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SERIES: THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST, WEEK 56

TITLE: THREE ANGELS WITH MESSAGES

TEXT: REVELATION 14:6-11

INTRODUCTION: (1) THE GREEK WORD FOR ANGEL IN THE N.T. IS ON-GO-LOCE.

* THE WORD LIT. MEANS A MESSENGER, ONE WHO IS SENT, A MESSENGER FROM GOD.

** NOW ANGELS SERVE THROUGHOUT SCRIPTURE AS GOD’S MESSENGERS.

*** FOR EXAMPLE: IN GENESIS 19 TWO ANGELS CAME TO SODOM TO GIVE LOT A MESSAGE OF WARNING TO LEAVE THAT PLACE SINCE GOD WAS GOING TO DESTROY IT.

***** IN DANIEL 8:15-17 THE ANGEL GABRIEL GAVE DANIEL THE INTERPRETATION OF A VISION HE HAD.

(2) IN DANIEL 9:21-23 – THE ANGEL GABRIEL AGAIN GIVES DANIEL A MESSAGE.

* THEN IN THE N.T. AN ANGEL BROUGHT A MESSAGE TO ZACHARIAS IN LUKE 1:11-19, MARY IN LUKE 1:26&27, TO JOSEPH IN MATTHEW 1:20; 2:13 & 19, TO THE SHEPHERDS IN LUKE 2:9-13, TO PHILIP IN ACTS 8:26 AND TO PAUL IN ACTS 27:23&24.

** NOW ANGELS DO MORE THAN JUST DELIVER MESSAGES AS MESSENGERS.

*** THEY ALSO MINISTER TO AND CARE FOR BELIEVERS, PSALM 91:11 SAYS:

**** AND THEN ANGELS WILL HAVE A BIG ROLE IN END TIME EVENTS AS THEY GATHER THE NON-ELECT FOR JUDGMENT IN MATTHEW 13:41&42, 49&50 AND GATHER THE ELECT FOR GLORY IN MATTHEW 24:31, AND EVEN ACCOMPANY CHRIST WHEN HE RETURNS TO THE EARTH IN MATTHEW 25:31, READ II THESSALONIANS 2:7.

(3) BEYOND THOSE THINGS, WE HAVE ALREADY SEEN IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION HOW ANGELS ARE INVOLVED IN THE OUTPOURING OF GOD’S WRATH IN THE TRUMPET JUDGMENTS AS THEY WILL ALSO BE INVOLVED IN THE BOWL JUDGMENTS.

* IN FACT ANGELS ARE HEAVILY INVOLVED IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION AS THE WORD ANGELS AND ANGELS IN MY BIBLE ARE USED 71 TIMES.

** AND AS WE COME TO REVELATION 14, THERE ARE 6 SEPARATE ANGELS THAT ARE ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN WHAT GOD WILL BE DOING IN THIS CHAPTER.

*** AND THE FIRST 3 ANGELS IN THIS CHAPTER, WHICH WE WILL LOOK AT TODAY IN OUR STUDY BRING CLEAR MESSAGES FROM GOD CONCERNING THINGS TO COME AND THE CONSUMMATION OF THE AGE.

**** AND THESE 3 MESSENGERS BRING 3 DISTINCT MESSAGES TO THE PEOPLE OF THE EARTH IN THE LAST 3 ½ YEARS OF THE TRIBULATION.

(4) AND THE FIRST ANGEL WILL BRING THE MESSAGE OF THE EVERLASTING GOSPEL.

* THE 2’D ANGEL WILL BRING A MESSAGE OF JUDGMENT.

** AND THE THIRD ANGEL WILL BRING A MESSAGE OF ETERNAL DAMNATION TO THOSE WHO WORSHIP THE BEAST, HIS IMAGE AND RECEIVE HIS MARK.

