Focus on God's Word

How To Understand The Book Of Revelation

Three Angels Broadcasting Network

Program transcript

Participants: Geoff Youlden

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Series Code: FGW

Program Code: FGW000004


00:27 Prior to the Second World War,
00:29 the tiny little island of Guam was controlled
00:31 by the United States of America.
00:33 And then you'll remember that at the beginning of the war,
00:36 Japan attacked the little island, and then it was taken
00:41 over by the Japanese until the Americans got it back
00:45 toward the end of the Second World War.
00:47 And for awhile they were rounding up Japanese soldiers
00:50 on the island of Guam and they put them
00:52 into an internment camp until the end of the war,
00:55 when they were released.
00:58 In 1960, which was 15 years after the end
01:02 of the Second World War, a Guamanian was out
01:06 in the bush when he thought he saw two Japanese soldiers.
01:10 Now he thought to himself that's impossible,
01:12 this is 1960.
01:15 Fifteen years after the end of the war,
01:17 but he was sufficiently convinced in his heart
01:19 that he had seen two Japanese soldiers.
01:23 So he reported to the authorities and they sent
01:25 out a search party, they believed
01:26 him enough to do that.
01:28 And within two days they found these two Japanese soldiers.
01:33 Now you can imagine what they look like after 15 years
01:36 with one suit of clothes, the uniform.
01:40 And they had lived more like animals than human beings,
01:42 you can imagine what their skin looked like,
01:45 sores and ulcers, they were in a bad way.
01:50 So they brought them in and they said to them,
01:52 "Look, gentlemen, the war is over, we're friends now."
01:56 But they wouldn't believe it, they thought this is just
01:58 another trick of the allies.
02:01 So they questioned them some more and they found that
02:03 one of the fellows claimed that he had a sister.
02:06 Now, of course, he didn't know and they didn't know
02:09 whether she was still alive, but they got
02:12 onto the authorities in Tokyo and they said,
02:14 "Look, we've found these two Japanese soldiers
02:17 and one claims that he has a sister,
02:20 by a certain name, try to find her."
02:23 Well, eventually they turned her up and they told her
02:26 that they had found her brother.
02:28 Now she was delighted because she had thought years ago
02:31 the he'd been killed in action.
02:34 So when she found out that he was still alive,
02:36 she was very, very happy.
02:38 They said, "Look, will you try to convince your brother
02:42 that the war is over, we can't convince him."
02:45 So she got on a telephone and tried to tell her brother
02:49 that the war was over that we were friends now,
02:51 but he wouldn't believe her either.
02:53 So finally, what they did is they put them on an airplane
02:56 and they flew them back to Tokyo.
02:59 Now as the plane was coming in and rounding and banking
03:02 and coming into land of the airport.
03:04 Of course it was quite low
03:06 and they could look out the window.
03:08 And they saw Tokyo in 1960, they remembered it in 1939.
03:16 And you can imagine the changes that took place
03:19 in those years and they could hardly believe
03:22 what they were seeing when they looked out the window.
03:25 Well, the plane pulled up and of course, all their families
03:28 were there to come out and meet them and to greet them
03:30 and there was a great happy reunion.
03:34 And I often thought about that story because that isn't true
03:37 story that actually happened.
03:41 And I often thought about those two fellows
03:43 and the regrets that they must have had in their hearts,
03:47 remembering that they could have been back
03:49 in relative comfort in Tokyo.
03:51 And here they were for 15 years living like animals.
03:56 And I have thought that it's like
03:59 an illustration of mankind today.
04:01 Most people do not know that peace has been declared
04:05 between God and man through Jesus.
04:08 Most people don't know that.
04:10 And they certainly don't know that
04:12 God has a special message in these last days
04:15 and this message is to go to the whole world to--
04:18 In fact, to every person living on the Earth,
04:21 so that they can find out that Jesus is coming again soon.
04:27 And that's the message of the Book of Revelation.
04:30 And I'd like you to open your Bibles
04:33 tonight to Revelation Chapter 14.
04:36 Now the 14th Chapter of Revelation really is--
04:39 has the center message of the Book of Revelation.
04:43 And tonight we're studying the question of
04:45 how to understand the Book of Revelation.
04:48 And right almost in the center of this book
04:52 is a very special message.
04:56 And this message starts in verse 6.
05:01 Revelation 14 verse 6, "Then I saw another angel
05:05 flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel
05:10 to preach to those who dwell on the Earth to every nation,
05:14 tribe, tongue, and people.
05:17 Saying with a loud voice, 'Fear God
05:20 and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment
05:23 has come, and worship Him who made heaven and Earth,
05:27 the sea and the springs of water.'
05:31 And another angel followed saying, 'Babylon is fallen,
05:34 is fallen, that great city, because she has made
05:38 all nations drink of the wine of the wrath
05:41 of her fornication.'
05:43 Then a third angel followed them,
05:44 saying with a loud voice, 'If anyone worships
05:47 the beast and his image,
05:49 and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand,
05:53 he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God,
05:57 which is poured out full strength into the cup
06:00 of His indignation.
06:02 He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone
06:04 in the presence of the holy angels
06:06 and in the presence of the Lamb.
06:08 And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever,
06:12 and they have no rest day or night,
06:14 who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives
06:17 the mark of his name.'
06:20 Here is the patience of the saints,
06:23 here are those who keep the commandments of God
06:26 and the faith of Jesus."
06:28 And then after hearing these three messages,
06:31 John then further writes, "Then I heard a voice
06:34 from heaven, saying to me, 'Write, Blessed are the dead
06:37 who die in the Lord from now on,' "Yes," says the Spirit,
06:40 'that they may rest from their labors,
06:42 and their works follow them.'
06:44 Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud,
06:47 and on the cloud sat one like the Son of Man,
06:50 having on His head a golden crown,
06:52 and in His hand a sharp sickle.
06:54 And another angel came out of the temple,
06:57 crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud,
07:00 'Thrust in Your sickle and reap,
07:02 for the time has come for You to reap,
07:05 for the harvest of the Earth is ripe."
