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SERIES: THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST, WEEK 78

TITLE: THE FINAL REBELLION

TEXT: REVELATION 20:7-9

INTRODUCTION: (1) REBELLION IN THE WEBSTER’S AMERICAN FAMILY DICTIONARY IS DEFINED AS “OPEN, ORGANIZED AND ARMED RESISTANCE TO A GOVERNMENT OR RULER, AS RESISTANCE TO OR DEFIANCE OF ANY AUTHORITY, CONTROL OR TRADITION.”

** SYNONYMS FOR THE WORD REBELLION ARE RESISTANCE, INSURRECTION, REVOLT, UPRISING, RISING AND MUTINY.

** THUS REBELLION IN ITS MOST GENERAL SENSE IS A REFUSAL TO ACCEPT AUTHORITY AND THOSE WHO PARTICIPATE IN REBELLION ARE KNOWN AS REBELS.

*** NOW WHEN IT COMES TO GOD’S AUTHORITY, SIMPLY SAID, REBELLION IS WANTING OUR WAY OVER GOD’S WAY. IT IS PUTTING OUR WILL OVER GOD’S WILL, IT IS AS R. C. SPROUL HAS SAID: COSMIC TREASON.

**** NOW THE HISTORY OF MANKIND IS LITERALLY A HISTORY, IS A RECORD OF THE BIBLE THAT IS SATURATED WITH REBELLION AGAINST GOD.

(2) AND THE FIRST REBELLION AND REVOLT TOOK PLACE IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN IN A PERFECT ENVIRONMENT WHERE GOD GAVE ADAM AND EVE ONE PROHIBITION, ONE RESTRICTION, ONE THING HE WAS NOT ALLOWED TO DO AND IT IS FOUND IN GENESIS 2:16&17 WHERE IT SAYS: (READ THEM)

* NOW WHAT WAS THE RESULT? COMPLIANCE, SUBMISSION OR REBELLION? WELL OBVIOUSLY REBELLION, ADAM AND EVE DISOBEYED GOD.

** AND SINCE THAT DAY, THE HISTORY OF MANKIND IS A HISTORY OF REBELLION AND REVOLT AGAINST GOD’S HOLY AUTHORITY.

*** IT IS MANKIND HOLDING HIS FIST UP TO THE THRONE OF GOD AND SAYING, I WILL HAVE MY WAY OVER YOUR WAY, MY WILL OVER YOUR WILL AND I KNOW WHAT’S BEST FOR ME AND NOT YOU!!

**** THUS WE HAVE A DEFINITION OF WHAT SIN IS: IT IS REBELLION AGAINST THE WILL AND WORD OF GOD, IT IS BREAKING GOD’S LAW, IT IS DEPARTING FROM THE PATH THAT GOD HAS GIVEN TO US, IT IS MISSING THE MARK, IT IS AN ACTION THAT IS CONTRARY TO THE EXPRESSED WILL OF GOD.

(3) AND AS A RESULT WE ARE SEPARATED FROM GOD, WE ARE NOT RIGHT WITH GOD AND MUST BE RECONCILED TO GOD.

* THE BIBLE CLEARLY DECLARES IN ROMANS 3:10&23 (READ THEM).

** NOW WITH THAT SAID, WE LIVE IN AN ERA THAT WRONGDOING AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR SIN ARE SHIFTED.

*** NO ONE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR SIN, THERE IS A CONTINUAL BLAME SHIFTING AND MOST PEOPLE HAVE AN EXCUSE FOR THEIR SIN, FROM THEIR UPBRINGING, THEIR ENVIRONMENT, THEIR LACK OF EDUCATION, THEIR LACK OF SELF-ESTEEM AND A HOST OF EXCUSES INCLUDING THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT.

**** BUT THE CLEAR FACT FROM THE BIBLE IS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE WORLD AND AT THE END OF THE WORLD, MANKIND HAD AND WILL HAVE A PERFECT ENVIRONMENT WITH PERFECT PROVISION AND GREAT KNOWLEDGE YET STILL REBEL AGAINST GOD!

