|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| What is it ? | About the Speaker | Sermon Schedule | Satellite Schedule | Sermons | Free Bible Lessons | Home | |
| #19 Let’s begin tonight by opening our Bibles to the book of Revelation. If you have your Bible with you, I’m going to invite you to read along with me, right at the beginning of this fascinating book. Or you can read along right off the screen. Now, be prepared, I’m going to pause a bit from time to time as we read, to ask you a few questions, make a few observations. But keep your eyes on the words and make sure I read them right. Let’s start. <Revelation 1:1> Continue reading again: ...To show his servants – WHAT? <Revelation 1:1> “Sign-i-fied...” See? “Sign”-language? I’ll read Verse 2: <Revelation 1:2> ALL READ Verse 3: “CURSED is he who...” Another mistake? Better check up on me! What does your Bible say? Some people think this is a very confusing book. The pastor of a 3000-member church in America told his congregation: “You’ll go crazy if you try to study Revelation” – but that’s just not true. Because God has said: “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy...and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.” Now we’re ready to plunge into the heart of the book. Turn over three pages to Revelation 12. We’ll be looking at verses 1-6, 14, 17. Now, let’s try to forget about our plans for the week, pressures, problems...and try to visualize what I read as you follow along: <Revelation 12:1-6> Someone says: “Look, Pastor, you told us this was NOT a confusing book. What on earth do these verses mean?” Let me re-live what we just read, then we’ll go back to the Bible. Remember, John the “beloved disciple” – was exiled on the lonely island of Patmos. God showed him a vision of a beautiful woman, standing off in the heavens. She was clothed only with the pure iridescent folds of the light of the sun. On her head was a diadem of 12 sparkling, brilliant, living stars. She’s pregnant. About to deliver. But something’s beneath her feet. She’s standing on the moon. Over to one side is a red dragon snapping furiously, intending to destroy her child as soon as it’s born. She gives birth to a Man Child destined to rule all nations, but He’s caught up to God. Evidently the dragon fails to destroy the child and becomes so angry he turns his destructive fury on the woman and so persecutes and attempts to destroy her that God takes her and hides her in the wilderness for 1260 days. You say, “Well, the picture’s a bit clearer. But what on earth does it mean?” Obviously, we’re dealing with symbolic prophecy. We borrow symbols, don’t we? Some people say those beasts of Revelation are the beastly doctrines some churches teach! But folks, you get into difficulty if you place your own interpretation on these symbols. But if Scripture provides the key and unlocks the meaning of the symbols – no problem, right? Daniel 7:23 says that in prophecy a beast represents a nation or kingdom. We borrow this idea of using animals as symbols for nations. Bear = Russia, Eagle = U.S., Lion = England, Beaver = Canada [you may want to check on local symbols Africans would be familiar with.] Now a question: Of what is this woman in Revelation a symbol? That’s our next text. Let’s look for some keys to help us. <Jeremiah 6:2> Zion in Scripture refers to Jerusalem or God’s people. The “daughter of Zion” refers to God’s people, His church! A beautiful woman represents God’s people. Let’s have one more text to be sure. Paul says: <2 Corinthians
11:2> Christ in Scripture is symbolized as the Groom; His Bride is the church! So, God gives us a gorgeous metaphor; a lovely symbol: the woman is Christ’s church. But notice that the character of this woman determines the character of the church. If she’s a pure, innocent, virtuous woman – that represents a pure church. A true church. A holy church. Some parents say, “Oh, I don’t want my kids to read Revelation because it talks about the “harlot or prostitute.” That woman in scarlet who is loose, fallen. It’s not talking about physical impurity at all! It’s talking about a church that’s played harlotry and been unfaithful to her Lord. See? Now let’s clear something up: This is talking about the Anglican Church, is that right? The Baptist? What does this word “woman” mean? Which church in particular? A little Greek lesson – ekklesia. Say it with me. That’s the Greek word translated in English for “church.” But what does it mean? Ek-kle-sia. “God’s called out ones” (Mt. 2:15) I want to be one of God’s “called out ones!” If you’re one of God’s called out ones, you belong to His church! Now, once we have