07:10 Now you can see why people probably have turned away
07:13 from the Book of Revelation because it's just
07:15 full of code language, isn't it?
07:19 Full of imagery and people have said to me,
07:22 "Why is the Book of Revelation written like that?
07:26 Why wasn't it just written in straight forward language?"
07:31 Well, there's a very good reason that
07:33 God wrote the Book of Revelation in code language
07:36 and I'll tell you why?
07:37 You will remember that when the John wrote
07:39 the Book of Revelation, where was he?
07:42 Do you remember?
07:44 Yes, he was on a island of Patmos by invitation
07:47 of the Roman Government.
07:49 Because Patmos was the Alcatraz
07:53 of the ancient world, nobody got off Patmos.
07:57 The worst criminals were placed on Patmos,
08:00 the most troublesome.
08:02 That Rome regarded were exile to Patmos.
08:07 And John was considered to be troublesome
08:09 because of his beliefs, his Christian
08:12 understanding and his beliefs.
08:13 And so he was banished to the island of Patmos.
08:17 Now, you know, as well as I do that when you are a prisoner
08:20 and you are on the inside and you want to get
08:23 something on the outside.
08:27 What will happen to it before it gets
08:29 on the outside guaranteed?
08:32 Yes, it will be read, isn't that right? Absolutely.
08:38 So John gets the Revelation, God gives him the Revelation.
08:42 He writes it down, but John's got a major problem.
08:45 Because it's addressed to the seven churches in Asia,
08:49 how is he going to get it out of this maximum security prison
08:56 to the people that it's addressed to?
08:59 Major problem.
09:01 Because the Book of Revelation foretold
09:06 the demise of the Roman Empire.
09:09 So can you imagine that when the Roman's soldiers
09:11 begin to read the Book of Revelation.
09:13 And they read that the Roman Empire was going to crumble,
09:19 what do you think would have happened
09:20 to John and the Book of Revelation,
09:22 if they had realized that
09:23 that's what it was talking about?
09:27 It would have been destroyed
09:28 and John would have been killed.
09:30 So God has hidden the meaning from those who would
09:37 do it harm, get the thought.
09:39 On the other hand, if you go down through the Middle Ages,
09:42 you'll find that the Book of Revelation
09:43 exposes the false teachings of the great false church
09:48 of the middle ages.
09:49 And if that church had realized that the Book of Revelation
09:53 condemns its religious practices as it does,
09:57 instead of preserving the Bible,
09:59 they would have wiped it out too.
10:01 So God in His wisdom has written the Book of Revelation
10:05 in this language, this code language.
10:09 But for those who want to understand, the Bible explains
10:14 what the code language means.
10:18 But for those who have no other interest
10:20 but to harm Christianity and the Book of Revelation,
10:25 God has hidden it from them.
10:28 And that's why the Book of Revelation
10:30 is written in the language that it's written in.
10:33 But as I said, it's very easy to explain when we follow
10:36 the principles that we've been noticing so far
10:38 in our program of comparing scripture
10:41 with scripture of allowing the Bible
10:43 to be its own interpreter.
10:46 And here we find these three messages,
10:49 going to the whole world to every nation,
10:52 kindred, tongue, and people and they're given under
10:54 the figure of three angels.
10:56 Now why three angels?
10:59 Well, I guess when we understand the situation
11:03 or we cast our mind back to the time when John was writing.
11:07 If he was going to understand a message
11:09 that was going to go completely around the world.
11:14 The only thing that John understood
11:16 that could take a message all around the world
11:19 would be an angel.
11:23 He never heard of satellites, he never heard of airplanes.
11:29 So the only thing in his mind that could take a message
11:32 to every person living on the Earth would be angels.
11:36 And maybe, if John was writing today the Book of Revelation,
11:39 he wouldn't talk about three angels, he perhaps talk
11:42 about three satellites or something like that.
11:47 Because he would be talking in the language
11:50 that people understood at the time
11:52 when the Book of Revelation was being written.
11:56 And so under the figure of three angels
11:58 we had three mighty messages going all around the world
12:02 to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.
12:07 And as soon as these three messages go, because the word
12:11 angel simply means message or messenger.
12:16 And as soon as these three messages go, you'll remember
12:20 that we read about the harvest of the Earth being reaped,
12:24 with the Son of Man coming with the sickle in his hand
12:27 ready to reap the harvest of the Earth.
12:30 You know, it's interesting today when you travel
12:31 around the world, particularly in the east
12:33 you will still see people cutting their lawn
12:36 and their crops with a sickle.
12:41 You go to Indonesia, some parts of Asia,
12:44 they cut their lawn with a sickle still.
12:48 It's obviously cheaper than the lawn mower.
12:52 And so this language was very clearly understood
12:57 by those that John was writing to.
13:00 Three mighty messages under the figure of three angels
13:03 going to the whole world and then John
13:06 sees the Son of Man Jesus coming back ready to reap
13:10 the harvest of the Earth.
13:15 You know, everywhere I go people tell me that the world
13:17 is never going to come to an end.
13:19 Just come over to the Book of Matthew in the New Testament,
13:22 Matthew Chapter 13.
13:25 And I'll read you here a very interesting statement,
13:28 Matthew 13 and it's not surprising that Jesus
13:32 is the best one to interpret Revelation.
13:35 Actually the Book of Revelation
13:37 is known as the Revelation of Jesus
13:41 and if there's one book in the entire world
13:44 that Christians ought to understand,
13:46 it's the Book of Revelation.
13:49 Because you see Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John
13:51 are about Jesus, but Revelation,
13:54 it's the Revelation of Jesus.
13:57 It's Jesus' own Book and the tragedy is
14:00 that most Christians, even those who go to church
14:03 regularly hardly have any understanding
14:07 of the Book of Revelation.
14:09 And I'm going to explain to you in a few moments
14:11 why that is the case.
14:14 Because the devil has made sure
14:18 that we don't study the Book of Revelation.