(4) AND ONE OF THE MOST AMAZING COMMENTARIES ON FALLEN HUMAN NATURE AND TOTAL DEPRAVITY TO BE FOUND IN THE WORD OF GOD IS FOUND IN OUR TEXT TODAY IN REVELATION 20:7-9.

* FOR AFTER 1,000 YEARS OF A PERFECT HUMAN ENVIRONMENT IN THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST, WITH AN ABUNDANCE OF MATERIAL PROVISIONS AND SPIRITUAL EDUCATION FOR EVERYONE.

** WITH NO CRIME, NO WAR, NO EXTERNAL TEMPTATION FROM A FALLEN WORLD SYSTEM AND SATAN, AND WITH THE PERSONAL PRESENCE OF ALL THE RESURRECTED SAINTS AND EVEN OF CHRIST HIMSELF AND GOOD CHRISTIAN PARENTS,

*** WITH ALL THOSE THINGS IN PLACE, A MULTITUDE OF PEOPLE BORN IN THIS PERIOD ARE READY TO OPENLY REBEL AGAINST THE LORD JESUS CHRIST THE FIRST TIME THEY GET A CHANCE!

**** WHY? WELL JEREMIAH GIVES US THE ANSWER IN CHAPTER 17 VERSE 9 OF HIS BOOK WHERE THUS SAYS THE LORD: (READ IT).

(5) AND ONLY GOD TRULY KNOWS OUR HEARTS, WE ARE DECEIVED BY THEM OFTEN, AND THAT’S WHY WE SHOULD NOT TRUST OUR HEARTS AND WHY THE WRITER OF PROVERBS SAYS IN PROVERBS 28:26: (READ IT).

* NOW BOTTOM LINE, THE HUMAN HEART IS REBELLIOUS.

** AND TODAY IN OUR STUDY OF GOD’S WORD WE COME TO THE FINAL REBELLION OF MANKIND LED BY THE ULTIMATE REBEL, SATAN.

*** AND WE COME TO THE WAR THAT WILL END ALL WARS, AND THERE WILL BE NO MORE REBELLION.

**** THUS I’VE TITLED OUR MESSAGE TODAY, “THE FINAL REBELLION.”

(6) AND UNDER THAT THEME WE’LL LOOK AT 3 POINTS AS WE WORK THROUGH REVELATION 20:7-9.

* NO. 1 THE RELEASE OF SATAN, V. 7; NO. 2 THE RECRUITING DONE BY SATAN IN THE WORLD FOR HIS FINAL REBELLION, V. 8; AND NO. 3 THE REVOLT OF THE NATIONS AGAINST CHRIST, V. 9.

** AND WITH THAT OUTLINE AS OUR GUIDE, LOOK AT V. 7 WHERE WE’LL SEE OUR FIRST POINT TODAY, THE RELEASE. LOOK AT REVELATION 20:7 PLEASE.

I. THE RELEASE, (READ V. 7)

A. NOW WHEN WILL SATAN BE RELEASED?

* THE ANSWER IS WHEN THE THOUSAND YEARS ARE COMPLETED, AT THE END OF THE MILLENNIUM.

** FOR THE GREEK WORD TRANSLATED COMPLETED IS USED THREE TIMES IN REVELATION 20.

*** IT IS USED IN REVELATION 20:3 WHERE IT SAYS: “AND HE THREW HIM INTO THE ABYSS, AND SHUT IT AND SEALED IT OVER HIM, SO THAT HE WOULD NOT DECEIVE THE NATIONS ANY LONGER, UNTIL THE THOUSAND YEARS WERE COMPLETED; AFTER THESE THINGS HE MUST BE RELEASED FOR A SHORT TIME.”

**** AND THEN IT IS USED IN REVELATION 20:5 WHERE IT SAYS: “THE REST OF THE DEAD DID NOT COME TO LIFE UNTIL THE THOUSAND YEARS WERE COMPLETED. THIS IS THE FIRST RESURRECTION.”

1. AND THEN IT IS USED HERE IN REVELATION 20:7 TRANSLATED COMPLETED IN THE NAU, EXPIRED IN THE KJV, ENDED IN THE ESV AND OVER IN THE NIV.

