How to Overcome the Devil: End Time Events

Everybody you're listening to a new beginning, which is a podcast made possible by harvest partners. If this program is impacted you, I love to hear from you. So just send an email to me at greg@harvest.org again it's greg@harvest.org you can learn more about becoming harvest partner by going to harvest.org Greg Loring is leading our study of the turmoil of the great tribulation will see today. There's good news.

Amidst all the bad lizard dark tunnels coming in the tribulation. But in the midst of this darkness. God is good reason to write my we call the two witnesses, two men will be raised up by the Lord to minister to people for 3 1/2 years now more than in Greg Loring speaker of the harvesters coming to Angel Stadium in Southern California a week from Sunday.

Find out how an unbelieving friend or loved one here at gospel message that can change their life. Details of harvest.org. Greg brings a compelling study of Bible prophecy got time to plan recorded in the final election. We are now officially at the halfway point here in chapter 11. By the way, there is a shift in the narrative that takes place in the book. Now let's compare to a movie. It's sort of like John is been watching a movie if you will, is there on the island of Patmos for is banished for his faithful proclamation of the gospel. The Lord comes to him and gives him the revelation of the unveiling of the future.

The unveiling of heaven and the supernatural world is always furtive, catapulted into the future and in up to this point. John's been an observer. He just tells us what he see what he observes but all of a sudden he goes from an observer to a participant so coming back to the movie analogy. Maybe you have a favorite film and you've wished you could be that person. The main character that you connect to it and you ask yourself what what I do if I was facing the circumstances that they're facing. So here's John watching the scene unfold before them.

All of a sudden he's in the story. He's right. There is a participant in it. As we come to Revelation chapter 10, a powerful angel appears to John and gives him a little scroll. We could call it a little book and the angel says I want you to eat the book eat the scroll interest to requested so he needs the little book of the scroll and its sweet going down and then it's better to give them a stomachache for like when you go to Krispy Kreme donuts are great going down you know I think my record is 675 with a little smaller so don't judge me 96, washed them down with some cold milk their great go down a little bit later. What was I thinking.

So here's John Dietz's scroll were little book, so to speak. It's sweet at first and then it's better in this scroll, most likely was the message that was to be delivered and it was a message of judgment to the people. So let's pick the story up now, in Revelation chapter 11 verse one John writes that I was given a reed like a measuring rod is the John C.

Was given to me in the angel that stood there said rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there but leave out the court which is outside the temple don't measure it that's been given to the Gentiles in the tread the holy city underfoot for 42 months and I will give power to my two witnesses, no prophesy 1260 days close in sackcloth. By the way, that's 3 1/2 years. They are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the God of the earth. And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies and if anyone wants to harm them. They must be killed in this manner their power to shut heaven, so no rain falls. They have power over waters to turn them to blood, and they strike the earth with all plagues is often as they desire interesting chapter 11 of the book of Revelation opens with the mention of the city of Jerusalem.

Think about this.

This was written some 2000 years ago. John is telling us that the end times events are general ball around the city of Jerusalem.

So here we are, as usual, the Middle East, Israel, specifically Jerusalem is in the new Jerusalem. Ironically, means the city of peace yet more wars have been fought at her doorstep in any other city in the entire world. But Jerusalem would be at the center of the end times events in Zechariah 12 three it says on that day when all the nations of the earth are gathered together against her. I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations and all who try to move it will injure themselves, but for this prophecy that were reading about now to be fulfilled.

Some things have to take place 1 Has Taken Pl. The others haven't number one Jerusalem has to be in Jewish hands and it is but that didn't happen until quite recently. In fact, it was the Six-Day War. In June 1967 that Jerusalem came once again under the control of the Jewish people living in their homeland of Israel. Secondly, the third Temple must be rebuilt because John is describing a temple there is no Jewish temple in Jerusalem today of the first and second temples are gone, they have not rebuilt the third one. And so here this is something that still has to happen in the future, but what does the Bible tell us it tells us that this coming world leader known as the antichrist will help the Jews rebuild their temple and then he will desecrate it and this is called the abomination of desolation which happens at the halfway point of the seven year tribulation. Remember the great tribulation period starts peacefully as antichrist or the beast emerges on the scene with overtures of peace and entreaties that are signed and actually are followed for a certain period of time a new economic system. Snow may come by yourself without his Mark will get that when we come to Revelation chapter 13 so he rebuilt the temple. But here's what Jesus said about it. Matthew 24 verse 15 when you see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place. Let them dinner in Judea flee to the mountains.