14:21 But I'll say, as far as the books of the Bible
14:23 are concerned, the Book of Revelation really
14:26 is the most important because the whole of the Bible
14:29 ends and climaxes in the Book of Revelation.
14:33 It has the last message for a world,
14:37 just before Jesus comes back.
14:39 Just notice here, Revelation--
14:41 Matthew Chapter 13 and verse 35,
14:45 Matthew 13 and verse 35, and Jesus makes a statement.
14:52 Matthew, the 13th Chapter and we'll pick it up in verse 38,
14:57 there it is, verse 38.
14:58 "The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons
15:02 of the kingdom, but the tares
15:04 are the sons of the wicked one.
15:06 The enemy who sowed them is the devil,
15:09 the harvest is," what?
15:12 "The end of the age, and the reapers are the angels."
15:17 So Jesus clearly taught that the world
15:20 is going to come to an end
15:23 and the harvest represents the end of the world.
15:26 So you see the purpose of these three messages
15:29 is to get the world ready for the harvest
15:31 or the end of the world or the coming of Jesus.
15:36 In fact, this is the last message that goes to the world
15:40 just before the Son of Man comes, ready to reap
15:43 the harvest of the Earth or bring the Earth to an end.
15:48 So you can sense that this is a very,
15:50 very important message.
15:52 If it's a last message that goes to the world.
15:56 Now, you remember that when Jesus came to the Earth,
15:59 the first time as a baby in Bethlehem.
16:01 God had his messenger to prepare the then known world,
16:07 particularly Israel, Palestine for the coming of the Messiah.
16:13 Let me read that to you from the Old Testament,
16:15 the Book of Malachi, which is just before Matthew,
16:19 Malachi is the last Book of the Old Testament,
16:21 Chapter 3 and verse 1. And here's a prophecy.
16:26 Malachi Chapter 3 verse 1,
16:28 and this is what the prophecy says, written over 400 years
16:33 before Jesus was born.
16:35 Malachi Chapter 3 and verse 1 says,
16:38 "Behold, I send My messenger,
16:41 and he will prepare the way before Me."
16:47 Now here is a prediction that
16:49 God is going to send His messenger,
16:51 you'll notice messenger is in small "m", my messenger,
16:56 that's God's messenger is going to be sent.
16:58 And he's going to prepare the way before Me,
17:01 "ME" is in capitals recognizing that this represents Jesus.
17:07 God was going to send His messenger and that messenger
17:10 was going to prepare the way before Me.
17:14 Now, who was the messenger that God sent in order
17:18 to prepare the world for the coming of Jesus,
17:21 the first time.
17:23 Well, I'm sure you know,
17:25 but let me read it to you and you'll see how wonderful
17:27 the Bible is and how simply the Bible
17:30 explains itself and interprets itself.
17:33 Just come over to Matthew Chapter 11
17:35 and we'll pick up verse 10.
17:37 Matthew 11 and verse 10.
17:42 And see if you, we've read these words before.
17:46 You'll notice they're in dented which means
17:47 that they're quoted, have a look at verse 10.
17:50 "For this is he of whom it is written,
17:53 'Behold, I send My messenger before Your face,
17:57 Who will prepare Your way before You."'
18:02 Where have we read that statement before?
18:05 That statement that's indented in the Bible
18:07 that you have there, because it's a quote,
18:10 where's Jesus quoting from?
18:13 Is he's quoting from Malachi?
18:16 He's picked up the very words that we read in Malachi
18:18 and now he is quoting them and he's applying them.
18:23 Who is the person that He's applying them to, verse 11,
18:27 "Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women
18:30 there hath not arisen one greater than," whom?
18:34 "John the Baptist."
18:35 So you see John the Baptist was God's messenger
18:40 and what was his job?
18:42 To prepare the way for the coming of Jesus,
18:45 the first time.
18:48 Now, in these last days when God has a message
18:52 which is not going to one nation now, but it's going
18:55 to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people.
19:00 The Book of Revelation says, God doesn't have one message.
19:03 He has three.
19:09 And I believe that that's the reason why we have such
19:11 amazing inventions today, like satellites.
19:15 The technology that has been discovered in these last days
19:20 while much of it is being abused
19:22 and used for bad purposes.
19:24 Nevertheless, it's also being used for good purposes.
19:28 And these discoveries have been made so that God's
19:32 message can be carried to every person, every nation,
19:35 kindred, tongue, and people, every person on the globe
19:39 can have an opportunity of hearing God's message.
19:46 Let's have a look back at this message
19:48 in a little more detail now.
19:49 Just come back to Revelation Chapter 14.
19:53 And we'll notice again these messages
19:57 as we go through them step-by-step.
19:59 Revelation Chapter 14 and verse 6.
20:06 Verse 6 says, "Then I saw another angel
20:09 flying in the midst of heaven,
20:12 having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell
20:16 on the Earth, to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people."
20:22 Let me just pause there for a moment.
20:24 This is the everlasting gospel, this is still
20:27 the gospel that has always been true.
20:31 The gospel that was true in Adam's day, the gospel
20:34 that was true in Moses' day, the gospel that was true
20:38 in the prophets' day, the gospel that was true
20:41 in Jesus' day, and the gospel that still true today,
20:46 the everlasting gospel.
20:47 This is not some new fangled idea.
20:50 Some clear teaching of some sect in the last days.
20:53 No, no, no. This is the everlasting gospel.
20:58 And it's to go to every person on the globe.
21:02 Listen, if it's to go to every nation,
21:04 kindred, tongue, and people does that mean
21:07 the message must be here in Australia? Absolutely.
21:11 Would it be in the South-Sea Islands?
21:14 Would it be in Africa? Would it be in Asia?
21:18 Would it be in Europe? Would it be in America?
21:22 Everywhere, because it's got to go to every nation,
21:25 kindred, tongue, and people.
21:28 You won't have any trouble identifying this message
21:31 because it is a worldwide message.
21:36 Not just being taught by someone here or there,
21:39 this is a great worldwide message.
