FAITH BIBLE CHURCH - www.faithbiblechurch.net

SERIES: THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST, WEEK 46

TITLE: THY KINGDOM COME

TEXT: REVELATION 11:15-17

INTRODUCTION: (1) IN MATTHEW 6:9-15, OUR LORD JESUS GIVES IN A FEW WORDS, A CONCISE BUT COMPREHENSIVE OUTLINE OF WHAT TRUE PRAYER SHOULD BE.

* THIS MODEL PRAYER, SOMETIMES CALLED THE LORD’S PRAYER, HAS TWO SECTIONS; THE FIRST SECTION DEALS WITH GOD’S GLORY IN VV. 9&10 AND THE SECOND SECTION WITH MAN’S NEED IN VV. 11-13A.

** NOW EACH SECTION CONSISTS OF 3 PETITIONS. THE FIRST 3 ARE PETITIONS IN BEHALF OF GOD’S NAME, HIS KINGDOM AND HIS WILL.

*** AND THE SECOND 3 ARE PETITIONS FOR DAILY BREAD, FORGIVENESS AND PROTECTION FROM TEMPTATION.

**** NOW OUR STUDY TODAY IN REVELATION 11:15-17 WILL FOCUS ON THE FIRST SECTION OF THIS MODEL PRAYER WITH GOD’S GLORY AND THE 2’D PETITION, “THY KINGDOM COME.”

(2) AND TO PRAY “THY KINGDOM COME” IS TO PRAY FOR THE PLAN OR PROGRAM OF THE ETERNAL SOVEREIGN GOD TO BE FULFILLED.

* IT MEANS TO PRAY FOR CHRIST TO COME AND REIGN AS KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

** IT MEANS TO PRAY FOR GOD’S RULE THROUGH CHRIST’S CORONATION AND EXALTATION TO COME, HIS GLORIOUS REIGN ON EARTH TO BEGIN.

*** IT MEANS TO PRAY FOR GOD’S KINGDOM TO COME ON EARTH, BUT IT WILL NOT BE A KINGDOM OF THIS WORLD, THAT IS, OF THIS PRESENT WORLD SYSTEM, BUT ONE WHERE SATAN IS DETHRONED AND NO LONGER THE USURPER, THE GOD OF THIS WORLD.

**** FOR THE GREATEST OPPOSITION TO GOD’S KINGDOM AND THE GREATEST OPPOSITION TO CHRISTIAN LIVING, IS THE KINGDOM OF THIS PRESENT WORLD, WHICH SATAN RULES.

(3) FOR THE ESSENCE OF SATAN’S KINGDOM IS OPPOSITION TO GOD’S KINGDOM AND GOD’S PEOPLE.

* AND UNDERSTAND THAT THE WORD KINGDOM DOES NOT REFER PRIMARILY TO A GEOGRAPHICAL PHYSICAL TERRITORY BUT TO SOVEREIGNTY AND DOMINION, A KINGDOM IN THAT SENSE THAT IS YET TO COME.

** FOR GOD NOW AND ALWAYS HAS RULED THE KINGDOM OF THE UNIVERSE, FOR HIS SOVEREIGNTY NOW RULES OVER ALL.

*** BUT THE SENSE IS THAT GOD IS NOT NOW RULING ON EARTH AS HE RULES IN HEAVEN. AND IT IS THE DIVINE EARTHLY KINGDOM WE ARE TO PRAY WILL COME.

**** OUR PRAYING SHOULD BE FOR CHRIST TO RETURN AND TO ESTABLISH HIS EARTHLY KINGDOM, TO PUT DOWN SIN AND ENFORCE OBEDIENCE TO GOD’S WILL, WHEN HE RULES WITH A ROD OF IRON.

(4) SO OUR GREAT PASSION AND DESIRE SHOULD BE TO SEE THE LORD JESUS RULING AND REIGNING IN HIS KINGDOM, TO HAVE THE HONOR AND AUTHORITY THAT HAVE ALWAYS BEEN HIS BUT THAT HE HAS NOT YET COME TO CLAIM.

* FOR YOU SEE YOU CANNOT SEPARATE A KING FROM HIS KINGDOM.

** SO WE SHOULD LONG FOR THE KING TO RULE OVER HIS KINGDOM, WE SHOULD PRAY, NOT MY WILL BE DONE, BUT “THY KINGDOM COME NOW!”

*** WELL, THE SOUNDING OF THE 7TH TRUMPET SIGNALS GOD’S ANSWER TO THE PRAYER, “THY KINGDOM COME, YOUR WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.”

**** IN FACT, THAT ANSWER AND THAT TRUTH SWEEPS THROUGH THE REST OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION AS GOD ALMIGHTY FINISHES HIS WORK OF RECLAIMING CREATION FROM THE USURPER SATAN, THE ONE WHO HAS NO RIGHT OR POWER TO BE THE WORLD’S KING.