* AND THIS VERB IN THE GREEK CARRIES THE IDEA OF REACHING A GOAL, OR BEING BROUGHT TO A GOAL OR AN END, OR WHEN SOMETHING IS FINISHED.

** AND HERE THE GOAL THAT GOD HAS PLANNED FOR THE MILLENNIAL AGE HAS BEEN REACHED AND THE FINAL TEST OF MAN IS ABOUT TO BEGIN.

*** AND FOR THAT TO HAPPEN SATAN WILL BE RELEASED FROM HIS PRISON, WHICH IS CALLED THE ABYSS IN V. 3 OF THIS CHAPTER, LIT. THE PIT OF THE ABYSS, THE SHAFT OF THE ABYSS, A PLACE WHERE IN THE PAST FALLEN ANGELS-DEMONS-EVIL SPIRITS HAVE BEEN KEPT CAPTIVE.

**** AND SATAN WILL BE RELEASED FROM HIS IMPRISONMENT WHEN GOD SEES FIT. HE DOESN’T ESCAPE, HE DOESN’T FIND A TRAP DOOR AND SNEAK OUT, HE IS RELEASED, HE IS LOOSED.

2. AND PRACTICALLY THE VERSE INDICATES GOD’S CONTINUAL CONTROL OVER SATAN, FOR HE IS RELEASED FROM HIS PRISON ONLY WHEN GOD SEES FIT.

* SO AGAIN IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION WE SEE GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY! GOD IS ON THE THRONE, HE IS IN CONTROL, HE IS ORCHESTRATING EVERYTHING.

** AND THAT REPETITIOUS TRUTH, A REOCCURRING THEME IN SCRIPTURE IS THERE FOR GOD’S GLORY AND FOR OUR PEACE WITH ALL THE UNCERTAINTIES OF LIFE, OF OUR ECONOMY, OF OUR HEALTH, OF OUR FUTURE AND OUR FAMILIES.

*** BUT THIS TRUTH IS OUR ROCK, IT IS OUR SECURITY, OUR PEACE AND OUR REST.

**** FOR NOTHING CALMS THE SOUL LIKE TRUST IN GOD’S HIGHER WAYS WHEN THE STORMS OF LIFE COME, AND THE BOTTOM DROPS OUT AND THE TRIALS ARE HOT AND SEEM UNBEARABLE.

3. AND THE BOTTOM LINE IS IF WE ARE A TRUE FOLLOWER OF CHRIST, WHATEVER HAPPENS IN OUR LIVES IN TRIALS IS NOT AN ACCIDENT, OR BAD LUCK, AN UNFORTUNATE EVENT OR HAPPENS BY CHANCE.

* BUT GOD IS IN IT AND HE IS ALWAYS GOOD, WHETHER WE THINK HE IS OR NOT. IN FACT, WHAT IS GOOD CANNOT BE DETERMINED FROM OUR LOW, PUNY STANDARDS AND OUR LIMITED VIEWPOINTS.

** IN FACT, PURITAN WILLIAM PERKINS SAID AND I QUOTE: “WE MUST NOT THINK THAT GOD DOETH A THING BECAUSE IT IS GOOD AND RIGHT, BUT RATHER IS THE THING GOOD AND RIGHT BECAUSE GOD WILLETH IT AND WORKETH IT.” (END QUOTE)

*** AND AS WE GO BACK TO REVELATION 20:7, SATAN IS RELEASED AT THE TIME GOD HAS WILLED, NOT WHEN SATAN DECIDES AND GOD’S GOOD PURPOSES WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED.

**** AND IT’S AS IF GOD PUTS HIS SOVEREIGNTY AND CONTROL ON DISPLAY AS A HOLY REMINDER OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

4. AND YOU’LL NEVER TIRE IN HEARING ABOUT IT IF YOU ARE LIVING THIS TRUTH, FOR THE COMFORT AND PEACE YOU RECEIVE FROM IT PASSETH ALL UNDERSTANDING AND GOD IS GLORIFIED THROUGH IT.