21:44 All right, let's read on saying verse 7,
21:47 "Saying with a loud voice, 'Fear God,
21:50 and give glory to Him,
21:52 for the hour of his judgment has come
21:55 and worship Him who made heaven, and Earth, the sea,
22:00 and the springs of water."
22:02 Tell me why would that be relevant, do you think today
22:04 to worship Him who made the heavens and the Earth
22:08 and all that in them is?
22:09 Why would that be relevant today in our 21st century
22:15 to worship God as the Creator?
22:18 Is that relevant perhaps is the question to ask?
22:21 Why is it relevant?
22:24 What is the major teaching that is being taught
22:27 in just about every school of learning
22:30 around the world today, what is it?
22:32 Evolution. Evolution.
22:35 And the Bible says that, "Part of the three messages,
22:39 the last message that goes to the world and how up-to-date
22:43 this is when you consider that this was written
22:45 2000 years ago and God knew that one of the big issues
22:48 in the last days is going to be worshiping Him
22:51 who made the heavens and the Earth.
22:54 In other words, the theory of evolution
22:56 has no part whatsoever in God's
22:59 last message to the world.
23:01 Because it will be emphasizing a message that is to worship Him
23:06 who made the heavens and the Earth.
23:11 You know, there's something very interesting also about
23:14 the Book of Revelation and that is this.
23:19 For every truth that God has, the devil has a counterfeit.
23:26 Do you know what a counterfeit is?
23:29 A counterfeit is something that looks like the real thing,
23:34 but isn't the real thing, isn't that right?
23:37 For example, if I was to pass you around tonight
23:43 a $100 note and it was red and I gave it to you and I said,
23:49 "Look, just give me $80 back, you keep the change."
23:57 Would you fall for that? Would you?
24:02 Why not?
24:04 Because a $100 notes in Australia are not red.
24:09 Are they? They're green?
24:13 And you wouldn't fault for--
24:14 that wouldn't be a counterfeit at all,
24:16 blind Harry would know that that wasn't
24:19 a $100 note almost.
24:22 But when if I handed you a green one,
24:26 and it had $100 on it and it felt like and it look like
24:31 in every way, it look like a $100.
24:35 But it was a counterfeit because there were some
24:37 slight changes made, this had no been printed
24:41 by the mint at all, this had been printed
24:44 by some counterfeiters.
24:48 And I'll guarantee this that if I didn't tell you
24:51 it was a counterfeit, hardly anyone if not probably nobody
24:56 here would know the difference.
24:59 Because unless you're trained to be able to tell
25:02 the difference between the genuine and counterfeit,
25:05 you would think that it feels like,
25:07 looks like the real thing, it is the real thing,
25:09 isn't that right?
25:11 That's what we would conclude
25:12 and that's why are deceived with counterfeit money.
25:17 Now that's the way the devil works.
25:20 For every truth that God has, the devil has a counterfeit.
25:24 And the counterfeit looks like and appears like
25:28 the real thing.
25:30 But there are subtle changes made.
25:34 And because the average person hardly studies
25:36 their Bible today, they wouldn't know the difference.
25:39 And because the counterfeit uses Biblical terminology
25:43 and Christian terms, people conclude.
25:46 Well, it must be from God
25:48 because it uses Christian language.
25:51 But that doesn't make it from God at all.
25:54 That's why it's so important for us to study the book.
25:58 Because unless we know what the Bible says,
26:03 I tell you, friend, you're going to be deceived.
26:05 Because only those people who have studied the Bible
26:08 are going to be saved from deception
26:12 because the deception is very subtle.
26:14 Now let me give you an illustration of how the devil
26:16 has a counterfeit just as God has three messages
26:20 so the devil has three messages,
26:21 let me read them to you.
26:22 Come over to Revelation Chapter 16,
26:25 Revelation Chapter 16 and notice down here in verse 13,
26:33 Chapter 16 and verse 13.
26:37 "And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs
26:42 coming out of the mouth of the dragon,
26:45 out of the mouth of the beast,
26:48 and out of the mouth of the false prophet."
26:53 So you see here is the devil's trinity,
26:57 just as God has three messages going,
27:01 so the devil has three messages going,
27:03 they're like unto frogs.
27:06 The dragon, the beast, and the false prophet.
27:10 Now let's read on verse 14,
27:12 "For they are spirits of demons, performing signs,
27:19 which go out the kings of the Earth and of the whole world,
27:22 to gather them to that battle
27:24 of that great day of God Almighty."
27:29 You see, just as God has three messages going out
27:32 to the whole world, so the devil has three messages
27:35 going out to the whole world.
27:38 Leading to the great battle of Armageddon
27:40 and as we read there verse 14, what methodology
27:46 is the devil going to use as his prime target of deception
27:52 in order to lead people into thinking
27:55 that this message is from God.
27:58 What is it?
28:00 He's going to use signs
28:02 or miracles and wonders, that's right.
28:05 That's going to be his trump card.
28:09 Miracles, you know, I've had people tell me
28:11 it must be from God because in our church we have miracles.
28:16 I want to tell you, friend,
28:17 that's the most dangerous position to take.
28:21 Because the devil can perform the same miracles
28:25 that God performs and the Bible gives us illustrations of that.
28:28 When Moses went in before Pharaoh,
28:30 he threw his staff down, it was changed to a snake, remember?
28:34 And Pharaoh's magicians not to be out done
28:36 threw their staff down and likewise
28:40 they would change into snakes.
28:44 People said to me, why would the devil heal someone?
28:48 Listen, the devil can make somebody sick
28:52 and then he can heal him, why would he do that?
28:55 To confirm that person more in the error
28:58 that they're already believing in.
29:01 And I've had people say to me, Geoff,
29:02 what you are teaching from the Bible
29:04 I can't contradict it, it's biblical but, they say,
29:09 in our church we have miracles.
29:11 I'm gonna tell you friend
29:12 that is a most dangerous position to take.
29:15 Because even a good magician can deceive your senses,
29:19 let alone the devil, who's had thousands of years of practice.