(5) AND SPECIFICALLY IN OUR STUDY TODAY, WE WILL SEE WITH THE BLOWING OF THE 7TH TRUMPET THAT THE KINGDOM OF THIS WORLD BECOMES THE KINGDOM OF OUR LORD AND OF HIS CHRIST.

* MEANING THAT THE TAKING OF THE KINGDOM BY CHRIST IS SO CERTAIN THAT IT MAY BE VIEWED AS ALREADY HAVING TAKEN PLACE WITH THE BLOWING OF THE 7TH TRUMPET.

** GOD THE FATHER AND GOD THE SON WILL REIGN IN AN EARTHLY AND ETERNAL KINGDOM.

*** BECAUSE OF THAT, I’VE TITLED OUR STUDY TODAY, “THY KINGDOM COME.”

**** AND UNDER THAT THEME WE’LL LOOK AT 3 MAIN POINTS.

(6) NO. 1 THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE KINGDOM OF THIS WORLD BECOMING GOD’S V. 15; NO. 2 THE ADORATION AND WORSHIP OF GOD BY THE 24 ELDERS IN V. 16; AND NO. 3 THE ANTICIPATION OF THE REIGN OF GOD IN THIS WORLD, V. 17.

* AND WITHOUT ANY FURTHER INTRODUCTION, LET’S JUMP INTO OUR TEXT TODAY IN STUDYING “THY KINGDOM COME” BY LOOKING AT OUR FIRST POINT, THE ANNOUNCEMENT. LOOK AT REVELATION 11:15 PLEASE.

I. THE ANNOUNCEMENT, (READ V. 15)

A. NOW WITH THE BLOWING OF THE SEVENTH TRUMPET THERE IS AN ANNOUNCEMENT MADE THAT ANTICIPATES THE FINAL STAGE OF HISTORY BEFORE THE EARTH IS BROUGHT UNDER THE DOMINION OF CHRIST IN THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM AND THEN A NEW HEAVEN AND A NEW EARTH, THE ETERNAL KINGDOM OF GOD.

* AND BASICALLY WITH THE SOUNDING OF THE 7TH TRUMPET WE HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT AND RESPONSE IN HEAVEN, BUT NO IMMEDIATE JUDGMENT IN VV. 15-19.

** FOR THE 7TH TRUMPET SETS IN MOTION THE FINAL EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE RETURN OF CHRIST AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF HIS RULE AND AUTHORITY ON THE EARTH AND FOREVER.

*** AND REVELATION 10:7 MAKES THIS CLEAR FOR US FOR IT SAYS: “BUT IN THE DAYS OF THE VOICE OF THE SEVENTH ANGEL, WHEN HE IS ABOUT TO SOUND, THEN THE MYSTERY OF GOD IS FINISHED, AS HE PREACHED TO HIS SERVANTS THE PROPHETS.”

**** AND BELOVED, THAT MYSTERY IS THE FULL REVELATION OF THE CONSUMMATION OF GOD’S PLAN.

1. AND THAT PLAN WAS PROPHESIED BY THE O.T. PROPHETS, BUT IT’S FULLNESS, CLARITY AND FULFILLMENT WAS NEVER REVEALED UNTIL THE BOOK OF REVELATION.

* AND WITH THE BLOWING OF THE 7TH TRUMPET THE FINAL EVENTS OF GOD’S PROPHETIC PLAN ARE SET IN MOTION.

** NOW OUT OF THE 7TH TRUMPET, THE SEVEN BOWL JUDGMENTS COME FORTH, THE ROLL OUT, THEY UNFOLD.

*** FOR REVELATION 15:1 SAYS: “THEN I SAW ANOTHER SIGN IN HEAVEN, GREAT AND MARVELOUS, SEVEN ANGELS WHO HAD SEVEN PLAGUES, WHICH ARE THE LAST, BECAUSE IN THEM THE WRATH OF GOD IS FINISHED.”

**** NOW THOSE “SEVEN PLAGUES” THAT FINISH GOD’S WRATH ARE THE 7 BOWL JUDGMENTS.

2. FOR REVELATION 16:1 SAYS: “THEN I HEARD A LOUD VOICE FROM THE TEMPLE, SAYING TO THE SEVEN ANGELS, “GO AND POUR OUT ON THE EARTH THE SEVEN BOWLS OF THE WRATH OF GOD.”

* NOW AS WE PUT ALL THOSE VERSES TOGETHER, REVELATION 10:7, REVELATION 15:1 AND REVELATION 16:1, WE SEE THAT BOTH THE SEVENTH TRUMPET AND THE 7 BOWLS ARE SAID TO FINISH GOD’S WRATH, SO THE BOWLS APPEAR TO BE A PART OF THE 7TH TRUMPET JUDGMENT AS THE SEVENTH SEAL IN REVELATION 8 ROLLED OUT THE 7 TRUMPETS.