Pray that your flight would not be on Sabbath day for then great tribulation will come upon the world that is not seated since the beginning of time, nor ever shall be. So what is the abomination of desolation.

Here's what it is antichrist rebuild the temple, but then he erected image of himself and commends people to worship it.

So he desecrates the temple showing his true colors commenting on this and second Thessalonians to four we read these words.

Antichrist opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or his worship so he is as God saving them the temple of God, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and pretended miracles, all of them are lying wonders, so any movement toward rebuilding the third Temple should be observed and noted by the Bible student and they would seem to me that this event of the rebuilding of the temple would happen in the early part of the tribulation. And before that can happen, the church must be caught up to meet the Lord. Yes, it's through peace then antichrist is going to deceive people.

There's a great cry in our world today. Peace at any cost. People don't want any more wars we want globalism no walls no borders. This is a cry of so many even chairing the Ranger people are oppressed or freedom is taken away, we want to have peace. People say will antichrist will give them what they want. Verse Thessalonians 53 it says when they shall say, peace and safety. Sudden destruction shall come upon them as a woman ready to give birth to Greg Laurie will have the second half of this message just a moment how hard I think I will bring a message of no music is pastor Greg is presenting an eye-opening series in Revelation today were in Chapter 11 and he goes into much more detail in his new book, a commentary on Revelation details later on or get them now@harvest.org this are dark times coming in the tribulation.

But in the midst of this darkness, God is given a raise of two bright lights we call them the two witnesses, two men that will be raised up by the Lord to minister truth to people for 3 1/2 years now.

Who are they are not identified by name, but I think we might be able to figure out who they might be looking Revelation 11 six it says they have power to shut heaven, so no rain falls in the day of their prophecy, their power over waters to turn them to blood, and they can strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire. On the way. That would be kind of a cool superpower to strike with plagues when you desire in the someone cut you off of the freeway think IN your plague, your car will be filled with frogs that they will do anything like that. Of course, but they can stop rain turn water in the blood strike the earth with plagues bring fire from heaven, while two guys come to my attention and that would be Moses and Elijah, of course, Moses was the one that touched his staff to the Nile River and return to blood.

Moses was the one that brought plagues upon Egypt, through the power of God.

Elijah was the one that said it would not rain, but according to his word. Elijah was the one who called fire down on Mount Carmel in his contest with the prophets of bail. So needless to say, you would want to mess with these people. There's a story in second Kings about Elijah. There was a new king who took the place of King Ahab and and he fell out of his bed effectively was injured and so he said his servants to go to the profit of the false gods to get some direction and they encounter the prophet Elijah and he said what are you guys doing why you going to some false Temple's are not a God in Israel they can speak to you. So they go back to the king.

This again we were running your air and we ran into this guy that said this in the case of one of these say he said was there not a God in Israel that you can call and the king said one of the look like this it will king it was sorta hairy Kings as its Elijah and so he says go get a light. So a captain with 50 soldiers goes and finds Elijah sitting up on on a little hill and he says the king says come down immediately, all men of God alleges is a prime amount of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your 50.

Guess what Elijah was a man I got there towards now is second chapter 50 comes and says, oh man of God. The king one should come down right now like this is a prime amount of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your 50 soldiers and again the fire fell 3rd guy comes along. Also, with 50 soldiers says, oh man of God, the family man here some pictures of my family, pretty please come to the Lord to go down with him, but my point is you didn't want to mess with a prophet like this, so the Lord has brought Elijah back by the way, Elijah never died, Elijah was caught into a chariot of fire.

As you will recall something one of the witnesses might be a unit who also did not die.

We don't know with certainty, but my opinion is it's probably Moses and Elijah, one other detail on that. Remember when Jesus was transfigured to prophets appeared with him. Who were they Moses and Elijah Moses, representing the law and Elijah representing the prophets. Well, we read that tie in verse six they have the date of their prophecy.