*** SO THE 3 ANGELS BRING 3 DISTINCT MESSAGES AS MESSENGERS TO THOSE ON THE EARTH AT THIS TIME OF THE TRIBULATION HOUR.

**** BECAUSE OF THAT, I’VE SIMPLY TITLED THE MESSAGE “3 ANGELS WITH MESSAGES.”

(5) AND OUR OUTLINE WILL BE VERY SIMPLE, MESSAGE #1 IN VV. 6&7 BY THE FIRST ANGEL; MESSAGE #2 IN V. 8 BY THE 2’D ANGEL; AND MESSAGE #3 IN VV. 9-11 BY THE THIRD ANGEL.

* AND WITH THAT INTRODUCTION, TITLE AND OUTLINE IN MIND, LET’S JUMP RIGHT INTO OUR STUDY TODAY BY LOOKING AT MESSAGE #1 BEGINNING IN V. 6. LOOK AT REVELATION 14:6 PLEASE.

I. MESSAGE #1, (READ V. 6)

A. NOW JOHN HAS SEEN A LOT OF ANGELS UP TO THIS POINT IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION, AND HERE HE SEES ANOTHER ONE.

* BUT WHAT CATCHES HIS ATTENTION IN THIS ANGEL IS FLYING IN MIDHEAVEN OR MIDAIR OR FLYING DIRECTLY OVERHEAD SPEAKING OF A PLACE THAT LOOKING UP THE ANGEL WOULD BE CLEARLY SEEN, ABOUT 12, WHERE THE SUN WOULD BE AT NOON, DIRECTLY ABOVE HIM, VERY VISIBLE.

** AND THIS ANGEL’S MESSAGE IS THE ETERNAL GOSPEL.

*** AND HE WILL PREACH IT TO THOSE WHO LIVE ON THE EARTH AT THIS TIME AND SPECIFICALLY TO EVERY NATION, TRIBE AND TONGUE AND PEOPLE, LITERALLY TO EVERYONE WORLDWIDE.

**** FOR THE PHRASE “TO EVERY NATION AND TRIBE AND TONGUE AND PEOPLE” IS AN ALL-INCLUSIVE EXPRESSION, ALL THE PEOPLES OF THE EARTH, EVERYONE WILL HEAR THE ETERNAL GOSPEL.

1. WHICH FULFILLS THE PROPHECY OF CHRIST IN THE OLIVET DISCOURSE IN MATTHEW 24:14 WHERE HE SAID: “THIS GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM SHALL BE PREACHED IN THE WHOLE WORLD AS A TESTIMONY TO ALL THE NATIONS, AND THEN THE END WILL COME.”

* AND BELOVED IT APPEARS TO ME THAT THIS IS THE FINAL CHANCE, THE FINAL OUTWARD CALL OF THE GOSPEL TO REPENT AND TURN TO CHRIST GIVEN TO THE PEOPLE OF THE EARTH BEFORE THE FINAL JUDGMENTS OF THE TRIBULATION AND ETERNAL JUDGMENT FOR THOSE NOT IN CHRIST.

** AND IT APPEARS THIS ANGEL WILL FLY AROUND THE EARTH AND PROCLAIM TO ALL PEOPLES THE ETERNAL OR EVERLASTING GOSPEL WHICH PROBABLY IN THIS CONTEXT IS THE GOSPEL THAT IS AGELESS, SHOWING THAT THE GOSPEL IS TRUE FOR ALL AGES AND IN ITS ESSENCE DOES NOT CHANGE.

*** FOR THE WORD GOSPEL LIT. MEANS “GOOD NEWS”, “GLAD TIDINGS”, “GOOD TIDINGS” AND THE GOOD NEWS WHICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN AND ALWAYS WILL BE, THAT IS FUNDAMENTALLY THE SAME IN EVERY AGE IS THE GRACE OF CHRIST, THE WORK OF CHRIST ON THE CROSS, GOD’S REMEDY FOR SIN THROUGH CHRIST WHO DIED FOR SINNERS.

**** AND IN THE O.T. THEY LOOKED FORWARD TO THE CROSS AND NOW WE LOOK BACK, BUT ITS THE SACRIFICIAL SUBSTITUTIONARY DEATH OF THE SPOTLESS LAMB OF GOD THE LORD JESUS THAT PURCHASED FORGIVENESS FOR PEOPLE.

