806. Saved From His Wrath

Welcome to The Daily Platform from Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina. The school was founded in 1927, 20 evangelist Dr. Bob Jones Senior's intent was to make a school where Christ would be the center of everything, so he established daily chapel services today. That tradition continues with fervent biblical preaching from the University Chapel platform today on The Daily Platform or continuing a study series entitled return of the King which is a study of the second coming of Christ. Today's message will be preached by seminary professor Dr. Jason Ormiston, good morning.

What invites you to take your Bible and turn with me to the book of Revelation. Revelation chapter 1 order to start right there. I want to encourage you that one of the aspects of unlocking the book of Revelation is understanding the interludes or the timeouts in the midst of this book that helped pull it all together in this title of save from his wrath will make more sense when we understand the flow of the book and then the timeout and the focus on the redeemed on those that God loves and how much he loves and cares for his own, and I want to believe today encouraged by Jesus Christ, and the fact that he loves you and he cares for you. Just a simple thing. Jesus loves you. He cares for you and I want to demonstrate this to you. Look at Revelation chapter 1 and look at verse one. It starts out with is the revelation of Jesus Christ, you could translate that the revelation about Jesus Christ. Many times, look at the book of Revelation we don't think it provides comfort it provides controversy.

We don't know how to interpret it. And sometimes we avoid it altogether. But I want to know this is about Jesus Christ and solidifying truth about him that I hope will encourage your heart. II want to know also that this is coming from the fruit of having preached through this entire book verse by verse, so sermons are on sermon audio. If you've any questions about interpretations that I might have on certain areas and I'm not the only one to have done this.

The preacher last week. Dr. Reamer's I sent underneath his ministry of going verse by verse through the book of Revelation is really a great resource for you to consider and read the book over 40 times in preparation for preaching through the book and I want to encourage outlook on Bible Gateway in track down all of the time it would take to read the book, it would take you about an hour and 1/2 to listen to the book of Revelation read to you if you break it down into seven days. It's around 20 minutes a day to get through the entire book she could get to the book of Revelation. Four times a month and is helpful to see the big picture, but first and foremost you need to know that it's about Jesus Christ. As we jump in.

The stage is set in chapter 1 or two notice is the stage being set is a blessing. So there is a joyful experience to get to tell you.

Verse three chapter 1 Blessed is he that read and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein for the time is at hand to at the very least, if you stay awake and pay attention to what I'm trying to do with you. There's a blessing on the other side of this is a blessing for me for reading it for you for hearing it, and for all of us to understand this great blessing is poured out for us in verses one through 11, encourages us understanding the author in verse nine is John the apostle. He's the last of the apostles to die.

He is the one that didn't die through martyrdom and he gives us an amazing experience a window into heaven. We also see the reflection on Jesus.

In verses 12 through 18 and were as astounded to see that he is brilliant in splendor and were in awe of him and we should stop as you scan your eyes on verses 12 through 18.

He's not someone that we want to take lightly reading start to rethink calling him our buddy or our friend. We do have a friend in Jesus and that he cares for us.

We have a holy high view of who he is. As we look at Revelation 112 through 18, but to unlock the vibe I found a simple outline to be helpful to turn over to chapter 1 verse 19 and 20. It's somewhat confusing right the content print under similar how you put it all together.

Let me give you this verse as a simple outline point write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are in the things which shall be hereafter so. Notice that the things which thou hast seen that first phrase is summarizing chapter 1 and it's John's experience. As the author, having seen Jesus to John write down these things to the seven churches so that they can know who I am. I need you to let them know who I am and then he goes on to the next phrase and this gives us the second part outline the book and the things which are the things which are happen to include the seven churches in chapters 2 through three. So John was commissioned to write down what he saw about Jesus Christ the things that currently existed, which would be the seven churches that we will see in chapters 2 through three and then we have the phrase in the things which shall be hereafter, or maybe you have in your translation that happen after this and that includes all of chapters 4 through 22 and there you have your outline for the book of Revelation. In effect we see this play out because the churches were in existence during the time John received this word this Revelation and when he wrote this down and after. This is something that's found the corporate chapter 4 and verse one it says after this I looked, and behold, the door was open into heaven if you turn over to chapter 7 verse one it says and after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth. It's what helps us break down what's going on here in this book. By following just the normal words, how do we interpret the book of Revelation needs to be asked because people have all sorts of views do we categorize things and make certain things mean something. There are books written on this.