* SO AS MARTIN LUTHER SAID: THE DEVIL IS GOD’S DEVIL.

** AND GOD’S DEVIL IS RELEASED AND GOD’S PURPOSE IS TO BRING ABOUT THE FINAL TEST OF MANKIND AND TO SHOW FOR ALL TIME THAT MAN’S HEART IS DECEITFUL ABOVE ALL THINGS.

*** AND SATAN WILL LEAD A FINAL REBELLION OF SINNERS, AND WILL ORGANIZE A WORLDWIDE REBELLION. AND IN DOING THAT HE WILL RECRUIT PEOPLE THROUGH DECEIT FOR HIS CAUSE WHICH IS GOD’S ULTIMATE CAUSE.

**** SO LOOK AT V. 8 PLEASE WHERE WE’LL SEE OUR 2’D POINT TODAY, THE RECRUITING.

II. THE RECRUITING, (READ V. 8)

A. NOW ROBERT THOMAS AT THIS POINT IN HIS COMMENTARY ON REVELATION 8-22 SAYS AND I QUOTE: “SATAN’S INCURABLE BENT TOWARD EVIL EVIDENCES ITSELF IN AN IMMEDIATE RETURN TO HIS EFFORTS TO DECEIVE THE NATIONS.” (END QUOTE)

* JOHN RITCHIE IN HIS COMMENTARY SAYS ABOUT THE BEGINNING OF V. 8: “HAVING LEARNED NOTHING FROM HIS THOUSAND YEAR IMPRISONMENT SATAN SETS OUT ON HIS FINAL ATTEMPT TO RALLY MEN TO HIS BANNER AGAINST GOD.” (END QUOTE)

** AND SATAN IS INSANELY PASSIONATE IN HIS HATRED OF GOD AND IS DRIVEN BY THAT HATRED AND HIS OWN EGO TO BE WORSHIPPED.

*** SO HE COMES OUT OF THE ABYSS AND HIS PURPOSE AND PASSION IS TO DECEIVE THE NATIONS WHICH ARE IN THE 4 CORNERS OF THE EARTH CALLED GOD AND MAGOG.

**** NOW THE QUESTION COMES UP AT THIS POINT, WHO ARE THE NATIONS? AND WHO ACTUALLY CAN BE DECEIVED IN THE MILLENNIAL RULE OF CHRIST?

1. WELL, MANY UNSAVED FAMILY MEMBERS AND DESCENDANTS OF THOSE WHO ENTERED THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM IN THEIR PHYSICAL BODIES WILL LOVE THEIR SIN AND BE REBELS INTERNALLY, BUT NOT EXTERNALLY.

* IN OTHER WORDS, PEOPLE SAVED DURING THE TRIBULATION AND ARE NOT MARTYRED AND DIE FROM ITS JUDGMENTS WILL ENTER THE KINGDOM BODILY, IN NON-RESURRECTED PHYSICAL BODIES. AND THESE PEOPLE CANNOT BE DECEIVED FOR THEY ARE GOD’S ELECT.

** BUT THEY WILL HAVE CHILDREN THAT ARE BORN WITH A SINFUL HUMAN NATURE AS HUMAN BEINGS ARE BORN WITH.

*** AND EACH SUCCESSIVE GENERATION THROUGHOUT THE 1,000 YEAR KINGDOM ON EARTH WILL BE MADE UP OF SINNERS IN NEED OF SALVATION.

**** AND ALTHOUGH ALL WILL BOW THE KNEE OUTWARDLY TO THE KING WHO SITS ON THE THRONE OF DAVID-THE LORD JESUS, FOR HE WILL RULE WITH A ROD OF IRON, BUT NOT ALL WILL BOW THE KNEE INWARDLY.

2. AND THERE WILL BE MANY WHO ARE CONFORMING OUTWARD TO CHRIST’S RULE BUT INWARDLY WILL BE HYPOCRITES, JUST LIKE TODAY, AS THERE ARE MANY TARES AMONG THE WHEAT.