2. AND JESUS CHRIST THE SON OF GOD, GOD THE SON, DIED AND WAS BURIED AND ROSE AGAIN TO SAVE HIS PEOPLE FROM THEIR SINS, AND THAT IS GOOD NEWS!

* SO AGAIN THE GOSPEL IS FUNDAMENTALLY THE SAME IN EVERY AGE, FOR THE BASIS OF THE GOOD NEWS IS THE WORK OF CHRIST AND NO ONE HAS EVER BEEN SAVED, OR WILL BE SAVED, ON ANY OTHER GROUNDS.

** AND DIFFERENT EMPHASIS ALLOWS MEN IN DIFFERENT AGES TO GRASP THE SAME TRUTHS. THE AGELESS OR ETERNAL OR EVERLASTING GOSPEL IS THE SAME MESSAGE. THE MESSAGE DOES NOT CHANGE, ALTHOUGH DIFFERENT TERMS OF EMPHASIS MAY BE GIVEN AT DIFFERENT TIMES.

*** FOR EXAMPLE, THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM PUTS EMPHASIS THAT THE KING IS COMING TO SET UP HIS KINGDOM SO YOU MUST REPENT AND TURN TO THE SAVIOR BEFORE HE RETURNS AT THE END OF THE TRIBULATION.

**** BUT IT’S STILL THE MESSAGE OF THE GRACE OF CHRIST AND FORGIVENESS BY GRACE ALONE, THROUGH FAITH ALONE BECAUSE OF CHRIST ALONE.

3. AND SO WE HAVE A GOSPEL THAT DOES NOT CHANGE, CALLED THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST IN MARK 1:1, THE GOSPEL OF GOD IN MARK 1:14, THE GOSPEL OF THE GRACE OF GOD IN ACTS 20:24.

* THEN WE HAVE THE GOSPEL OF THE GLORY OF CHRIST IN II CORINTHIANS 4:4, THE GOSPEL OF SALVATION IN EPHESIANS 1:13, THE GOSPEL OF PEACE IN EPHESIANS 6:15 AND THE GLORIOUS GOSPEL IN I TIMOTHY 1:11.

** SO THE WORD OF GOD DESCRIBES THE GOSPEL IN DIFFERENT OR VARIOUS TERMS, LOOKING AT IT FROM DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS IN DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES, BUT BOTTOM LINE IT’S ALWAYS STILL THE GLAD TIDINGS, THE GOOD NEWS OF GOD’S GRACE.

*** AND PEOPLE WERE AND WILL BE SAVED BY GRACE IN THE O.T, THE N.T. AND IN THE TRIBULATION. IT’S THE ETERNAL EVERLASTING UNCHANGING GOSPEL.

**** AND THIS ETERNAL GOSPEL IS PREACHED BY THIS ANGEL WORLDWIDE. NOW SOME SPECIFICS OF WHAT THIS ANGEL SAID IS GIVEN TO US IN V. 7. LOOK AT V. 7 PLEASE.

B. READ V. 7. NOW THIS ANGEL PROCLAIMS WITH A LOUD VOICE SO THAT EVERYONE HEARS, AND EMPHASIZES THAT THIS VOICE NEEDS TO BE HEARD ABOVE ALL THE OTHER VOICES SPEAKING ON THE EARTH AT THIS TIME FROM THE ANTI-CHRIST TO THE FALSE PROPHET.

* BUT HIS LOUD VOICE PROCLAIMS 3 IMPERATIVES, 3 COMMANDS THAT GIVE THE SUBSTANCE AND URGENCY OF THIS MESSAGE.

** AND THE FIRST IMPERATIVE IS FEAR GOD!

*** AND MANKIND LOST THAT FEAR OF GOD THROUGH SIN, FOR IT SAYS IN ROMANS 3:18 THAT WITH UNSAVED PEOPLE WHO ARE SINNERS AND UNRIGHTEOUS IN THIS CONTEXT OF ROMANS 3:10-23 “THERE IS NO FEAR OF GOD BEFORE THEIR EYES!”

