in

verse 14

they washed

their robes

and made

them white

in the

blood of

the lamb

when we

talk about

the blood

of the

lamb

we're

talking about

the lamb

who was

slain

Jesus

Christ

who died

on the

cross

for you

and for

me

as

Jesus

died

he was

taking

my

sin

Jesus

was

stained

he was

spoiled

he was

soiled

for me

and in

its place

he gives

me his

sinless

purity

Jesus

was judged

for me

so that

I might

be

welcomed

in

Jesus

took

my

filthy

robes

my

sin

and gave

me

his

pure

white

robes

his

sinless

perfection

so when

God

looks at

me

his

child

he sees

the purity

of Christ

you see

here's the

point

if I

have trusted

Jesus

for salvation

then my

sin is

dealt

with

and when

the day

of judgment

comes

I will be

kept secure

you see

no matter

what

your

sin

is

and as

you sit

there and

you think

back over

your life

no matter

how great

and often

your sin

no matter

how public

or private

no matter

the weight

of your guilt

or shame

it is

all

dealt

with

once

cleaned

by Jesus

your past

sin

will never

stain

your present

sin

will never

spoil

your future

sin

will never

soil

on the day

of judgment

you

are

secure

listen to the

promise of

God to you

today

nothing

and no one

not even

your sin

can destroy

your salvation

you are

secure

so secure

in suffering

secure

in judgment

and secure

for eternity

you see

as we

journey

our life

towards

eternity

as we

go through

our times

of suffering

as we

walk through

the storms

of life

as we

sin

and as we

fail

in the

midst

of that

and we

do

God

still

knows

his

people

and he

will

ensure

that all

who

trust

in him

are

secure

for

eternity

isn't that

what it

says

in verse

15

therefore

because of

what God

has done

in Christ

therefore

they are

before the

throne of

God

and serve

him day

and night

in his

temple

because of

all that

God has

done

they

are

before

the throne

no

questions

no doubts

no ifs

or maybes

absolute

rock

solid

guaranteed

assurance

they

are

before

the throne

of God

two

things

help us

see this

God's

promise

look here

at what

God

will

do

look what

he's

promised

his

people

end of

verse

15

he

will

shelter

them

verse

17

he

will

be

their

shepherd

he

will

lead

them

he

will

wipe

away

tears

you see

salvation

is never

based on

what I

promise

to do

for God

God

I promise

I'll do

this

I promise

I won't

do this

again

I promise

I'm

going to

be

better

I promise

I'm

it's

never

based on

what I

promise

to do

for God

salvation

is always

grounded

in what

God

promises

to do

for me

that's

why they

burst out

in song

salvation

belongs

to me

no

salvation

belongs

to

our

God

it's

his

to give

not

mine

to earn

that's

why

the

whole

of

heaven

joins

in

in

praise

verse

12

amen

praise

glory

and

wisdom

and

thanks

and

honor

and

power

and

strength

be to

our

God

forever

and

ever

amen

only

God

can

achieve

our

salvation

it's

something

I receive

not because

of my

wisdom

or power

or because

of your

worthiness

and strength

it's all

of God

his wisdom

his strength

so we can

stand before

God

with humble

confidence

because we

are depending

not on our

power

but on

his promises

to me

but not

only his

promise

we also

have his

presence

we will

be secure

because

God will

be present

with us

look at the

end of verse

15

and he

who sits

on the

throne

will

shelter

them

with his

presence

his

presence

means

that

nothing

will

ever

harm

us

again

verse

16

never

again

will

they

hunger

never

again

will

they

thirst

the

sun

will

not

beat

down

on

them

nor

any

scorching

heat

in

fact

not

even

Satan

can

harm

us

or

separate

us

from

God

why

verse

17

because

the

lamb

at the

centre

of the

throne

will

be

their

shepherd

you

know

right

now

today

this

week

in

this

age

of

tribulation

in

which

we

live

Satan

is

actively

against

Christ

and

his

church

he

doesn't

like

you

his

aim

is

to

disrupt

and

destroy

it's

a

real

battle

but

because

the

lamb

Jesus

Christ

is at

the

centre

of

the

throne

he

rules

over

all

things

and

all

people

and

he

will

keep

us

and

he

will

shelter

us

and

he

will

protect

us

in

our

salvation

now

and

for

all

eternity

Satan

Satan's

days

are

numbered

and

one

day

all

suffering

will

be

gone

all

sin

will

be

gone

and

Satan

will

be

banished

forever

and

in

their

place

Jesus

will

shepherd

us

how

look at

the end

of verse

17

he

will

lead

us

to

springs

of

living

water

and

God

will

wipe

every

tear

from

our

eyes

so

we

can

stand

before

God

with

humble

confidence

because

we

are

depending

not

on

our

power

but

God's

promised

presence

with

us

Carigoline

Baptist

Church

listen

to

God's

word

to you

today

if

you

are a

Christian

maybe

you are

not a

Christian

here

today

but

if

you

trust

in

Christ

nothing

no

one

not

suffering

not

sin

not

Satan

will be

able to

destroy

your

salvation

you are

secure

forever

you are

secure

forever

let's

pray

our

father

god

you

know

our

story

you

know

our

life

you

know

the

things

that

we

suffer

you

know

the

sins

that

weigh

upon

us

and

you

know

the

way

in

which

Satan

gets

at

us

and

yet

we

remind

ourselves

today

that

in

the

midst

of

all

of

that

storm

our

name

is

known

by

you

you

have

written

your

name

on

us

you

will

never

forget

us

we

are

safe

and

secure

in

your

salvation

now

tomorrow

and

forever

and

ever

so

we

say

thank

you

thank

you

father

god

thank

you

lord

jesus

christ

thank

you

holy

spirit

for

your

work

in

our

life

we

praise

you

in

jesus

name

amen

well

we're

going

to

sing

i

think

we're

just

finding

that

as

we

go

through

revelation

we

we

just

have

to

sing

we

have

to

join

in

with

all

of

heaven

and

we

can

say

confidently

blessed

assurance

jesus

is

mine