* AND AS LONG AS SATAN IS BOUND THE TARES LOOK LIKE WHEAT, BUT WHEN SATAN IS LOOSED, HE ORGANIZES THE REBELS, HE ORGANIZES THE REVOLT.

** AND GET THIS, THE GOLDEN AGE AND UTOPIAN CONDITIONS OF THE MILLENNIUM WILL NOT CHANGE THE SAD REALITY OF HUMAN DEPRAVITY. PEOPLE LOVE DARKNESS, PEOPLE LOVE SIN.

*** AND MANY UNREPENTANT SINNERS WILL BE ALIVE AT THE END OF THE MILLENNIUM FOR SATAN TO LEAD A WORLDWIDE REBELLION.

**** AND IT WILL BE A HUGE REBELLION AND WORLDWIDE FOR SATAN GOES OUT TO DECEIVE THE NATIONS, A MULTITUDE OF PEOPLE GROUPS IN THE WORLD THAT ARE IN THE 4 CORNERS OF THE EARTH.

3. AND 4 CORNERS OF THE EARTH MAKES REFERENCE TO THE 4 MAIN POINTS OF THE COMPASS, NORTH, SOUTH, EAST AND WEST, MEANING FROM ALL OVER THE GLOBE, ALL OVER THE WORLD.

* AND JOHN GIVES THESE REBEL NATIONS THE TITLE OF GOG AND MAGOG.

** AND GOG AND MAGOG ARE NAMES USED FROM EZEKIEL 38&39 AND GENESIS 10:2.

*** FOR THE GENESIS 10:2 MAGOG IS THE GRANDSON OF NOAH AND SETTLED IN THE LAND KNOWN AS RUSSIA TODAY.

**** AND GOG AND MAGOG ARE TALKED ABOUT IN EZEKIEL 38&39 AS ENEMIES OF ISRAEL THAT WILL ATTACK THEM IN THE TRIBULATION.

4. AND IT APPEARS HERE IN REVELATION 20:8 GOG AND MAGOG DOES NOT REFER TO A SPECIFIC LOCATION LIKE RUSSIA, BUT THE 4 CORNERS OF THE EARTH EXPRESSION TIES GOG AND MAGOG TO REBEL NATIONS THROUGHOUT THE EARTH THAT ARE THE ENEMIES OF GOD AND COME TO ATTACK JERUSALEM, TO GATHER THEM FOR THE WAR, THE FINAL WAR, THE WAR TO END ALL WARS AT THE END OF THE 1,000 YEARS.

* AND GOG AND MAGOG WILL BE A FORMIDABLE GROUP, A LARGE GROUP OF PEOPLES, FOR THE END OF V. 8 SAYS, “THE NUMBER OF THEM IS LIKE THE SAND OF THE SEASHORE,” WHICH IS AN INNUMERABLE GROUP, A VAST UNCOUNTABLE MULTITUDE, BEYOND COUNTING!

** NOW THE QUESTION COMES UP HERE, HOW COULD THERE BE SO MANY PEOPLE EVEN ON EARTH AT THIS TIME?

*** WELL, REMEMBER THE CURSE IS REVERSED IN THE MILLENNIUM AND WE GO BACK TO TIMES LIKE THE GARDEN OF EDEN BEFORE ADAM AND EVE SINNED.

**** SO WE HAVE UTOPIAN IDEAL CONDITIONS COUPLED WITH LONG LIFE SPANS OF IT’S INHABITANTS WHICH WILL LEAD TO A HUGE POPULATION EXPLOSION.

5. AND LET ME PAUSE AND TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO REFLECT ON O.T. PROPHECIES WHICH TALK ABOUT THIS TIME OF REGENERATION, OR REFRESHING OR RENEWAL.

* FOR ALL CONDITIONS WILL BE IDEAL, LIKE THE GARDEN OF EDEN.

** FOR EXAMPLE IN ISAIAH 65:20-23 IT SAYS:

V. 20 – NO LONGER WILL THERE BE IN IT AN INFANT WHO LIVES BUT A FEW DAYS, OR AN OLD MAN WHO DOES NOT LIVE OUT HIS DAYS; FOR THE YOUTH WILL DIE AT THE AGE OF ONE HUNDRED AND THE ONE WHO DOES NOT REACH THE AGE OF ONE HUNDRED WILL BE THOUGHT ACCURSED.