29:25 We don't base religion on so called miracles,
29:28 because the Bible has warned us over and over and over again
29:32 that that's going to be the devil's trump card
29:34 in the last days,
29:37 because everybody is impressed with a miracle.
29:43 I mean, people are entertained and impressed with a magician.
29:46 Let alone someone who performs, able to perform a miracle,
29:49 that really gets people's attention.
29:51 And the devil knows that, that's why he is using this
29:54 as his most cunning method of deception.
29:56 And just as God has three messages
29:58 going out to the world in the last days,
30:01 so the devil has three messages
30:02 going out to the world in the last days.
30:05 And so the world is divided and this is one of the reasons
30:08 why the devil hates the Book of Revelation.
30:10 Because the purpose of the Book of Revelation
30:12 is to expose the devil's counterfeit.
30:17 Because once you understand the Book of Revelation,
30:20 then you understand how the devil
30:22 is working in these last days.
30:25 Because God has foreseen the way
30:27 He was going to work and He's written it down
30:30 and he's explained to this all in very, very simple language.
30:35 And as I say, right through the Book of Revelation,
30:38 it exposes the devil's counterfeit.
30:41 Well, let's read on, come back to Revelation Chapter 14.
30:44 And we'll notice the second message now
30:46 just briefly have a look at the first message.
30:49 Let's have a look at verse 8 of Chapter 14 now.
30:52 Revelation 14 and verse 8, "And another angel followed, saying.
30:57 Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city,
31:01 because she has made all nations drink of the wine
31:06 of the wrath of her fornication.''
31:09 Now the second message concerns the fall of Babylon.
31:15 Now obviously this is not the old city of the Babylon,
31:17 the Bible said, it would never be inhabited.
31:20 But you see Babylon was one of the earliest cities
31:23 that was ever built.
31:24 In fact, you will remember that after the flood,
31:26 God told the people to go out
31:29 and fill the Earth, populate the Earth.
31:31 But they said no, we're going to build the city.
31:35 And remember the city that they built and in the midst
31:37 there was a tower called the Tower of Babel.
31:42 They built the city called Babel.
31:46 And Babel simply means confusion,
31:48 because while they were building the tower of Babel.
31:50 Remember God confused their language
31:53 and so all through the Bible
31:54 Babylon is used as a symbol of confusion.
31:58 That which has been built up in direct opposition to God.
32:03 because Babylon was a very, very religious city, very religious.
32:11 And so in the last days we find that the same religion
32:15 that started back there in ancient Babylon
32:17 is going to take the world by storm.
32:22 And it says, "All the nations
32:25 have been made drunk on Babylon's maddening wine."
32:30 And you know, I've learned some things over the years
32:32 and that is you cant reason with a drunk person, is that right?
32:37 Because, alcohol befuddles a person's brain.
32:42 Once you've got alcohol in your brain, no more reasoning.
32:49 And so the Bible uses the symbol that Babylon
32:53 has made the world drunk on her teaching.
32:58 That's why we must have the spirit of God
33:00 when we go out to help people to understand,
33:02 because people's brains have become befuddled
33:06 with Babylon's false teachings.
33:11 Well, let's read on, verse 9, the third message.
33:15 "Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice,
33:18 'If anyone worships the beast and his image,
33:22 and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand,
33:26 he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God,
33:30 which is poured out full strength
33:31 into the cup of His indignation.
33:34 He shall be tormented with fire
33:35 and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels
33:38 and in the presence of the Lamb.
33:40 And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever,
33:43 and they have no rest day or night,
33:45 who worship the beast and his image,
33:47 and whoever receives the mark of his name.''
33:51 Now one thing is very certain I think, as we read these words
33:56 and that is if you get the mark of the beast
33:58 which way are you going?
33:59 Up or down, in a pretty big way isn't that right?
34:05 Language could never be plain within that.
34:08 And yet I would go so far as to saying that,
34:10 I don't want to sound critical when I say this,
34:12 but you could go along to the average church for 50 years
34:15 and never hear a sermon on the mark of the beast.
34:17 And yet the worst warning that's given
34:23 anyway in scripture is given against those
34:25 who get the mark of the beast and yet most people
34:28 have no idea about it whatsoever.
34:31 No wonder God has a message in these last days,
34:34 which is telling people about these issues.
34:39 And then it says in verse 12,
34:43 "Here is the patience of the saints,
34:46 here are those who keep
34:47 the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus."
34:52 You know, it's an interesting thing that
34:53 whenever you find the mark of the beast
34:55 spoken off in the Book of Revelation in contrast
34:58 you always have God's people who are faithful to Jesus
35:02 and faithful to His commandments.
35:04 Because there's something about those commandments
35:07 that if we play fast and loose with them,
35:10 we'll get the mark of the beast.
35:12 On the other hand, if we're faithful to Jesus
35:14 and faithful to His commandments,
35:16 we will never get the mark of the beast.
35:19 And the tragedy is this.
35:22 Everywhere I go today, I find Christian people telling me
35:26 that the commandments have been done away with it.
35:31 Or they've been nailed to the cross.
35:34 You're not under the law any longer,
35:36 because you're under grace.
35:39 And I think that verse teaches us that
35:40 the commandments have been done way with
35:42 because we're saved by grace.
35:43 Listen, whenever you hear people talk like that
35:47 you know that they don't understand God's last message.
35:51 Because part of God's last message for these days
35:55 is an emphasis on being faithful to Jesus
35:59 and being faithful to His commandments.
36:01 Because the two things go together.
36:06 And I'm looking around for people
36:07 who are emphasizing faithfulness to Jesus
36:12 and faithfulness to His commandments.
36:14 And I think that you ought to be looking for that too.
36:17 Because God says that's one of the great
36:20 identifying marks of God's people in the last days.
36:27 Well, people said to me, Geoff, what church?
36:30 Well actually this is not a matter of church at all
36:33 because this is God's interdenominational message.