**** AND HERE WITH THIS VERB TO FEAR IN THE IMPERATIVE MOOD WE HAVE A COMMAND TO PEOPLE THAT ARE WORSHIPPING THE BEAST TO FACE THE REALITY OF A GOD WHO IS ACTING IN JUDGMENT UPON THE EARTH.

1. AND IT IS BETTER TO FEAR AND TURN TO GOD THAN FEAR THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT RECEIVING THE MARK OF THE BEAST, READ MATTHEW 10:28 AND PROVERBS 23:17.

* LUKE 12:4 – “I SAY TO YOU, MY FRIENDS, DO NOT BE AFRAID OF THOSE WHO KILL THE BODY AND AFTER THAT HAVE NO MORE THAT THEY CAN DO.

V. 5 – BUT I WILL WARN YOU WHOM TO FEAR: FEAR THE ONE WHO, AFTER HE HAS KILLED, HAS AUTHORITY TO CAST INTO HELL; YES, I TELL YOU, FEAR HIM!”

** AND TO FEAR GOD REQUIRES TURNING TO HIM TO REVERENCE HIM, TO RESPECT HIM, TO ADORE HIM, TO HOLD HIM IN AWE, AND THAT CAN ONLY BE DONE THROUGH RECEIVING GOD THE SON, THE SAVIOR OR YOU FACE JESUS THE JUDGE.

*** BELOVED, TO FEAR GOD REQUIRES SELF-HUMILIATION AND SELF-SURRENDER TO HIM. AND SOLOMON CLOSES THE BOOK OF ECCLESIASTES OUT BY COMMUNICATING THIS COMMAND, READ ECCLESIASTES 12:13&14.

**** NOW AS WE GO BACK TO REVELATION 14:7, THE FIRST IMPERATIVE GIVEN BY THIS ANGEL IS TO FEAR GOD.

2. NOW THE 2’D IMPERATIVE IS “GIVE HIM GLORY!”

* AND QUITE FRANKLY, REFUSING TO GIVE GOD GLORY IS AT THE CORE OF MAN’S PRIDEFUL REBELLION. AND WHEN YOU FEAR GOD YOU WILL PUT HIM AT HIS RIGHTFUL PLACE AND GIVE HIM GLORY.

** AND IT APPEARS, WITH THE PHRASE TO FOLLOW “BECAUSE THE HOUR OF HIS JUDGMENT HAS COME” WHICH FOLLOWS HIM IN V. 7, THAT THE URGENCY OF REPENTANCE IS COMMUNICATED.

*** IN OTHER WORDS, OPPORTUNITY IS FADING FAST, THE BOWL JUDGMENTS ARE ABOUT TO BE POURED OUT, FOLLOWED SHORTLY BY THE RETURN OF JESUS TO THE EARTH TO JUDGE THE UNBELIEVING WORLD.

**** SO IT APPEARS THE EMPHASIS IS REPENT OR PERISH!

3. THEN ONE LAST IMPERATIVE “WORSHIP HIM.” AND TO WHOM DO THEY WORSHIP?

* THE CREATOR! THE ONE WHO MADE THE HEAVEN AND THE EARTH AND THE SEA AND SPRINGS OF WATERS, THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN JUDGED ALREADY THROUGH THE TRUMPET JUDGMENTS.

** AND PEOPLE CAN HARDLY MISS THE POINT THAT THE GOD WHO CREATED EVERYTHING IS THE SAME GOD WHO ACTS IN JUDGMENT.

*** AND THIS IS THE GOD THEY MUST WORSHIP, NOT THE BEAST OR HIS IMAGE.

**** WELL, THAT’S THE MESSAGE OF THE FIRST ANGEL. HE PROCLAIMS THE EVERLASTING ETERNAL GOSPEL AND CALLS PEOPLE TO REPENT.

4. NOW MOVING ON THE MESSAGE OF THE 2’D ANGEL PRONOUNCES JUDGMENT UPON BABYLON THE GREAT. LOOK AT V. 8 PLEASE WHERE WE’LL SEE MESSAGE #2, OUR 2’D POINT TODAY.