the key symbols in place, watch how this unfolds into a beautiful picture! She’s a pure church. The church of Jesus in the New Testament, clothed with the iridescent light of the noonday sun – or with Jesus, the “light of the world.” Notice this New Testament church is crowned with a diadem of 12 Stars. Who were the brilliant, sparkling 12 living stars of the New Testament church? The 12 apostles, right? So the early days of the New Testament church is symbolized by a virgin. Crowned with the 12 apostles! And she’s standing on something. “Standing on the Moon.” Question: Does the moon shine from its own light or from borrowed light? Yes, borrowed light. So here the New Testament church is standing on something – the moon is beneath her feet. So, something is passing away. What a beautiful symbol of the Old Testament which had all pointed forward to Christ. All those types and ceremonies pointed forward to Christ the True Lamb of God who died on Calvary’s cross. The light in those lambs of the Old Testament was only a reflection of a greater light that pointed to Jesus. So all this was “passing away,” beneath her feet. The Moon is a perfect representation of the Old Testament which shone from light borrowed from Jesus in the New Testament. Now, the woman is pregnant, about ready to give birth to a Man Child, Who would “rule all nations with a rod of iron, but Who would be caught up to God and to His throne.” Who is that? Jesus! But someone says, “Then isn’t the woman Mary?” No. Remember this is just a symbol. Yes, Mary is the mother of Jesus, but prophecy tells us we’ll see this “woman” in white clear to the Second Coming. Has anyone seen Mary? No. It’s a symbol of the “church.” The New Testament church gives birth to Christ. But there’s a snapping, furious, red dragon nearby (Verse 4). Who is he? <Revelation 12:9> Who is the dragon? Satan primarily. But Satan never comes out to battle in visible form, does he? Ever seen Satan? No. Most people have not. He works through persons, institutions, evil things. Now, through whom did Satan work to destroy Christ as soon as He was born? Herod who tried to destroy all the babies in Bethlehem. But he failed. Then Jesus was caught up to God and to His throne. And so furious was Satan to destroy Christ, that when he couldn’t destroy Him personally, he turned his destructive fury on the woman. He tried to destroy the New Testament church by persecuting her – until it got so bloody and so furious, God had to take the woman and hide His church “in the wilderness for 1260 days.” One more symbol to unlock. A “day” in symbolic prophecy represents what? Ezekiel 4:6, Numbers 14:34, says, “each day for a year,” so this represents 1260 literal years of persecution that God would take His church, the woman, and…“Hide her in the wilderness for 1260 years” [CHART] But Satan was very subtle. At first he used the Roman Empire to persecute. Many Christians were thrown to the lions in the coliseum. Many were tortured. But then Satan got the Church to begin persecuting itself! How? Some Christians weakened under the persecution. They compromised their faith and made concessions to heathenism and paganism and watered down certain teachings – diluted them so much that they weren’t really Christian anymore at all.. But they were embarrassed by other more courageous Christians who lived up to their conscience. These compromising drifters turned and persecuted the Christians who remained more steadfast in their faith! It’s always that way in church, isn’t it? Some will laugh at you for spending four weekends with your Bible at these meetings, and they haven’t cracked the Book in 20 years. Don’t worry about ridicule, friend. Thank God you have the courage to come to these study seminars and learn about God’s prophetic truth! Persecution got so bad that by 533 A.D. Emperor Justinian issued a decree removing all protective barriers to allow full and relentless persecution. No restraints, no more protection for the church. Five years later in 538 A.D. that decree went into full effect. Now anyone could be slain for the simple crime of belief in the Word of God, or studying the Bible. If you add 538 + 1260,
you get 1798. Historians call these 1260 years of persecution the “Dark
Ages.” Tens of thousands were dragged from their beds at the toll
of the bell at midnight, and slain in the streets. Blood ran like water!