** NOW BEFORE I GO BACK TO REVELATION 11:15 AND THE SOUNDING OF THE 7TH TRUMPET, NOTE THAT ALTHOUGH THE 7TH TRUMPET IS THE LAST IN THE SEQUENCE OF THE 7 TRUMPET JUDGMENTS, IT IS NOT TO BE EQUATED OR MADE TO REPRESENT THE “LAST TRUMPET” TO WHICH PAUL MAKES REFERENCE TO IN I CORINTHIANS 15:51&52 (READ THEM – ALSO READ I THESSALONIANS 4:16)

*** NOW THIS IS A GREAT DIFFERENCE OF TIME. THE BLOWING OF THE LAST TRUMPET IN I CORINTHIANS 15:52 AND THE TRUMPET LEADS TO AN EVENT, THE RAPTURE THAT TAKES PLACE INSTANTANEOUSLY (IN A MOMENT IN THE TWINKLING OF AN EYE).

**** BUT THE 7TH TRUMPET COVERS AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION, AND THE KINGDOM DOESN’T BECOME CHRIST’S IMMEDIATELY BUT IT IS CERTAIN AND ANTICIPATED AND COMMUNICATED AS A REALITY, AS AN ACCOMPLISHED FACT.

3. BELOVED, THE 7TH TRUMPET CALLS FOR A PROLONGED WAVE OF JUDGMENT ON THE UNGODLY, NOT THE MOMENT, THE MICRO-SECOND OF THE RAPTURE, CALLING FOR A MID-TRIBULATION RAPTURE.

* SO ALTHOUGH THE 7TH TRUMPET DOES NOT PARALLEL THE TRUMPET OF I CORINTHIANS 15:52 AND I THESSALONIANS 4:16, THE 7TH TRUMPET DOES PARALLEL THE TRUMPET OF JOEL 2:1&2 WHICH SAYS:

V. 1 – “BLOW A TRUMPET IN ZION, AND SOUND AN ALARM ON MY HOLY MOUNTAIN! LET ALL THE INHABITANTS OF THE LAND TREMBLE, FOR THE DAY OF THE LORD IS COMING; SURELY IT IS NEAR.”

V. 2 – “A DAY OF DARKNESS AND GLOOM, A DAY OF CLOUDS AND THICK DARKNESS. AS THE DAWN IS SPREAD OVER THE MOUNTAINS, SO THERE IS A GREAT AND MIGHTY PEOPLE; THERE HAS NEVER BEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT, NOR WILL THERE BE AGAIN AFTER IT TO THE YEARS OF MANY GENERATIONS.”

** AND ONE LAST THING ABOUT THE 7TH TRUMPET THAT WILL BE A SEGUE TO THE KINGDOM TRUTH COMMUNICATED IN REVELATION 11:15 OUR TEXT.

*** AND THAT IS, THE 7TH TRUMPET NOT ONLY COMMUNICATES CONSUMING JUDGMENT ON UNBELIEVERS, BUT ALSO THE CORONATION OF CHRIST.

**** FOR IN THE O.T., TRUMPETS WERE FREQUENTLY BLOWN AT THE CORONATION OF A KING. AND SOME REFERENCES TO THIS TRUTH ARE GIVEN IN II SAMUEL 15:10, I KINGS 1:39 WITH SOLOMON, II KINGS 9:13 WITH JEHU AND II KINGS 11:12, 14 WITH JOASH.

4. AND AS WE GO BACK TO REVELATION 11:15, THE TRUMPET IS BLOWN IN ANTICIPATION OF CHRIST’S CORONATION AS HE COMES BACK IN REVELATION 19:11-16 AS KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS!

* WHICH LEADS US BACK TO THE ANNOUNCEMENT IN V. 15, FOR AS THE SEVENTH TRUMPET IS BLOWN, LOUD VOICES IN HEAVEN, NOT IDENTIFIED, BUT MOST LIKELY THE HEAVENLY HOST TOGETHER IN A ROAR SAY: “THE KINGDOM OF THE WORLD HAS BECOME THE KINGDOM OF OUR LORD AND CHRIST; AND HE WILL REIGN FOREVER AND EVER.”

** WHICH REMINDS ME OF HANDEL’S MESSIAH AND THE HALLELUJAH CHORUS REPEATED OVER AND OVER: “AND HE SHALL REIGN FOREVER.” (WOW!)

*** WELL, HERE HEAVEN REJOICES THAT THE LONG REBELLION OF SATAN AND THIS WORLD AGAINST GOD THE FATHER AND GOD THE SON IS ABOUT TO END.