II. MESSAGE #2, (READ V. 8)

A. NOW UNLIKE THE FIRST ANGEL, THIS SECOND ONE DOES NOT PREACH THE GOOD NEWS OF THE GOSPEL, BUT RATHER PRONOUNCES THE BAD NEWS OF JUDGMENT.

* AND THE BAD NEWS OF JUDGMENT IS UPON BABYLON, “FALLEN, FALLEN IS BABYLON THE GREAT” OR LIT. IT FELL, IT FELL BABYLON THE GREAT.

* AND HERE WE HAVE THE EMPHASIS OF REPETITION TO UNDERSCORE THE FINALITY AND CERTAINTY OF BABYLON’S FUTURE JUDGMENT.

** FOR WE WILL SEE A LOT OF DETAILS ABOUT BABYLON IN REVELATION 17&18, AND SPECIFICALLY IN REVELATION 18:2 WHERE THIS PROPHECY IS FULFILLED.

*** FOR BABYLON’S FUTURE FALL, WHICH IS TALKED ABOUT IN REVELATION 18:1-3, IT’S FUTURE FALL IS SO CERTAIN THAT IT CAN BE SPOKEN OF AS THOUGH IT HAS ALREADY TAKEN PLACE, A PROLEPTIC AORIST, A PROPHETIC PRETERIT – AGAIN SOMETHING SO CERTAIN, IT IS SPOKEN AS THOUGH IT WERE ALREADY ACCOMPLISHED. (THIS MESSAGE IS ANTICIPATORY.)

**** AND THE WORD BABYLON IS USED HERE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN REVELATION, THE FIRST OF SIX REFERENCES BY NAME IN THE BOOK.

1. AND BABYLON IN OUR TEXT REFERS NOT JUST TO THE CITY WHICH IS MOST LIKELY IN MODERN DAY IRAQ, BUT MAKES REFERENCES TO ANTICHRIST’S WORLDWIDE POLITICAL, ECONOMIC AND RELIGIOUS EMPIRE.

* AND I’M NOT GOING TO GO INTO GREAT DETAIL HERE AS WE WILL LATER IN OUR STUDY OF REVELATION, BABEL WAS FOUNDED BY NIMROD IN GENESIS 10:9.

** AND BABEL OR BABYLON WAS THE SITE OF THE FIRST ORGANIZED SYSTEM OF IDOLATROUS FALSE RELIGION IN GENESIS 11:1-4 WITH BUILDING THE TOWER OF BABEL.

*** AND AS HUMANITY WAS UNITED IN IDOLATROUS FALSE RELIGION AT BABEL, SO IT WILL AGAIN BE UNITED IN THE END TIMES OF THE FINAL BABYLON.

**** AND THIS FINAL BABYLON, PERSONIFIED OR PICTURED AS A HARLOT IN REVELATION 17:1-5, IS DESCRIBED IN REVELATION 14:8 IN THE REST OF THE VERSE AS “SHE WHO HAS MADE ALL NATIONS DRINK OF THE WINE OF THE PASSION OF HER IMMORALITY.”

2. AND BELOVED, DURING THE TRIBULATION AS BABYLON ARISES AGAIN, THE WORLD WILL BE DRUNK, DECEIVED AND SEDUCED BY THE BABYLONIAN FALSE RELIGION HEADED UP BY THE ANTICHRIST AND THE FALSE PROPHET.

* AND AS A RESULT OF THE WORLD’S LUSTS, THEIR CONSUMING DESIRES, THEIR PASSIONS, PEOPLE WILL BE INVOLVED IN NOT ONLY IMMORALITY, BUT MOST LIKELY IN THIS CONTEXT SPIRITUAL ADULTERY, UNFAITHFULNESS TO GOD THROUGH FALSE RELIGION AND IDOLATRY, SPIRITUAL PROSTITUTION TO ANTICHRIST’S FALSE RELIGION.