But suddenly around 1798 – exactly the very time the 1260 prophetic
years were coming to an end – persecution mysteriously diminished
and dried up. Why? In 1787 we have the French Revolution! Suddenly persecution
stopped in 1798 when the Pope was taken captive by Napoleon’s general,
Berthier – exactly 1260 years after it had begun in earnest. But, now let’s come down to the next chart: the tunnels and the railroad tracks. How many budding artists do we have here? I want you to draw a train and some cars. [Draw a locomotive with me.] Now may I have your eyes? Suppose you stand on mountain watching a black iron locomotive on a single track approach this tunnel. A train with 12 black iron cars thunders down the track and disappears. What kind of train should come out the other end? Same kind. But suppose a red diesel with 250 red steel cars spurts out the other side, what would you say? Something happened to the train inside the tunnel! Now forget trains – if you can – and come down to the next chart. What do you see coming down the track of time? The Church of Jesus Christ, through the first hundred years, second hundred years, through five centuries. But Satan so terribly persecuted the church that God had to take and hide her in the wilderness tunnel in 538 A.D. for 1260 years, after which she should emerge around 1798 before the world. The true and faithful loyal virgin Christian church of Jesus Christ was hidden from view for 1260 years by persecution. Notice! The same pure church Jesus and the Apostles taught, goes into the wilderness tunnel in 538 A.D. What kind of church should come out in 1798? Same thing, right? But instead, 250 denominations spurt out the other side, each quarreling, arguing, pointing fingers, and claiming “I’m right and you’re wrong!” What happened to the church in the tunnel? Why are there so many denominations? You see, the Bible came through unscathed. But something happened to the church in the tunnel. Paul predicted “a falling away.” Centuries of compromise with paganism. During these Dark Ages, into the Christian church infiltrated doctrines and rites and ceremonies and practices Paul or Peter never heard of – that claimed the rank of divine institution. Is it any wonder God says in these last days you and I are to “contend earnestly for the faith that was once delivered to the saints?” That’s why the Voice of Prophecy Speaks! Terrible changes took place during those Dark Ages. There’s no more fascinating story in history than the story of the Waldenses. Huguenots. Albigenses. These faithful Christian groups across Europe who were guardians of truth and God’s Word during those terrible Dark Ages when God’s Word was outlawed, suppressed by the church. And remember, that was our church. Whether you are Protestant or Catholic, this was our heritage. Did they make tragic mistakes? Yes, just like we do today. But it got to the point where no Bibles were allowed. If you possessed a Bible or even studied one you were prosecuted and put to death by the church. People were burned at the stake because they wanted to translate the Bible into local languages and dialects. The Bible was forbidden. Well, Peter Waldo had a Bible! He was so persecuted and hunted like a wild beast, that he and his Waldensian followers fled, climbing up into the Piedmont valleys of northern Italy. But soon it wasn’t safe there. So they fled to the Alps! Hiding in caves and “the wilderness” for centuries. Whole cultures lived and died trying to protect the Bible. They felt their heaven-sent mission was to make hand-written copies of the Word. They lived in stone fortresses and caves and copied Scripture portions on parchment sitting at stone tables. They’d copy one verse a thousand times in French, German, Italian. Then they’d send their fine young boys and girls down to the valleys to enroll in universities as students. They sewed portions of Scripture into the hems and linings of their garments. If they were caught, they were slain immediately. But when they found an earnest teacher or sincere student who seemed discouraged, bent over, and crushed with guilt not knowing what the Bible said about forgiveness, they’d produce a passage in their own language...and truth would spread! If the authorities found the source, they’d die. Meanwhile, the older folks disguised themselves as peddlers. They’d go down into the valleys selling pots and pans and cloth. If they came to a sincere home and found someone discouraged because of their awful sins, they’d cautiously bring out from the folds of their garments a text. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful...to forgive and cleanse.” They’d never heard words like that before! “MY sins? Even mine? I can go to the Savior and ask forgiveness?” “YES!” And they would produce more Scripture and read with them into the night! In the morning, after a night’s rest, off the missionary would go. The host would rush outside: “We didn’t even get his name! Or where she was from?” So they hurried into the street – just like other people – looking for their missionary. That was the signal the authorities were looking for. And they found their missionary lying in cold blood at the next corner. Any library will tell you this story! John Milton, the blind