**** AND THE REFERENCE TO OUR LORD IS A CLEAR REFERENCE TO GOD THE FATHER, NORMALLY TO CHRIST IN THE REST OF THE N.T., WHICH IN REVELATION MORE OFTEN TO THE FATHER, AND HIS CHRIST, HIS ANOINTED ONE, THE MESSIAH – JESUS – ONE GOD.

5. AND THE POINT IS THE EARTH WILL BE ONE KINGDOM UNDER GOD. FOR THE WORLD EMPIRE ONCE DOMINATED BY A USURPING POWER – SATAN – AND HIS FALSE MESSIAH – ANTICHRIST – THE BEAST, HAS NOW PASSED INTO THE HANDS OF ITS TRUE OWNER.

* AND A GREAT THEME OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION IS THE PURGING OF EVIL FROM THE WORLD SO THAT IT CAN BECOME THE DOMAIN OF GOD.

** THE THEME IS THE ESTABLISHING OF GOD’S KINGDOM ON THE EARTH, THE TRIUMPH OF GOD OVER SATAN AS EVIL IS PURGED FROM THE WORLD AND CHRIST BECOMES IT’S HOLY RULER.

*** AND NOTE THAT THE VERB “HAS BECOME” OR “ARE BECOME” AND “HAVE BECOME” DEPENDING ON WHICH TRANSLATION YOU HAVE, THE TENSE OF THE VERB IS WHAT GREEK GRAMMARIANS REFER TO AS A PROLEPTIC AORIST.

**** AND THIS KIND OF VERB DESCRIBES A FUTURE EVENT THAT IS SO CERTAIN THAT IT CAN BE SPOKEN AS IF IT HAS ALREADY TAKEN PLACE.

6. A PROLEPTIC AORIST IS ANTICIPATORY. THE EVENT OF THE KINGDOM BECOMING CHRIST’S IS FUTURE, BUT THIS VERB VIEWS IT AS AN ALREADY ACCOMPLISHED FACT AND SO HAS BECOME PAST TENSE.

* BELOVED, THE 7TH TRUMPET TRIGGERS AN ANTICIPATION OF THE FINAL TRIUMPH WHEN THE FUTURE VISIBLE KINGDOM OF GOD ON EARTH WILL BECOME A REALITY, WHEN TRANSFERENCE OF POWER WILL TAKE PLACE. (BANK ON IT, COUNT ON IT, IT’S AS GOOD AS DONE.)

** AND THAT THE KINGDOM OF THE WORLD HAS BECOME THE KINGDOM OF OUR LORD AND OF HIS CHRIST IS PROPHESIED IN THE O.T.

*** IN OTHER WORDS, THAT GOD WILL RULE PHYSICALLY AND LITERALLY ON THE EARTH ONE DAY IS PROPHESIED IN SEVERAL PLACES IN THE O.T.

**** FOR EXAMPLE, IT SAYS IN ISAIAH 9:6&7 WHICH GIVES A PICTURE OF THE FIRST AND SECOND ADVENT OF CHRIST, IT SAYS: (READ V. 6)

V. 7 – “THERE WILL BE NO END TO THE INCREASE OF HIS GOVERNMENT OR OF PEACE, ON THE THRONE OF DAVID AND OVER HIS KINGDOM, TO ESTABLISH IT AND TO UPHOLD IT WITH JUSTICE AND RIGHTEOUSNESS FROM THEN ON AND FOREVERMORE. THE ZEAL OF THE LORD OF HOSTS WILL ACCOMPLISH THIS.”

7. PSALM 2:6-9 TALKS ABOUT A LITERAL EARTHLY REIGN OF CHRIST WHERE IT SAYS:

V. 6 – “BUT AS FOR ME, I HAVE INSTALLED MY KING UPON ZION, MY HOLY MOUNTAIN.”

V. 7 – “I WILL SURELY TELL OF THE DECREE OF THE LORD: HE SAID TO ME, ‘YOU ARE MY SON, TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU.’

V. 8 – ‘ASK OF ME, AND I WILL SURELY GIVE THE NATIONS AS YOUR INHERITANCE, AND THE VERY ENDS OF THE EARTH AS YOUR POSSESSION.’

V. 9 – ‘YOU SHALL BREAK THEM WITH A ROD OF IRON, YOU SHALL SHATTER THEM LIKE EARTHENWARE.’”

* MICAH THE PROPHET WROTE IN MICAH 4:1-3 –

V. 1 – AND IT WILL COME ABOUT IN THE LAST DAYS THAT THE MOUNTAIN OF THE HOUSE OF THE LORD WILL BE ESTABLISHED AS THE CHIEF OF THE MOUNTAINS. IT WILL BE RAISED ABOVE THE HILLS, AND THE PEOPLES WILL STREAM TO IT.