36:37 This is a message that God wants everybody around the world
36:41 to accept and not only everybody to accept,
36:45 but He wants everybody to give and to preach and to teach.
36:52 And this message is far bigger than just a church.
36:56 In fact, this message is the most important thing
36:59 that's going on in the world today by nothing.
37:03 Vastly more important to know
37:04 what happens over there in Iraq or in the Middle-East
37:07 or anywhere else around the world.
37:11 In fact, we might call this God's present truth,
37:14 you say, what do you mean by that?
37:15 Well, there are some things in the Bible
37:17 that are always true, for example,
37:19 the Bible is God inspired word is always true.
37:25 The Jesus died a complete atoning death
37:28 on the cross is always true.
37:32 But there are some things in the Bible
37:35 that are true only for a period.
37:38 For example, if I came preaching
37:41 that the world is going to be destroyed by a flood,
37:44 the same message that Noah preached,
37:46 would that be true now?
37:48 No, it was true when Noah preached it,
37:51 but it's not true now, get the thought?
37:53 It was present truth in Noah's day
37:55 but it's not present truth now.
38:00 And there are some things that are taught in the Bible
38:03 that are true only for a particular period,
38:06 that's why the Bible calls it present truth.
38:10 Peter calls it present truth.
38:14 And this message is present truth.
38:17 Because look, this message is to us
38:22 as important as the message that
38:24 Noah preached to the people of his day.
38:29 Remember that Noah preached the message
38:31 and if the people didn't accept that message,
38:33 they were lost, is that right?
38:36 It was God's last message
38:38 before the world was destroyed by water.
38:41 And Jesus said, as it was in the days of Noah
38:44 so it's going to be in the days of
38:46 the coming of the Son of Man.
38:47 And in these last days, the Book of Revelation says,
38:50 "God has a last message."
38:54 Like the message of Noah, for the last days
38:57 and it's encapsulated in Revelation 14:6-12,
39:01 that message that goes to every nation,
39:03 kindred, tongue and people.
39:04 Because as soon as those three messages go to the world,
39:08 then Jesus comes back, the harvest of the Earth is reaped.
39:13 And that's why it's so important for us
39:15 to understand this message and to accept this message.
39:19 This message is as important to us
39:22 as a message was of Noah to people of his days,
39:26 just as important.
39:30 Well, you say, who was preaching this message?
39:33 Well, when Jesus came the first time,
39:36 did the established church in His day accept the message
39:39 that Jesus had for that hour, the present truth
39:42 that He had for that moment.
39:43 Did they accept it?
39:45 No, they didn't unfortunately and they crucified Him.
39:49 Now listen, I've been through the writing of men like
39:51 Martin Luther, and John Knox, and John Wesley, and John Kelvin
39:57 and these great reformers, wonderful men of God.
40:02 But not one of them has had the burden
40:05 of these three messages, why?
40:09 Why didn't Luther, and Kelvin and Wesley,
40:12 and so forth and these great reformers,
40:14 why didn't they preach
40:16 this Book of Revelation and this message?
40:19 Was it because they weren't good men?
40:21 Was that the reason? No, that's not the reason.
40:24 Was it because they didn't study their Bible's properly?
40:28 No, that's not the reason. What is the reason?
40:32 Yes, because it wasn't yet due, that's why.
40:38 God never gave the burden to Martin Luther and to John Knox,
40:41 and to John Wesley and to John Kelvin.
40:43 Because it wouldn't have been true back 100 of years ago
40:47 to say that Jesus was coming soon.
40:50 And they never preached this message.
40:53 But in these last days, God has a special message,
40:59 like the message of Noah.
41:01 Because you cannot understand, you couldn't believe
41:04 that God would have a great calamity like
41:07 His second coming back to this Earth
41:10 without telling people about it.
41:12 As you couldn't imagine that God would not have a message
41:15 of warning before the flood came and of course, he did.
41:20 And in these last days God has a message of warning
41:23 before the world is going to be destroyed by fire,
41:27 as it was destroyed by water back in the days of Noah.
41:34 And so this message hasn't been preached in the past
41:37 and unfortunately those churches that have patterned their life
41:40 on those men have never embraced the Book of Revelation
41:44 that's why, if you have been brought up in those churches
41:46 you not heard hardly a whisper about it.
41:50 Not because those men were not good men
41:53 but simply they died before the time
41:56 was due to preach this message.
41:59 I believe if they were alive today,
42:01 they would be the foremost preachers of this message.
42:05 Because they were faithful to the message that
42:07 God gave them in their day and if they were alive today
42:10 they would be faithful to the message
42:11 that God has given to us in these last days.
42:17 Well, are the churches preaching it.
42:19 Let me illustrate, some years ago
42:20 I was over in New South Wales and I was about to run
42:24 some meetings and before I ran the meetings
42:26 I was doing a little collecting for medical missions
42:28 and I called on a lady's home.
42:30 I didn't know who was there until I knocked in the door
42:32 and she came and answered the door.
42:34 And she wants to know what I was about
42:35 and I explained and she said, "Why do you come here."
42:41 She was a little aggressive. "Why did you come here?"
42:43 Well, I said, because God has a special message
42:46 to preach in these last days and I've come to preach you.
42:49 Well, she said, "My minister's preaching it."
42:52 Oh! I said, I'd realized that
42:53 I would have gone somewhere else.
42:55 Well, she said, "You can go."
42:57 Well, now listen before I go, I said,
42:59 and I always, when I'm doing a work like this,
43:01 I always have one of those little Bibles
43:02 that I keep in my shirt pocket, and I pulled it out.
43:05 And I began to read her these three messages.
43:09 And I read her about the hour of God's judgment
43:12 has come and I say, "Tell me, what does it mean,
43:14 the hour of God's judgment has come?"
43:18 She just stood there looking at me, she had no idea.
43:21 Well, I said, with all due respect,
43:22 I don't think your minister's making that clear
43:24 because you don't seem to understand what that is?
43:26 I said, surely you'll be getting the next point
43:28 and I read her about Babylon.