V. 21 – THEY WILL BUILD HOUSES AND INHABIT THEM; THEY WILL ALSO PLANT VINEYARDS AND EAT THEIR FRUIT.

V. 22 – THEY WILL NOT BUILD AND ANOTHER INHABIT, THEY WILL NOT PLANT AND ANOTHER EAT; FOR AS THE LIFETIME OF A TREE, SO WILL BE THE DAYS OF MY PEOPLE, AND MY CHOSEN ONES WILL WEAR OUT THE WORK OF THEIR HANDS.

V. 23 – THEY WILL NOT LABOR IN VAIN, OR BEAR CHILDREN FOR CALAMITY; FOR THEY ARE THE OFFSPRING OF THOSE BLESSED BY THE LORD, AND THEIR DESCENDANTS WITH THEM.

*** NOW LONG LIFE WILL PREVAIL FOR THOSE BORN IN THE KINGDOM, FOR IF SOMEONE DIES AT 100, IT’S LIKE A CHILD DYING IN COMPARISON.

**** AND THEN ISAIAH 11:6-9 SAYS:

V. 6 – AND THE WOLF WILL DWELL WITH THE LAMB, AND THE LEOPARD WILL LIE DOWN WITH THE YOUNG GOAT, AND THE CALF AND THE YOUNG LION AND THE FATLING TOGETHER; AND A LITTLE BOY WILL LEAD THEM.

V. 7 – ALSO THE COW AND THE BEAR WILL GRAZE, THEIR YOUNG WILL LIE DOWN TOGETHER, AND THE LION WILL EAT STRAW LIKE THE OX.

V. 8 – THE NURSING CHILD WILL PLAY BY THE HOLE OF THE COBRA, AND THE WEANED CHILD WILL PUT HIS HAND ON THE VIPER’S DEN.

V. 9 – THEY WILL NOT HURT OR DESTROY IN ALL MY HOLY MOUNTAIN, FOR THE EARTH WILL BE FULL OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE LORD AS THE WATERS COVER THE SEA.

6. NOW HERE WE SEE THAT PEACE WILL RULE ON THE EARTH AS NATURAL PREDATORS WILL NO LONGER BE ENEMIES, YOU CAN TAKE ALL THE BARS OF ZOOS OUT, FOR A LITTLE BOY WILL BE ABLE TO LEAD A YOUNG LION AROUND.

* THERE WILL BE PEACE IN CREATION, EVEN IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM AS THE WOLF DWELLS WITH THE LAMB.

** AND THEN IN ZECHARIAH 14:9-11 IT SAYS:

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.

*** NOW HERE WE SEE THAT THE LORD IS KING OF ALL THE EARTH AND THERE IS NO LONGER A CURSE AND JERUSALEM WILL DWELL IN SECURITY IN THE KINGDOM.

**** SO, THE EARTH WILL THRIVE AND PRODUCE IT’S FRUIT AND FOOD, PEACE WILL RULE, HEALTH WILL BE GREAT, THE ANIMAL KINGDOM IS AT PEACE AND IT WILL BE THE SEQUEL TO THE GARDEN OF EDEN.

7. AND BECAUSE OF THOSE CONDITIONS, THERE WILL BE A HUGE POPULATION EXPLOSION AS IDEAL CONDITIONS EXIST.

* BUT SADLY, THE REBELS WILL SURFACE AT THE END AS THE GREAT DECEIVER IS RELEASED. AND HE WILL PULL TOGETHER ALL THE REBELS, REVEALING THE TRUE CHARACTER OF THE REBELS AND SATAN ORGANIZES THE REVOLT AGAINST GOD.

** AND WE SEE THAT IN V. 9, AS THE REVOLT UNDER SATAN’S LEADERSHIP TAKES PLACE. SO LOOK AT V. 9 PLEASE WHERE WE’LL SEE OUR THIRD AND LAST POINT TODAY, THE REVOLT.