V. 2 – MANY NATIONS WILL COME AND SAY, “COME AND LET US GO UP TO THE MOUNTAIN OF THE LORD AND TO THE HOUSE OF THE GOD OF JACOB, THAT HE MAY TEACH US ABOUT HIS WAYS AND THAT WE MAY WALK IN HIS PATHS.” FOR FROM ZION WILL GO FORTH THE LAW, EVEN THE WORD OF THE LORD FROM JERUSALEM.

V. 3 – AND HE WILL JUDGE BETWEEN MANY PEOPLES AND RENDER DECISIONS FOR MIGHTY, DISTANT NATIONS. THEN THEY WILL HAMMER THEIR SWORDS INTO PLOWSHARES AND THEIR SPEARS INTO PRUNING HOOKS; NATION WILL NOT LIFT UP SWORD AGAINST NATION, AND NEVER AGAIN WILL THEY TRAIN FOR WAR.

** AND THEN IN ZECHARIAH WE HAVE A PROPHECY OF WHAT WILL HAPPEN, FOR ZECHARIAH 14:2-4, 8-11 SAYS –

V. 2 – FOR I WILL GATHER ALL THE NATIONS AGAINST JERUSALEM TO BATTLE, AND THE CITY WILL BE CAPTURED, THE HOUSES PLUNDERED, THE WOMEN RAVISHED AND HALF OF THE CITY EXILED, BUT THE REST OF THE PEOPLE WILL NOT BE CUT OFF FROM THE CITY.

V. 3 – THEN THE LORD WILL GO FORTH AND FIGHT AGAINST THOSE NATIONS, AS WHEN HE FIGHTS ON A DAY OF BATTLE.

V. 4 – IN THAT DAY HIS FEET WILL STAND ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES, WHICH IS IN FRONT OF JERUSALEM ON THE EAST; AND THE MOUNT OF OLIVES WILL BE SPLIT IN ITS MIDDLE FROM EAST TO WEST BY A VERY LARGE VALLEY, SO THAT HALF OF THE MOUNTAIN WILL MOVE TOWARD THE NORTH AND THE OTHER HALF TOWARD THE SOUTH.

V. 8 – AND IN THAT DAY LIVING WATERS WILL FLOW OUT OF JERUSALEM, HALF OF THEM TOWARD THE EASTERN SEA AND THE OTHER HALF TOWARD THE WESTERN SEA; IT WILL BE IN SUMMER AS WELL AS IN WINTER.

V. 9 – AND THE LORD WILL BE KING OVER ALL THE EARTH; IN THAT DAY THE LORD WILL BE THE ONLY ONE, AND HIS NAME THE ONLY ONE.

V. 10 – ALL THE LAND WILL BE CHANGED INTO A PLAIN FROM GEBA TO RIMMON SOUTH OF JERUSALEM; BUT JERUSALEM WILL RISE AND REMAIN ON ITS SITE FROM BENJAMIN’S GATE AS FAR AS THE PLACE OF THE FIRST GATE TO THE CORNER GATE, AND FROM THE TOWER OF HANANEL TO THE KING’S WINE PRESSES.

V. 11 – PEOPLE WILL LIVE IN IT, AND THERE WILL NO LONGER BE A CURSE, FOR JERUSALEM WILL DWELL IN SECURITY.

*** AND BECAUSE OF TIME, I’M GOING TO GIVE YOU SOME OTHER VERSES THAT COMMUNICATE A LITERAL PHYSICAL KINGDOM ON EARTH THAT YOU CAN LOOK UP ON YOUR OWN. ISAIAH 2:2&3, DANIEL 2:44&45, DANIEL 7:13&14, 18, 22&27.

**** AND THEN IN THE N.T. FROM THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF CHRIST’S BIRTH TO MARY IN LUKE 1:31-33 AND EVEN PAUL LOOKING TO A FUTURE KINGDOM IN TWO PHASES, IN I CORINTHIANS 15:24-28.

8. AND ONE LAST THOUGHT, IT SAYS AT THE END OF V. 15 IN OUR TEXT TODAY THAT HE SINGULAR WILL REIGN FOREVER AND EVER.

* AND “HE” EMPHASIZES GOD AS ONE AND THE UNITY OF JOINT SOVEREIGNTY MEANING THERE WILL BE AN ETERNAL RULE OF GOD, THE KINGDOM IS FOREVER.

** AND IN A SENSE THE SCRIPTURE IN THE O.T. SAW IT AS ONE KINGDOM, IT DOESN’T DISTINGUISH BETWEEN CHRIST’S AND THE FATHER’S BUT THE BOOK OF REVELATION IN CHAPTERS 20-22 GIVE US CLARITY ABOUT THIS KINGDOM.