43:30 Babylon is fallen, is fallen that great city,
43:33 because she's made all nation's drink of the wine
43:36 of the wrath of her fornication.
43:37 I said, tell me, who is Babylon?
43:41 She just stood there looking at me.
43:45 Well, I said, I don't think he's making that point clear either.
43:48 Surely, I said, you'll be getting the third point,
43:50 and I read her about the mark of the beast.
43:52 I said, tell me, what is the mark of the beast?
43:57 She had no idea.
43:59 I said, that's the reason I'm coming to town,
44:02 because with all due respect to you and your minister,
44:06 I don't believe he's preaching any of this message.
44:09 And listen, friends, nothing will stop this message.
44:11 The bamboo curtain wouldn't stop it,
44:13 the iron curtain hasn't stopped it,
44:15 and the purple curtain hasn't stopped it.
44:18 Because this is God's message and from Greenland's
44:21 icy mountains to India's coral strand,
44:24 this message is going tonight.
44:27 And it's the most important thing
44:28 that's happening in the world today.
44:32 Well, people say, is this message
44:35 going to convert the world?
44:39 Well, just come over to the Book of Acts, the 13th Chapter.
44:44 Acts Chapter 13.
44:47 And I want to read to you a warning,
44:48 because you know, whenever there is message of God
44:52 there is always things that we've got to be careful about.
44:56 And Paul warned the people in his day about human nature.
45:01 And I don't think that human nature is any different
45:03 now than it was in Paul's day,
45:06 then it was back in the Old Testament days.
45:09 We may have changed the country
45:11 and we may have changed some things
45:12 but we haven't changed our natures.
45:14 Have a look at verse 40, this is Acts 13 and verse 40
45:18 where Paul says, "Beware therefore,
45:20 lest what has been spoken in the prophets come upon you:"
45:24 Now what was spoken in the prophets
45:25 that might come upon us?
45:26 Verse 41, "Behold, you despisers, marvel and perish!
45:33 For I work a work in your days,
45:36 A work which you will by no means believe.
45:40 Though one were to declare it to you."
45:46 You see the great danger that we have is that
45:48 we won't accept God's message that he has in our day.
45:56 Human nature being what it is, we're always willing
46:00 to accept the messages of the past
46:03 but we're never willing to accept the message
46:05 that God has for the present, let me illustrate.
46:09 If you go back to the days of Moses,
46:11 the people wanted to stone Moses to death.
46:14 Come down to the time of Elijah,
46:16 the people accepted Moses but wanted to kill Elijah.
46:20 Come down to the time of Christ, the people accepted
46:22 Moses and Elijah but crucified Jesus.
46:26 Come down to these last days and the people say
46:29 they accept Jesus, but they don't accept the message
46:32 that Jesus has given in the book of Revelation.
46:36 They turn their back on him, they say,
46:38 they're not interested.
46:41 You see that's the trouble with human nature,
46:43 we're always willing to accept the past,
46:46 but when God wants to work, a work in our days,
46:49 a work which you won't believe
46:50 even though someone declares it to us.
46:54 And I pray tonight that God will help us all,
46:57 both our viewers and those who are here in a live situation,
47:01 we'll not to turn our back up on the truths that
47:04 God has reveal particularly in the Book of the Revelation.
47:12 And it's my plan, session by session to go
47:16 through these three messages.
47:21 In our seminar tonight
47:22 we haven't gone through each of those points.
47:25 But I want to tell you over the next few meetings
47:28 we're gonna go through each of these points
47:30 for example our next program together
47:33 we're going to deal with how to worship God as the Creator.
47:38 God has given us a sign.
47:41 And we're going to start to unravel this message.
47:43 We're gonna talk about the mark of the beast,
47:45 we're gonna talk about Babylon,
47:47 we're gonna talk about the commandments,
47:49 why are these issues in the last days?
47:52 Because, remember, all of these points
47:54 are part of the everlasting gospel.
47:57 The only thing different is that these three messages
48:00 own the emphasis of the everlasting gospel
48:03 to the contemporary situation in the last days.
48:07 All of these points are part of the everlasting gospel.
48:12 And if you and I wanna understand grace and the gospel,
48:16 then we need to understand all of these points.
48:19 Because, remember, this was the everlasting gospel to preach
48:23 unto those who dwell on the Earth to every nation,
48:25 kindred, tongue and people.
48:28 Well, is this message going to convert the world?
48:30 Let's come over to Revelation Chapter 12.
48:33 The last book in the Bible again Revelation 12 and verse 17.
48:38 And you'll notice what John says here.
48:40 Revelation Chapter 12 and verse 17,
48:44 "And the dragon was enraged with the woman."
48:48 Now, who is the dragon?
48:50 Well, if you go up the column to verse 9,
48:53 it tells you who the dragon is.
48:56 "See that says the great dragon was cast out,
48:59 that serpent of old, called whom, the Devil and Satan."
49:03 So the Bible and even Revelation interpret itself, can you see?
49:07 So when we read here
49:08 "And the dragon or the devil was enraged."
49:12 What does the word enrage mean?
49:15 Angry, not only angry but furious.
49:19 Absolutely livid with a passion.
49:25 "The devil was enraged with the woman."
49:27 What does a woman represent in Bible prophecy? Church.
49:30 Yes, in fact when we study Revelation in more depth,
49:33 we are going to notice that there are
49:34 two women mentioned in Revelation.
49:36 There is the pure woman, Revelation 12
49:38 that we've been reading about here
49:39 that represents the pure true church.
49:42 But when you go over to the Revelation 17,
49:44 you'll read about the impure harlot woman,
49:46 which represents the apostate Christendom, the counterfeit.
49:52 And so we have the true and the genuine
49:54 against the counterfeit and the false.
49:58 And so, it says, "The devil was enraged with the church,
50:02 and went to make war with the rest of her offspring," who?
50:08 Who is the church's offspring, who keep the commandments of God
50:13 and have the testimony of Jesus Christ?
50:15 Can you how those commandments are being emphasized again?