** WELL, THAT FALSE POLITICAL, ECONOMIC AND RELIGIOUS EMPIRE IS GOING TO FALL, AND THIS 2’D ANGEL PROPHECIES OF THAT HERE IN V. 8 AS HIS MESSAGE, WHICH LEADS US TO A THIRD AND FINAL MESSAGE IN OUR STUDY TODAY, WHERE WE’LL SEE MESSAGE #3 BY A THIRD ANGEL. LOOK AT V. 9 PLEASE.

III. MESSAGE #3, (READ V. 9)

A. NOW THIS THIRD ANGEL FOLLOWS IN SEQUENCE HERE AND WITH A LOUD VOICE LIKE THE FIRST ANGEL, GIVES HIS MESSAGE.

* AND HIS MESSAGE IS A MESSAGE OF JUDGMENT.

** AND IT IS ADDRESSED TO ANYONE WHO WORSHIPS THE BEAST AND HIS IMAGE AND RECEIVES HIS MARK.

*** AND WE STUDIED IN REVELATION 13 EVERYONE WILL BE REQUIRED TO WORSHIP THE IMAGE OR DIE AND TO RECEIVE HIS MARK ON THEIR RIGHT HAND OR FOREHEAD IN ORDER TO FUNCTION IN THE ECONOMY OF THAT DAY, TO BUY OR SELL.

**** AND OBVIOUSLY AT THAT TIME, IT WILL APPEAR THAT TO DO THAT IS THE ONLY THING TO DO TO BE ON THE WINNING SIDE.

1. BUT THIS ANGEL COMMUNICATES OTHERWISE. LOOK AT V. 10 PLEASE.

B. READ V. 10. NOW FOR THOSE WHO DRANK THE WINE OF THE HARLOT BABYLON, WHO RECEIVED THE MARK OF THE BEAST AND WORSHIPPED HIM, TERRIBLE JUDGMENT WILL FOLLOW.

* TO PUT IT ANOTHER WAY, THESE INDIVIDUALS THROUGH THIS WAS THE WINNING DECISION, BUT THEY REALLY END UP LOSING.

** TO THEM THEY GET A SHORT TIME GAIN FOR AN ETERNAL LOSS.

*** FOR THE CONSEQUENCES OF DRINKING THE WINE OF THE HARLOT BABYLON LEADS TO DRINKING THE WINE OF THE WRATH OF GOD.

**** AND JOHN DESCRIBES THAT TERRIFYING WRATH BY SAYING GOD’S WRATH WILL BE “MIXED IN FULL STRENGTH IN THE CUP OF HIS ANGER.”

1. AND THIS EXPRESSION REFERS TO THE ANCIENT PRACTICE OF DILUTING WINE WITH WATER. AND THIS COMMON PRACTICE WAS TO MIX WINE WITH WATER TO WEAKEN ITS CONCENTRATION, TO WATER IT DOWN.

* WELL, GOD’S ANGER WILL NOT BE WATERED DOWN, IT WILL BE AT FULL STRENGTH, IT WILL BE UNDILUTED JUDGMENT, UNMIXED INDIGNATION, HOLY UNRESTRAINED WHITE HOT WRATH.

** FOR NOTICE WHAT BEFALLS A PERSON WHO IS A BEAST WORSHIPPER, “HE WILL BE TORMENTED WITH FIRE AND BRIMSTONE IN THE PRESENCE OF THE HOLY ANGELS AND IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LAMB.”

*** AND THE GREEK VERB TRANSLATED TORMENTED SPEAKS OF THE UNENDING CEASELESS INFLICTION OF UNBEARABLE PAIN.

**** IN FACT, THE NOUN FORM OF THIS VERB IS USED IN LUKE 16:23 TO DESCRIBE THE TORMENT AND AGONY OF THE RICH MAN IN HELL WHEN IT SAYS: (READ IT).

2. AND THE TORMENT OF HELL IS BEYOND ANYTHING WE CAN IMAGINE, AND THE SUFFERING WILL COME AS A RIGHTEOUS HOLY GOD JUDGES SIN.