poet of England and Latin secretary to Oliver Cromwell, so stirred was
he by the slaughter of the Waldenses in 1655, he wrote: The great hymn writer
of the church at this time, Isaac Watts, composed the hymn, “Am
I A Soldier?” about the Waldenses and Huguenots and Albigenses: This is why so many
fled to America. Pilgrims boarded the Mayflower ship to escape persecution,
bound for America, land of freedom. America’s poets, writing about
Plymouth Rock: The story of the scriptures is a THRILLER! But there came a day in Europe when 20,000 troops under French Col. DePerot went up into those mountains to destroy the Waldenses. Talk about hitting a fly with a hammer! He sent 20,000 soldiers to exterminate 2,000 of them, boasting to the villagers in the valley: “Come to a public hanging tomorrow and see the end of the Waldenses.” They started up the mountain. But the Waldenses knew every tree and every boulder. They were hiding up there behind them, watching. When they saw the troops coming up, they simply dislodged those boulders, which thundered down the mountain and killed some of the soldiers. Even Col. DePerot was wounded. He begged for refuge in a Waldensian fort! They kindly gave him food and lodging, but the rest fled. Next day when the army moved in for the kill – the soldiers moving cautiously hiding behind the trees – the Waldenses were gone! Their caves and forts were empty! They were barefoot on the tops of the mountains, singing Psalm 124:2, 3: “If the Lord were not on our side, when men rose up against us, then we would have been swallowed up quick.” The soldiers cursed: “Heaven itself seems to be blessing these people!” But tragically it
was not always so. There came a day when 260 Waldenses were in a cave.
The Would the light of truth be entirely extinguished? There came a day in the seclusion of a German library, that a young Catholic monk soon to become a priest found a Bible chained to the monastery wall! Martin Luther had never seen a Bible even though he was studying for holy orders. He’d only heard fragments in Latin. Square-jawed, independent Luther was fascinated by the Bible. He came back again and again for months and studied. He didn’t find anything about painful pilgrimages to holy shrines; or indulgences; or penance. You see, he was taught to lie on the cold ground and lacerate his back to show God how bad he was. He found nothing of that in Bible. But he found a lot about Jesus and forgiveness. His favorite text, Romans 1:17: “The just shall live by FAITH.” And Martin Luther turned to his church and shook civilization to its very foundations with the Reformation! A new “renaissance” was coming. The new world. Luther began to translate the Bible into German, the language of the people. He was one of the first “Protest-ants.” Have you heard of a “Protest-ant?” A “protestant” is simply one who “protests” against any doctrine or practice that’s not found in the Bible. Luther turned to his church with some big questions, expecting to receive appreciation for his research. But NO, they said. “The Church hasn’t taught this and we don’t intend to. Recant, Martin, or be excommunicated – thrown out of the church – for heresy – for teaching what we consider to be false doctrine.” What was he to do? Let truth die? No. He championed truth. And stepped out of the church of his day. When Luther finally died, his followers built a fence around what Luther believed and called it a “creed.” Ever heard of a creed? It’s a statement of beliefs that many churches go by. There’s nothing wrong with a creed. Except that it makes no provision for new, advancing light. It locks you in to that century. His followers were called “Lutherans.” Ever heard of Lutherans? But the Reformation was only beginning. Along came other reform groups who discovered new truths Luther hadn’t found yet. Wycliffe in England. Reformers like John Knox of Scotland. John Calvin in Switzerland. Zwingli. Huss. Jerome. They came to leaders of the Lutheran Reformed movement: “Look what we’ve found!” But they were met with the same cold and icy reserve: “Luther didn’t teach this, so we can’t accept it.” What were these reformers to do? Let truth die? No, they followed Luther’s example and stepped out of Lutheranism to move forward with truth, and founded the Presbyterians. Then the Anglicans. Methodists. The Anabaptist reformers came along: “Look! We’ve discovered Baptism by immersion!” The Baptists were founded. Each recovering new rays of light from the Word! Friend, listen! Revelation 12 tells us the history of the Christian church and why there are so many denominations. God never intended it this way. The Reformation isn’t finished yet! The denominations we have today are the sad human tendency