*** THERE IS AN EARTHLY MILLENNIAL KINGDOM OF CHRIST ON THE EARTH WHICH ROLLS INTO THE ETERNAL KINGDOM OF GOD IN THE NEW HEAVEN AND THE NEW EARTH WHICH IS FOREVER.

**** TO PUT IT ANOTHER WAY, NO DIFFERENTIATION IS MADE BETWEEN THE EARTHLY MILLENNIAL KINGDOM AND THE ETERNAL KINGDOM, LIKE THE TWO COMINGS OF CHRIST IN ISAIAH 9:6&7.

9. THIS WAS A MYSTERY IN A SENSE TO THE PROPHETS, AND THE JEWS ON THE WHOLE MISINTERPRETED THAT AND REJECTED JESUS AS THEIR MESSIAH BECAUSE HE DIDN’T SET UP HIS KINGDOM ON THE EARTH AT HIS FIRST COMING, HE DIDN’T DELIVER THEM FROM ROME. (NO FAILURE, NO PLAN B)

* AND THEY WANTED A PHYSICAL DELIVERER, NOT A SPIRITUAL DELIVERER OR SAVIOR.

** BUT IN HIS 2’D ADVENT, HE WILL BE A SPIRITUAL AND PHYSICAL DELIVERER FOR THE JEWS AND AS I POINTED OUT, THE NATION WILL LOOK ON HIM WHOM THEY HAVE PIERCED IN ZECHARIAH 12:9-14 AND ZECHARIAH 13:1 AND WILL BE SAVED FROM THEIR SINS THROUGH FAITH IN THEIR MESSIAH.

*** AND AS ROMANS 11:25-27, ALL ISRAEL WILL BE SAVED, THE REMNANT THAT GOD BRINGS THROUGH THE TRIBULATION AND PREPARES THEM, THE ONES IN WHOM GOD IN HIS PROVIDENCE SAVES THROUGH THE TIME OF JACOB’S TROUBLE.

**** AND THE KINGDOM PROMISED TO ISRAEL WILL BE FULFILLED AND ONCE THE REIGN OF CHRIST BEGINS AS HE SITS ON THE THRONE OF HIS FATHER DAVID, IT WILL CHANGE FORM, BUT NEVER END OR BE INTERRUPTED.

10. AND IN V. 15 OF REVELATION 11, THE HEAVENLY HOST MAKES THIS WONDERFUL ANNOUNCEMENT THAT IS ANTICIPATORY AND CERTAIN AND PROPHETIC, “THE KINGDOM OF THIS WORLD HAS BECOME THE KINGDOM OF OUR LORD AND OF HIS CHRIST; AND HE WILL REIGN FOREVER AND EVER.”

* AND WHAT AN ANNOUNCEMENT! AND THIS ANNOUNCEMENT LEADS TO ADORATION AND WORSHIP IN HEAVEN. LOOK AT V. 16 PLEASE WHERE WE’LL SEE OUR 2’D POINT TODAY, THE ADORATION.

II. THE ADORATION, (READ V. 16)

A. NOW WHEN YOU SEE GOD IN HIS POWER AND GLORY AND MAJESTY AND SOVEREIGNTY, THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE RIGHT AND PROPER RESPONSE – ADORATION, WORSHIP!

* AND THAT’S WHY I LOVE TO EXALT AND TEACH ABOUT THE ATTRIBUTES AND CHARACTER OF GOD, THEY LEAD US TO WORSHIP HIM AND BE REINVIGORATED TO SERVE HIM.

** AND TO BE TRANSPARENT, ON THURSDAY OF THIS WEEK, I REALLY STRUGGLED IN MY STUDY, IN MY THINKING, AND THE LONG WAR AND FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH LED ME TO DISCOURAGEMENT AND DEPRESSION.

*** YOU GET TIRED OF THE FIGHT AT TIMES. AND I WAS WONDERING IF I WOULD BE ABLE TO FINISH MY STUDY ON FRIDAY OF THIS SERMON.

**** SO FRIDAY MORNING I CAME IN MY OFFICE JUST ACHING AND READY TO CRY AND NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO MY STUDY.

**** BUT I GOT DOWN ON MY KNEES AND CRIED OUT TO GOD FOR HELP AND HE STRENGTHENED ME AND INVIGORATED ME THROUGH THE TRUTHS OF THIS TEXT, WHICH LED TO JOY AND WORSHIP.

1. AND I WENT FROM BEING IN DESPAIR AND DISCOURAGEMENT TO THANKING THE LORD FOR HIS STRENGTHENING GRACE.

* MY POINT BEING, GREAT TRUTHS ABOUT GOD’S PROGRAM, PLAN, CHARACTER AND ATTRIBUTES LEADS US TO WORSHIP HIM AND GET OUR MIND OFF OF OURSELVES.