** BUT MOVING ON IN V. 10, NOTICE THE TORMENT WILL BE WITH FIRE AND BRIMSTONE.

*** AND BRIMSTONE AND FIRE ARE ASSOCIATED WITH DIVINE JUDGMENT IN SCRIPTURE, FROM GOD DESTROYING SODOM AND GOMORRAH IN GENESIS 19:24&25 AND LUKE 17:29 TO WHAT DAVID WROTE ABOUT IN PSALM 11:6 WHERE IT SAYS: “UPON THE WICKED HE WILL RAIN SNARES; FIRE AND BRIMSTONE AND BURNING WIND WILL BE THE PORTION OF THEIR CUP.”

**** AND BEYOND WHAT DAVID HAD TO SAY IN PSALM 11:6, THE LAKE OF FIRE, THE FINAL HELL OF UNBELIEVERS IS REFERRED TO AS A PLACE THAT BURNS WITH FIRE AND BRIMSTONE, READ REVELATION 20:10 AND REVELATION 21:8.

*** BUT ONE LAST THING TO NOTICE IN V. 10 BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO V. 11, AND THAT IS, ALL OF THIS HAPPENS “IN THE PRESENCE OF THE HOLY ANGELS AND IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LAMB.”

**** AND OF COURSE THE LAMB IS THE LORD JESUS.

3. AND IT APPEARS TO ME, THIS ADDS EMBARRASSMENT AND SHAME, FOR THIS SUFFERING IS IN THEIR PERVIEW.

* ROBERT MOUNCE IN HIS COMMENTARY ON REVELATION HAD THIS TO SAY ABOUT THAT AND I QUOTE: “TO SUFFER IN THE PRESENCE OF THE HOSTS OF HEAVEN IS NOT TO LESSEN THE FIERCENESS OF THE JUDGMENT BUT TO MAKE IT MORE GRIEVOUS. CHRISTIANS HAD BORNE THE SHAME OF PUBLIC DERISION AND OPPOSITION; SOON THEIR ANTAGONISTS WILL SUFFER BEFORE A MORE AUGUST GATHERING.” (END QUOTE)

** AND TO THOSE WHO REJECT THE LAMB, THEY WILL SUFFER IN HIS PRESENCE. WHICH LEADS US TO V. 11. LOOK AT V. 11 PLEASE.

C. READ V. 11. NOW HERE IN V. 11 WE CLEARLY SEE ETERNAL JUDGMENT, THE ETERNITY OF JUDGMENT, NOT ANNIHILATION.

* AND THE MESSAGE OF THE ANGEL IS THIS, THE PERMANENCE OF THOSE WHO FOLLOW THE BEAST MISERY IS MANIFEST BY THE ENDLESS TRAIL OF SMOKE THAT KEEPS ON ASCENDING.

** WE HAVE UNINTERRUPTED TORMENT FROM THE FIRE AND BRIMSTONE AS THE SMOKE OF THEIR TORMENT IS HOW LONG?

*** IT’S FOREVER AND EVER, THE STRONGEST POSSIBLE LANGUAGE USED TO EXPRESS UNINTERRUPTED DURATION – ETERNITY.

*** AND OF COURSE JESUS HIMSELF TAUGHT ABOUT THIS SOBERING TRUTH THAT HELL IS ETERNAL, THAT HELL IS A PLACE OF ETERNAL FIRE WHERE THE FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED, READ MATTHEW 25:41&46 AND MARK 9:43.

**** AND JUST AS HEAVEN AND THE BLESS OF IT IS FOREVER AND IS A REST FOREVER, HELL IS ETERNAL PUNISHMENT AND THOSE IN IT DO NOT REST.

1. AND NOTICE THAT IN THE LAST PART OF V. 11, “THEY HAVE NO REST DAY OR NIGHT, THOSE WHO WORSHIP THE BEAST AND HIS IMAGE, AND WHOEVER RECEIVES THE MARK OF HIS NAME.”

* AND THINK OF IT, FOR THOSE CHRIST REJECTORS OF THIS TIME, AND ALL CHRIST REJECTORS OF ALL TIME.