Now prophecy in the New Testament does not always refer exclusively to predicting the future. Its primary meaning is to speak for third to proclaim or preach so effectively. These two witnesses are going to preach the gospel and bring God's truth.

The people for 3 1/2 years and they're under divine protection.

No one can stop them enter the antichrist looking Revelation 11 verse seven when they finish their testimony, you might underline that phrase when they finish their testimony, the beast, by the way, this is the first time is referred to as the beast. The beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them and kill them in their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where our Lord was crucified.

While we know the city is Jerusalem. That's where Jesus was crucified the beast or the Antichrist strikes out that these two prophets and he succeeds with notice it's not until they have finished their testimony looks like these two witnesses have been in God's witness protection program. Up to this point. By the way, you are to you will not die a day before the appointed day, the God has selected and were indestructible. As I've said to you before until were finished with what God has called us to do so when I Christ kills the two witnesses and lays there bodies in the streets of Jerusalem for the whole world to see a look at verse nine Revelation 11. Those from the tribes and peoples and tongues.

Steve the dead bodies for 3 1/2 days, and any will not allow their bodies to be put in the grave so antichrist is so angry at these two prophets to a spoken up fearlessly for the truth.

He lays there bodies out on display effectively desecrating them in the whole world is watching. I read book of commentary from 100 years ago and the commentator was wondering how this could ever happen, he said.

How could all of the world see something at the same time. Well we know the answer today because we have something called a cell phone and we carry them around in our pockets. 96% of Americans have cell phones and I read that 17 billion mobile devices will be in use by 2024 so you can pretty safely say most people either have a cell phone or they have access to a cell phone so it seems to me like these prophets are laying there in the streets and everyone can watch them.

They can observe them. Maybe everybody will have free Internet at that time. Maybe the antichrist will bring free Wi-Fi for everyone who knows.

But listen, this gets even stranger verse 10.

The people take the tragic death of these two men of God and turn it into this twisted celebration. Look at what it says those are dwelling the earth will rejoice over them and make Mary and send gifts to one another because the two prophets had tormented them who dwell on the earth, tormented them out of the two prophets tormented them they just told them the truth.

Well the truth is tormenting to people who don't want to hear and just try speaking up for what is right, try quoting the Bible to a group of people that don't believe this is a stop we don't want to hear it. Who are you to say this to us, what are you judging us and they don't hear it at all going back to that a little scroll her book that John was told to eat. It was sweet and then it turned better. You know the word of God is sweet to the Christian but it's bitter to the non-Christian but it's interesting that the people accuse the prophets of tormenting them. That is what King Ahab said to Elijah when he approached me says oh here's the one who troubles Israel. Elijah didn't trouble Israel, the king did and they reap the consequences of their sins. The ironic thing is, people will break God's commandments face the consequences that come with breaking those commandments and they get angry at God about it and does so this gets even stranger there giving gifts to one another. It's like an upside down Christmas is sort of an anti-Christmas you have Christmas in this anti-Christmas sales and we wish you and I for Christmas we wish to play Christmas or maybe they think happy Deb prophets hey I got to this gift they're celebrating inside the party everyone to summon a great time. You know party in a way all the prophets are dead. We don't have to listen to them anymore. Then God interrupts their party. Look at verse 11. After the 3 1/2 days the breath of life from God entered them and they stand on their feet, so everyone's watching kids on screens in the bars.

It's in the homes. Everyone's laughing there with a great time.

Look at Emily and their dead and all of a sudden they stand up again and everybody freaks out in front.

We read that the people were afraid they were afraid great fear fell upon them and then there's a loud voice from heaven saying come up here in the ascending heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them in the same hour there was a great earthquake and 1/10 of the city fell.

In the earthquake 7000 people were afraid, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven.

This reminds me a lot of the story of Bill's shots are in the Old Testament book of Daniel Bell shots are was a young man who ascended to the throne.