** WELL, WITH THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE KINGDOM OF THE WORLD BECOMING GOD’S AND HIS REIGN, THE RESPONSE OF THE 24 ELDERS WHO ARE 24 SPECIAL ANGELS OR THE GLORIFIED CHURCH IS, TO GET OFF THE THRONES THEY ARE SITTING ON AND PROSTRATE THEMSELVES BEFORE GOD AND WORSHIP HIM, TO REVERENCE HIM, TO ADORE HIM, TO VENERATE HIM.

*** GREAT TRUTH OF GOD’S PLAN, PROGRAM, POWER AND PERSONALITY LEADS TO WORSHIP.

**** AND AS THESE ELDERS ANTICIPATE GOD’S KINGDOM COMING ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN, THEIR ADORATION AND PRAISE FOCUSES ON THREE OF GOD’S ATTRIBUTES.

2. AND THEY ARE COMMUNICATED IN V. 17, IN WHAT THEY SAY, AGAIN IN ANTICIPATION OF WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN UNDER THE 7TH TRUMPET.

* SO LOOK AT V. 17 PLEASE WHERE WE’LL SEE OUR THIRD AND LAST POINT TODAY, THE ANTICIPATION – GREAT WORSHIP OF OUR GREAT GOD.

III. THE ANTICIPATION, (READ V. 17)

A. NOW THE 24 ELDERS EXPLODE WITH THANKSGIVING, WITH GRATEFULNESS IN WORSHIP TO THE LORD GOD.

* AND FIRST OF ALL FOR PRAISING HIM AS THE ALMIGHTY.

** AND I LOVE THIS WORD IN DESCRIBING GOD AND 9 OF IT’S 10 USES IN THE N.T. ARE IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION.

*** AND THIS TITLE FOR GOD DESCRIBES GOD’S POWER, HIS OMNIPOTENCE, THAT HE IS THE RULER OF THE UNIVERSE, AND WILL BECOME THE RULER OF THE EARTH TAKING BACK WHAT BELONGS TO HIM.

**** AND THIS TERM OR ATTRIBUTE OF GOD EXALTS HIS ALL EMBRACING, ALL ENCOMPASSING WILL BY MEANS OF HIS IRRESISTIBLE POWER.

1. HE HAS ABSOLUTE POWER TO AFFECT HIS DIVINE PURPOSES ON EARTH.

* AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF HIS KINGDOM ON THE EARTH WILL NOT BE BROUGHT BY SOCIAL CHANGES ON EARTH, BUT AS AN ACT OF DIVINE SUPREME POWER OF THE ALMIGHTY ONE.

** NO. 2, THE 2’D ATTRIBUTE DISCUSSED AND LIFTED UP BY THESE ELDERS IN HEAVEN IS THAT GOD IS NOT ONLY THE ALMIGHTY ONE BUT ALSO THE ETERNAL ONE, “WHO ARE AND WERE” AND THE USE OF ART TO COME IS NOT IN THE OLDER MANUSCRIPTS AND DOES NOT FIT HERE, BECAUSE HE HAS NOW COME AS THE ALMIGHTY AND TAKEN THE POWER OF THE WORLD FROM SATAN.

*** THIS IS THE TIME OF CONSUMMATION THROUGH ANTICIPATION OF WHAT WILL TAKE PLACE, THERE IS NOTHING TO COME IN THAT SENSE, THY KINGDOM COME IS NOW A REALITY, YOU HAVE ALREADY BEGUN TO REIGN AS WE’LL SEE AND I WILL EXPAND ON THIS PHRASE FURTHER.

**** BUT HERE, GOD IS THE ETERNAL ONE WHO TRANSCENDS TIME. GOD HAD NO BEGINNING AND WILL HAVE NO END, THE SELF-EXISTENT ONE WHO IS THE GREAT I AM.

2. THIRDLY, THE LAST ATTRIBUTE MENTIONED AND USED BY THE 24 ELDERS IN WORSHIP IS GOD’S SOVEREIGN POWER, HIS SOVEREIGNTY.

* BECAUSE “YOU HAVE TAKEN YOUR GREAT POWER AND HAVE BEGUN TO REIGN.”

** AND THE PERFECT TENSE OF THE VERB TRANSLATED “YOU HAVE TAKEN” SIGNIFIES THE PREEMINENCE OF GOD’S SOVEREIGN OR KINGLY RULE.

*** FOR YOU SEE THROUGH GOD’S GREAT POWER, THE WORD POWER BEING THE GREEK WORD DOO-NAM-IS FROM WHICH WE GET OUR ENGLISH WORD DYNAMITE, EMPHASIZES GOD’S POWER TO RULE AND RETURN AS KING.