III. THE REVOLT, (READ V. 9)

A. NOW THE FORCES OF SATAN ADVANCE TO THE VERY HEART OF CHRIST’S KINGDOM, FOR THEY WILL SURROUND THE CAPITAL CITY OF THE KINGDOM AND OF THE EARTH-JERUSALEM.

* FOR SATAN’S REBELS WILL COME UP ON THE BROAD PLAIN OF THE EARTH AND REMEMBER ALL OF THIS TAKES PLACE ON EARTH, NOT IN HEAVEN.

** BUT SATAN’S ARMY MARCHES ACROSS THE BREADTH OF THE EARTH AND SURROUNDS THE CAMP OF GOD’S PEOPLE, THE CITY HE LOVES.

*** AND HERE THE SAINTS WILL BE ENCAMPED AROUND THE BELOVED CITY WHICH IS JERUSALEM.

**** FOR PREVIOUSLY IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION, JERUSALEM HAS BEEN CALLED THE HOLY CITY IN REVELATION 11:2, THE GREAT CITY IN REVELATION 11:8 AND REVELATION 16:19, AND NOW IT IS CALLED THE BELOVED CITY, THE CITY THAT GOD LOVES.

1. AND JERUSALEM WILL BE THE CITY WHERE CHRIST RULES FROM AND THE CAPITAL CITY OF THE WORLD AND SO IF CHRIST IS THERE, SO IT’S THE CENTER OF THE WORLD, AND MANY SAINTS WILL BE ENCAMPED THERE, DWELLING THERE, LIVING THERE, VISITING THERE.

* SO STRATEGICALLY IT IS THE CITY AND PLACE TO ATTACK IF YOU WANT TO CAUSE A LOT OF DAMAGE AND KNOCK CHRIST OFF.

** WHICH IS LUDICROUS, BUT AS I’VE SAID AT OTHER OCCASIONS, SIN IS NOT LOGICAL, IT IS EMOTIONAL AND LEADS TO BAD JUDGMENT, WRONG DECISIONS AND DELUSIONAL JUDGMENT.

*** AND REBELLION AGAINST GOD IS NEVER SMART OR RIGHT OR GOOD, IT IS NEVER LOGICAL. BUT SIN’S DECEPTION AND SATAN’S DECEPTION WILL LEAD ARMIES TO SURROUND JERUSALEM.

**** AND HERE WILL BE THE WORLD’S WATERLOO, AND THE CITY OF WATERLOO IN HISTORY WAS THE CITY WHICH REFERS TO THE DEFEAT OF NAPOLEON AT WATERLOO, BELGIUM, WHICH NOW IS USED TO REPRESENT ANY GREAT DISASTER.

2. WELL, JERUSALEM WILL BE SATAN’S WATERLOO LIKE NAPOLEON’S AND THIS WILL BE THE WAR TO END ALL WARS.

* AND IN REALITY, LIKE ARMAGEDDON WHEN JESUS RETURNS TO THE EARTH IN REVELATION 19, IT’S REALLY NOT A WAR, BUT AN EXECUTION, IT’S ALL OVER IN A FLASH, BEFORE A SHOT IS FIRED.

** FOR NOTICE THAT IN SIMPLE PLAIN LANGUAGE WITHOUT ELABORATION AND DETAIL, IT’S ALL OVER!!

*** FOR IT SAYS: “FIRE CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN AND DEVOURED THEM.”

**** AND THE GREEK WORD TRANSLATED DEVOURED LIT. MEANS TO CONSUME, TRANSLATED THAT WAY IN THE ENGLISH STANDARD VERSION.

3. THIS WORD HAS TO DO WITH UTTERLY CONSUMING SOMETHING, TO EAT IT UP, TO DEVOUR, TO DESTROY.

* THUS IT’S ALL OVER. SATAN’S ARMY WILL BE PHYSICALLY KILLED AND THEIR SOULS WILL GO INTO HADES AWAITING THEIR FINAL SENTENCING AT THE GREAT WHITE THRONE IN VV. 11-15 WHERE THEY WILL CAST INTO ETERNAL HELL, THE LAKE OF FIRE.