50:19 No wonder the devil hates Revelation.
50:22 Because continually God's people are identified
50:25 as those who are faithful to Jesus
50:28 and faithful to His commandments.
50:29 Because the two things go together,
50:31 you cannot separate one from the other.
50:34 And the tragedy of Christendom today,
50:36 is that they have separated those two things.
50:39 And I think there's an antagonism between Jesus
50:42 if you Love Jesus
50:43 you'll be antagonistic to the commandments.
50:45 And if you like the commandments
50:46 you won't even believe in Jesus properly.
50:50 Bible knows there is no such dichotomy.
50:52 The Bible says there are two things go together,
50:54 faithfulness to Jesus
50:56 and faithfulness to His commandments.
50:59 But the devil is happy with that group.
51:01 Is that what it says? The devil is enraged.
51:05 That's why he will do everything in his power
51:08 to stop you from attending the meetings.
51:11 We get about this far and people get sick
51:14 and the devil makes you busy so that in tired and so forth,
51:19 so that you can't listen to rest of the meetings,
51:21 because he doesn't want you to understand this.
51:24 Because remember it's a Revelation of Jesus.
51:27 He hates it.
51:29 And he's enraged with those who would dare
51:32 to be faithful to Jesus and faithful to His commandments?
51:36 And truth has always received opposition.
51:40 You know, John Wesley over there in England,
51:42 many years ago, he wasn't preaching for six weeks.
51:46 When the Anglican Church, Episcopal Church
51:49 put out 323 tracks against him in six weeks.
51:56 Now I happen to believe that Wesley had the truth
51:58 for that hour and truth has always been opposed.
52:03 And don't think that this message
52:05 is going to go unopposed.
52:08 The devil will even use Christian people.
52:11 And those in responsible position, he should know
52:14 a whole lot better to oppose this message.
52:18 Well, I wanna tell you its Jesus message.
52:21 And one of the clear indications is the opposition
52:23 that the devil has to this message.
52:27 You know, Woodrow Wilson.
52:29 He was once the President of United States, do you remember?
52:32 He made this statement.
52:34 He said, "I would rather perish in a movement
52:37 that I knew would triumph, then triumph in a movement
52:42 that I knew would perish."
52:45 And so would I.
52:47 And I know this message is going to triumph.
52:49 How do I know?
52:50 Have a look at Revelation Chapter 15 and verse 2 and 3.
52:54 Revelation Chapter 15 and verse 2 and 3, this is what it says.
53:02 This is Revelation 15:2, "And I saw something like
53:07 a sea of glass mingled with fire,
53:10 and those who have the victory over the beast,
53:12 over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name,
53:18 standing on the sea of glass, having the harps of God."
53:23 Listen, how could you get the victory over the beast
53:28 and over his image and over the number of his name
53:32 if you have no idea about any of those things?
53:36 How could you get the victory over it?
53:39 Impossible, and friends, the only message that
53:43 I know in the entire world that explains to people
53:47 about the beast and about his image and about the
53:50 number of his name are these three messages,
53:54 I don't know of any other message.
53:57 It's the only message in the Bible that explains it,
54:00 there is no other statement in the Bible
54:01 about those things, these three messages.
54:06 It's the last message, it's God's message
54:10 and like everything else in the past whenever
54:13 it's God's message the devil has opposed it.
54:16 And this message is not going to be rushed,
54:18 don't think that this message is going to win
54:20 the popularity contest, it never has done.
54:24 God's truth has never ever been popular, is that right?
54:29 In the days of Noah, it wasn't popular was it?
54:32 In the days of Jesus it wasn't popular.
54:34 Don't think in these last days that
54:36 this message is going to be rushed, it's not.
54:39 It will be a few faithful people here,
54:42 a few faithful people there, and there, and there.
54:46 They are the ones who will stand faithful to Jesus
54:49 and faithful to His commandments,
54:51 the vast majority of people will not.
54:54 You know, so William Russell over there in England,
54:56 it was about to be executed,
54:57 because of his love for the Bible.
55:01 And he was standing there on the scaffold
55:03 and had the noose around his neck.
55:06 And he had a chain, a watch on his waist
55:10 and he undid it and gave it to his doctor.
55:12 He said, "Doctor, you can have my watch
55:15 because I'm about finished with time, about to face eternity."
55:19 And you and I friends are just about to finish with time
55:21 and about to face eternity because Jesus is coming soon.
55:25 And He has a message in these last days.
55:28 A message that's calling people from every nation,
55:32 and kindred, tongue and people to be faithful to Jesus
55:35 and faithful to all of His commandments.
55:38 And I trust that you and I will stand firm
55:42 for what we know to be right, that God will help us too.
55:45 As God reveals to us this message and night by night,
55:49 session by session, now we're going to
55:51 unveil these three messages.
55:53 That's the reason why we're preaching here
55:55 is to teach these three messages.
55:57 And all the past that are associated with these messages,
56:01 because this is the most important thing
56:03 that's happening in the world.
56:06 It's getting a people ready for the return of Jesus.
56:09 And I believe that God has brought you here,
56:11 I don't believe that you are here by chance,
56:13 God has brought you.
56:15 Those who are watching on satellite,
56:18 God has brought you and given you an opportunity
56:22 to understand these messages.
56:25 Never let it go, don't treat it as a light thing.
56:29 Let's just bow our heads together in prayer.
56:31 Our Father in heaven, I just want to thank you
56:33 again tonight for the wonderful Book of Revelation.
56:37 That marvelous book that has come to us
56:39 from Jesus, the Revelation of Jesus.
56:42 And I pray tonight that you will help us
56:44 to have a new understanding of it,
56:46 that we will sense that this book
56:48 has present truth for us in these last days.
56:51 Continue to be with us and bring us back
56:53 in our next program as we begin to study
56:55 one of those great commandments that has been rejected.
56:59 As we study the first part of these messages.
57:02 Blesses us to this end.
57:03 Keep us faithful, I pray, for Jesus sake, amen.


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Revised 2014-12-17