**** GOD IS THE KING, NOT SATAN. AND A KING REIGNS BY HIS POWER, HE IS THE KING, A SOVEREIGN BECAUSE OF HIS POWER.

3. AND THE TRUTH HERE IS HAVE BEGUN TO REIGN OR HAST REIGNED, OR REIGNED DEPENDING ON WHICH TRANSLATION YOU HAVE IS IN THE AORIST TENSE AND POINTS TO A PROPHETIC STATEMENT, THE EVENT IS ITSELF FUTURE, BUT SINCE IT IS IN THE COUNSEL OF GOD, IT CAN BE SPOKEN AS IF IT HAD ALREADY HAPPENED.

* AND IT IS ASSURED AND WILL TAKE PLACE BECAUSE OF GOD’S SOVEREIGN POWER. WHAT HE HAS DECREED IS AS GOOD AS DONE BECAUSE WHAT HE HAS DECREED WILL SURELY COME TO PASS BECAUSE OF HIS POWER.

** SO THERE IS WORSHIP IN ANTICIPATION OF WHAT WILL HAPPEN. IT IS SO CERTAIN THAT IT CAN BE SPOKEN OF AS IF IT HAS ALREADY TAKEN PLACE, THE DEAL IS DONE AND SOVEREIGNLY SEALED BY THE KING.

IN WRAP: (1) BELOVED, THE PHRASE, “THY KINGDOM COME” BECOMES A REALITY UNDER THE BLOWING OF THE 7TH TRUMPET.

* FOR GOD’S WILL, WILL BE DONE, ON EARTH AS IS ALREADY IS IN HEAVEN.

** THE KINGDOM OF THE WORLD HAS BECOME THE KINGDOM OF OUR LORD AND HIS CHRIST; AND HE WILL REIGN FOREVER AND EVER.

*** AND I PRAISE GOD FOR THAT FUTURE TRUTH, BUT WHAT ABOUT NOW?

**** WELL, IN APPLICATION TWO THINGS. NO. 1 THE PRESENT EXISTENCE OF THE KINGDOM ON EARTH IS INTERNAL, IN THE MINDS AND HEARTS OF THOSE WHO HAVE BOWED THE KNEE TO CHRIST AS KING, THOSE WHO BELONG TO THE KING BY REPENTANT FAITH.

(2) AND SO PRAYING FOR THE KINGDOM NOW IS TO PRAY FOR HIS KINGDOM TO EXPAND, IT IS PRAYING FOR THE SALVATION OF SOULS.

* AND OF COURSE IN THE PLAN AND PROVIDENCE OF GOD, WE MUST PUT FEET TO OUR PRAYERS TO BE WITNESSES FOR HIM.

** WE HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY AND PRIVILEGE TO BE USED BY GOD AS HIS WITNESSES TO EXPAND HIS KINGDOM IN THAT SENSE.

*** MAY WE BE LIKE THE FAITHFUL WITNESSES THAT WE STUDIED ABOUT EARLIER IN REVELATION 11, THAT WE WILL BE FAITHFUL TO THE END UNTIL WE HAVE FINISHED OUR TESTIMONY.

**** NO. 2 AND LAST OF ALL, THE KINGDOM COMES NOW THROUGH COMMITMENT.

(3) FOR THE DESIRE OF THE SUBJECTS WHO FOLLOW THEIR KING AND SAVIOR SHOULD BE TO RESPOND TO THE RULE OF THEIR LORD AND KING OF THEIR LIVES NOW SO THAT HE RULES IN THEM AS HE RULES IN HEAVEN.

* AND PRACTICALLY THAT COMES AS WE APPLY MATTHEW 6:33 (READ IT).

** AND SEEKING FIRST THE KINGDOM AND THE KING’S RIGHTEOUSNESS MEANS WE SEEK HIS RULE, AUTHORITY AND RIGHTEOUSNESS FIRST ABOVE EVERYTHING ELSE.

*** THAT OUR KING IS FIRST IN OUR PRIORITIES. AND QUITE FRANKLY THAT IS THE CHALLENGE FOR US HIS SUBJECTS.

**** SEEKING HIM FIRST IN OUR TIME, OUR FINANCES, OUR FAMILY, OUR WORK, OUR THOUGHTS, OUR ACTIONS AND THAT HE IS KING OF ALL IN OUR PRACTICES.

(4) MAY THIS BE OUR PRAISE AS I CLOSE. KING OF MY LIFE, I CROWN THEE NOW, THINE SHALL THE GLORY BE, LEST I FORGET THEY THORN CROWNED BROW – HIS CROWN OF THORNS, LEAD ME TO CALVARY, LEAD ME TO THE CROSS.

* AND MAY WE DENY OURSELVES AND TAKE UP OUR CROSS AND FOLLOW HIM. READ MATTHEW 16:24-26. CHRISTIAN, MAY WE SEEK FIRST HIS KINGDOM AND PRAY THY KINGDOM COME.