** THERE WILL BE NO REST FROM THE TORMENT, NO RELIEF, NOTHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO BUT THE WEARINESS OF MORE TORMENT.

*** THERE WILL BE NO SLEEP TO GET REFRESHED, BUT ETERNAL TIREDNESS AND ETERNAL TORMENT! THERE IS UNINHIBITED UNCHANGING PAIN FOR THOSE WITHOUT CHRIST!

IN WRAP UP: (1) IN APPLICATION, LET ME SAY THIS DOCTRINE OF ETERNAL PUNISHMENT IS MOCKED, DENIED AND BALKED AT TODAY FROM CULTS, TO HUMANISTS AND SECULARISTS AND EVEN BY QUOTE EVANGELICALS.

* FOR AN EVANGELICAL WHO DOESN’T PROCLAIM THIS IS DENYING A VERY CLEAR TRUTH ABOUT GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS, HIS JUSTICE, HIS HOLINESS AND HIS WRATH.

** AND UNFORTUNATELY THERE ARE SUPPOSED PREACHERS OF GOD’S WORD TODAY WHO ARE NOT PREACHERS BUT SPEAKERS, SLICK TALKERS, WHO SAY THEY BELIEVE THIS DOCTRINE BUT DON’T PREACH ABOUT IT.

*** AND THEY FEEL YOU CANNOT PRESENT THIS KIND OF GOD TO PEOPLE, YOU MUST REMAIN POSITIVE TO REACH THEM.

**** SO YOU WILL NOT HEAR THIS MESSAGE FROM ROBERT SCHULLER AND HIS SON ROBERT. YOU WILL NOT HEAR THIS FROM JOEL OSTEEN AND A MULTITUDE OF QUOTE EVANGELICAL CHURCHES IN OUR AREA.

(2) AND I’M NOT TRYING TO LIFT MYSELF UP BY TEARING DOWN THESE PEOPLE, I’M NOT SPECIAL BECAUSE I COMMUNICATE THIS TRUTH, ONLY OBEDIENT IN ONE AREA. I DON’T DESIRE A PAT ON THE BACK, BUT WOE UNTO ME IF I DON’T PREACH IT.

* LISTEN, THOUGH HUMAN SENSITIVITIES MAY BALK AT THE DOCTRINE OF ETERNAL PUNISHMENT, IT IS BOTH THE EXPLICIT TEACHING OF THE BIBLE AND DEMANDED BY GOD’S JUSTICE AND HOLINESS.

** AND BECAUSE WE DON’T REALIZE HOW HEINOUS, ODIOUS, ABOMINABLE, PUTRID AND UTTERLY REPREHENSIBLE OUR SIN IS AND WHAT IT COST GOD IN TERMS OF HIS SON’S SACRIFICE TO FORGIVE IT.

*** AND BECAUSE WE DON’T UNDERSTAND HOW OFFENSIVE OUR SIN IS TO A HOLY, PURE, RIGHTEOUS, PERFECT GOD OF LIGHT IS, WE THINK HELL IS UNJUST AND INCONSISTENT WITH GOD’S LOVE.

**** BUT IT’S NOT. AND BECAUSE WE DON’T LIKE HELL, OR DON’T WANT TO THINK ABOUT IT, OR WE THINK IT IS UNFAIR OR UNJUST DOESN’T TAKE AWAY THE TRUTH OF IT.

(3) AND AS WE SEE GOD’S HOLY HATRED FOR ONE SIN, AND SEE THE COST THAT CHRIST PAID TO FORGIVE OUR SIN, WE START TO GET A GLIMPSE OF A GOD WHO LOVES SINNERS AND SAVES SINNERS.

* HELL IS WHAT WE DESERVE, HEAVEN IS MERCY AND LOVE.

** IF YOU’RE HERE WITHOUT CHRIST TODAY, REPENT AND TURN TO THE GOD OF THE EVERLASTING GOSPEL AND RECEIVE HIS SON AS YOUR LORD AND SAVIOR.

*** TURN TO CHRIST AND BE RESCUED FROM THE WRATH TO COME. (LET’S PRAY)