* BUT BEFORE THAT SATAN WILL BE CAST INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE IN V. 10 WHICH WILL BE OUR STUDY FOR NEXT SUNDAY.

** BELOVED, REBELLION WILL BE NO MORE. THE FIRE OF GOD COMES DOWN FROM HEAVEN LIKE AT SODOM AND GOMORRAH AND REBELLION AND SIN WILL FINALLY AND TOTALLY BE PUT AWAY, PREPARING THE WAY FOR A NEW HEAVEN, A NEW EARTH AND A NEW JERUSALEM WHERE ONLY RIGHTEOUSNESS WILL DWELL.

IN WRAP UP: (1) GOD IS NOW ABOUT TO WRAP UP HUMAN HISTORY.

* AND IN ONE SENSE, THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM WILL “SUM UP” ALL THAT THE ALMIGHTY HAS SAID ABOUT THE HUMAN HEART OF MAN IN THE HISTORY OF MANKIND.

** THAT THE FALSE THEORY THAT MAN UNDER A PERFECT ENVIRONMENT WILL WILLINGLY DO WHAT’S RIGHT AND NOT SIN IS DEBUNKED. IT IS DEBUNKIFIED.

*** FOR EVEN IN THE IDEAL SITUATION OF THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM OF CHRIST, INNUMERABLE PEOPLE IMMEDIATELY RESPOND TO THE FIRST TEMPTATION TO REBEL.

**** BELOVED, A PERFECT ENVIRONMENT CANNOT PRODUCE A PERFECT HEART AND A PERFECT CIVILIZATION.

(2) SIN REACHES TO THE CORE OF MANKIND’S BEING, IT RADICALLY CORRUPTS US, IT TOUCHES THE VERY ROOT OF OUR LIVES.

* SIN AFFECTS AND INFECTS OUR LIVES RADICALLY.

** MANKIND IS TOTALLY DEPRAVED IN THE SENSE THAT EVERYTHING ABOUT OUR NATURES ARE IN REBELLION AGAINST GOD.

*** SO WE DESPERATELY NEED A SAVIOR AND THUS WE ARE DIRECTED TO THE CROSS OF CHRIST WHERE CHRIST DIED TO PURCHASE SINNERS FROM THEIR SIN AND MAKE THEM ALIVE FROM BEING DEAD IN TRESPASSES AND SIN.

**** FOR MAN’S TOTAL DEPRAVITY BRINGS TOTAL INABILITY TO RESPOND WITHOUT GOD’S INTERVENTION.

(2) AND IF YOU SEE THE HEINOUSNESS OF YOUR SIN TODAY, AND THAT YOU CANNOT SAVE YOURSELF, AND THAT CHRIST IS THE ONLY SAVIOR, AND THAT YOU ARE NOT WORTHY OF GOD’S GREAT GIFT OF SALVATION, THEN TURN FROM YOUR SIN TO CHRIST FOR HIS COMPLETE AND FULL FORGIVENESS. REPENT AND TURN TO CHRIST TODAY.

* BUT LASTLY, FOR THOSE IN CHRIST TODAY, REST IN HIS SOVEREIGNTY, TRUST IN HIS SOVEREIGNTY, DELIGHT IN HIS CONTROL OF SATAN AND HIS DEMONS.

** BE COMFORTED BY HIS SOVEREIGNTY, HAVE PEACE IN HIS RULE, FOR GOD’S GOOD AND HOLY PURPOSES ARE COMING TO PASS AND WILL BE FULFILLED.

*** I REMIND YOU AGAIN, A BETTER DAY IS COMING, CHRIST WILL RULE ON THE EARTH ONE DAY, AND ONE DAY THE EARTH WILL BE DESTROYED AND THERE WILL BE A NEW EARTH IN WHICH RIGHTEOUSNESS DWELLS.

**** BELOVED, MAY YOUR HOPE BE IN HIM, AND REST THAT HE IS WITH YOU, DIRECTING YOUR LIVES, AND MAY YOU BE EXCITED IN PUTTING HIS GLORY ON DISPLAY BY THE WAY WE LIVE.