He had no interest in following the God that had humbled his grandfather Nebuchadnezzar. In effect, Nebuchadnezzar came to faith and believe in God and proclaimed it to his whole kingdom of Belshazzar the boy king. He just wanted a party so Monday he had the bright idea of taking those special instruments and cups and plates and such that were used by the Jews in the worship of God is that they lets fill them with wine. Let's worship are false gods who had all these people gathered together wherever the big party mocking God they were going out of their way to my God. Listen to me. The Bible says don't be deceived, God is not mocked whatsoever a man sows, that will he also reap. Are you mocking God. That is a really bad idea because as Belshazzar is mocking the Lord and having a great old time.

All of a sudden the Bible says suddenly I hand appeared writing on the plaster of the wall and it wrote these words, many, many tackle you Farson which means you been weighed in the balances in you been found lacking and I love the verse that describes the king's reaction. Daniel 56 says when he saw that his face turned pale with fright in his knees knocked together in fear in his legs gave way beneath. So imagine he was just terrifying sees of the party was over a one day the parties going to be over from one who have rejected Jesus Christ.

Pastor Greg Laurie currently here on a new beginning where considering the difficult days coming during the great tribulation. Pastor Greg will have more insight as the study continues.

But listen, if you missed any part of today's portion of our Revelation series. You can hear what you missed by going online to harvest.org just look for the study, called how to overcome the devil or any of our previous studies or subscribe to our podcast by going to Google podcasts Apple podcasts or spot a fine and we want to mention Pastor Greg new book that springs from the series is called Revelation, a book of promises festering. Some people have a rather cloudy understanding of prophecy. You know they're not sure of the terms and some prophecy is just so rich in symbolism that they wonder where they can get a decoder ring member decoder reggae Arava decoder ring. I don't know if I ever got one. But I was very aware of them and I wanted one. Do you have an extra effort for your gift of any size. Okay, so it is your book. Sort of a literary decoder ring as it were for for all of us to understand what Revelation means and how were supposed to employ that insight today. Yeah yeah I think that's good description. You know, my objective as a pastor as a Bible teacher as an evangelist is make things understandable to people I don't see any value in speaking over someone's head and using theological terminology that people don't understand the Bible says of Jesus, the common people heard him gladly. Which simply means regular rank-and-file people understood what Jesus was talking about. So the book of Revelation. This is a book. Many people are fascinated by, but it's also a book. Many people are mystified by and there is a decoder ring as I describe it early in the book of password. A password or an encryption key that will help you understand the book of Revelation and its found right in the first chapter, I think you're going to be surprised by how understandable this great book of the Bible is, I write in a way. Well, it's is over just sitting down over a cup of coffee and were just reading the verses together and were talking about them together and I'm trying to explain to you with simple analogies, and other scriptures commentating on Scripture and showing you how these great truths apply to you. So it's in a brand-new book that just came out, never excited about it and I want our listeners to have a copy again. It's called Revelation, the book of promises and will send it to you for your gift of any size. Now, some can only give a little will send one to you. Some can give more.

Of course, will send one to you, but whatever your gift is large or small, we will use it to continue to teach the word of God and proclaim the gospel so get your copy of Revelation, a book of promises I will rush it to you and arthritis brand-new be one of the first to own a copy of this new hardcover commentary from Pastor Greg and Dave let me jump in really quick and not only are we offering this new book Revelation about the promises, but we have this really cool graphic bookmark that we have put together that gives you a timeline of end times events so you probably wondered okay I know I've heard about the rapture and the tribulation. In the antichrist and the second coming. What happens when will this very beautiful little visual bookmark sort of lease it out for you that's included in the book you're talking about right now. Yeah that's right so we hope to get in touch today and ask for Revelation, a book of promises will send it to say thank you for your donation. Just address a letter to a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call us anytime 24 hours a day at 1-800-821-3300.

That's 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org and be sure to join us. A week from Sunday for SoCal harvested Angel Stadium.

Pastor Greg first live evangelistic events since the pandemic on October 3. He welcomes Phil Wickham and for King and country and presents a powerful gospel message. If you're here in Southern California. Be sure to join us in person at a course bring someone who needs to meet the Lord elsewhere. Be sure to tune in online and invite someone who needs to meet the Lord to watch along with you get all the details@harvest.org/SoCal when next I Pastor Greg brings us more.

Revelation 11 and 12 and his message how to overcome the devil. Join us here on a new beginning. Pastor and Bible feature Greg Moore and thanks for the new beginning.

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