of dependence upon the past. “If father or mother believed it, and it was good enough for them, it’s good enough for me.” Ever hear anyone say that? If you do, you pray for them! That’s devastating! I thank God for my father and mother. But God expects us to grow. To keep following new light. To keep the Reformation alive! God wants end-time Christians to gather up ALL the rays of light, truths lost in the “Dark Ages” for 1260 years! <Jude 1:3> Christian friends, please listen! The Bible says truth is progressive. We need to grow in it. Daily move. Daily change. Daily progress. God doesn’t save us by denominations. <Proverbs 4:18> We are ready now for Revelation 12 again. Look with me at Verse 14. Now we’ll understand some things we didn’t know before. “But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent. [Just another way of figuring 1260 years] So the serpent [dragon] spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood. But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth.” Can you see God hiding the Waldenses in the earth in that verse? Now, here’s where you and I today come into the picture. Read with me Verse 17. “And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Who’s the dragon? “Satan.” He’s “angry” with whom? Who’s the “woman?” The “Church.” He goes to make war with “the rest of her offspring” (or the “remnant,” it says in the King James Version.) Or, the “last end” of the church. That’s us! Now read it with me as interpreted by your own Bible. <Revelation 12:17> Can I have your eyes? Tell me. In the first part of Chapter 12 Satan (the dragon) was angry with which part of the church? Which part of the New Testament church was this? The first part. The early church. In the last verses of Chapter 12, we just read Satan is angry with what part of the church? (The last end, or remnant.) Ladies and gentlemen, Revelation 12 is the history of the Christian Church and 90% of us listening today never knew this before! But notice: God is so concerned that we get this message and recover the truth lost in the tunnel of those Dark Ages – recover the same faith that went into the tunnel – that He describes two outstanding features of God’s true “called out” people in the last days: God’s true church keeps the Commandments of God. And it has the same faith as Jesus. Some people say, “Well, if you try to keep the commandments, you’re not saved by grace.” God says, “Commandment-keeping and the faith of Jesus go together!” Listen friend, if I have enough of the grace of God in my heart, I’m not going to kill. Steal. Or, take your wife. Commandment-keeping isn’t a means of salvation; it’s an evidence of salvation! God clearly says here, “Lon, My ‘called out’ ones, My people waiting for the Second Coming will be keeping the commandments and have the testimony of Jesus.” I want to be among that group, don’t you? You seamstresses who like to sew. You see a sale advertising “70% OFF” Remnant Materials over at the store. You go, and to your delight find some beautiful cloth. You purchase enough to make a new blouse. It’s blue material. You stitch and sew. But alas you discover you have just enough cloth – except for one sleeve! You return the store, find the same sales clerk. You know her. She says, “Sorry! That material is gone.” But she knows three ladies from your neighborhood who came in for that sale and bought material, too. So you go to visit each. You knock at the first door and explain your problem. She says, ‘Sure! I bought plenty of material.” But when she opens her package, it’s the wrong color. And she bought polyester double-knit! You thank her and hurry to the next address. She brings her material to the door: Same pattern and weave. But wrong color! You try again. And finally at the third door, she brings out her material. It’s the same pattern, same identical weave, same color. In fact, even a matching thread. Of what can you be reasonably certain? You’ve found the remnant of the original. I want to be saved, and I want my family to be saved. When Jesus forgives my sins, I want to walk in all the light of God’s Word. The prophetic light that shines “brighter and brighter unto the perfect day.” God says, “Revelation 12 provides absolutely certain thumb-print identification marks to help you find God’s truth in these last days – identical features to match up exactly with the original faith of Jesus. You can find My last-end “remnant” of what started back there in the New Testament. <Jeremiah 29:13> So you take the Bible – the original – that went into the tunnel. Then you take what you believe. If it has the same PATTERN of belief, same WEAVE of doctrine, same TEXTURE of harmony, and same CONSISTENCY of practice and teaching – then you can know you’ve FOUND THE “REMNANT.” Tonight I want you
to make your decision to follow Jesus all the way. Right now I want to
invite you to come forward and stand up for Jesus and His true church.
While the appeal song is sung, I want you to come forward if...
|