You know, left behind series and it's very fascinating to read but how much of it is overly literal and in what is supposed to just be an allegory want to consider verse 20 in this outline of chapter 1 chapter 1 verse 20 it says to us not only giving us an outline of verse 19, the mystery of the seven stars, which thou sauce to my right hand and the seven golden stat sticks seven stars are the angels of the seven churches in the seven candlesticks which thou sauce are the seven churches that help which is simply this.

If God wants us when we put it very specifically if Jesus wants you to interpret a portion of this book a certain way he is going to tell you don't have to worry about making it something that he hasn't told you it is as if he doesn't tell you that's what it is than be careful not to come to a conclusion, but when he clearly says this is a picture then take it as a picture when he says in verse 20 the seven stars are the angels, or the messengers to this to the church is seven churches take it to mean that any lease of the seven candlesticks are the seven churches.

Candlesticks refer to churches and so we just let the clear interpret the unclear as we go through this. That being said, consider the church was challenged in chapters 2 through three we have the seven churches. As you scan your eyes down there.

You have letters to the church in Ephesus.

Letters to the church in Smyrna program us and as you just look at you see, Sardis, Laodicea, Philadelphia. Simply put, five of the seven churches were indicted with something they needed to repent of and so the message Jesus had for the church was practices don't present your first love for Pergamon in chapter 212 through 17, and by a tyrant. Don't overlook false teaching fire tyrant into 18 to 29 and if you go down through each of the messages is a message to each of them. Two of them, particularly Smyrna.

In chapter 2 verses eight through 11 in Philadelphia in 373 13 those churches did not have a call from Jesus to repent was more an encouragement to Smyrna endure persecution to Philadelphia be a witness.

So we see the churches challenged that we transition into after this know what is interesting about that phrase.

After this, it implies that the church is no longer here in the storyline is if you're wondering about the rapture and this idea of Jesus coming in taking his own church home to be with him. The church is not mentioned again until we get to chapter 19. So here we have an example after this church no longer mention the seven churches not mentioned again the church mention is the bride of Christ.

In chapter 19 and so this is where we would insert rapture, but you don't find the word rapture here in Revelation. You can find the concept. The rapture really talked about some talk about different examples of those that endure persecution but Jesus will take them out, but we have to get the concept of rapture from other passages in the New Testament to the book of Revelation is about Jesus Christ and his care for his own with an encouragement to us and so in chapters 4 through five. We have the heavens opened, and I want to see a couple things that relate to the glories of who Jesus is. In chapter 4 it talks about how beautiful heaven is and how glorious the throne is in verse six before the throne there was a sea of glass in chapter 4 verse six before the throne there is a sea of glass like under Crystal in the midst of the throne around about the throne were four beasts full of eyes before and behind and it talks about these beasts flying around him in there saying in verse eight, holy, holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty were astounded by the scene that we see in John definitely is in chapter 5. There's something really discouraging that happens.

Look at chapter 5, verse two and I saw a strong angel proclaiming a loud voice, who is worthy to open the book and to loose the seals thereof what book what seals will during this setting the setting in heaven were presented with a title deed to the earth. It's scroll and the scroll is being held by God himself and in this scroll as you open it up come out all sorts of judgments which equates to the wrath of God poured out on the earth and the question is who is worthy to open that scroll and to break the seals and notice in verse three no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth was able to open the book, neither to look thereon John's response.

I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and read the book, neither to look thereon he is crying, weeping because what do we have this title to the earth, and no one is able or even worthy to open it up and then were introduced to and redirected into Jesus's book is about Jesus Christ and one of the elders something to me, weep not behold, the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, hath prevailed to open the book and to loose the seven seals. There response was a glorious response in verse nine and they sang a new song, saying, thou art worthy to take the book to open the seals thereof, for thou wast slain and has redeemed us to God by the blood, by thy blood out of every kindred, and tribe and tongue and people and nation. And so we see the throne room is glorious.

In chapter 4 we see that Christ alone is victorious. Don't forget the book of Revelation is all about whom Jesus Christ suits his glorious setting party seen him the things which you have seen the things which are Jesus is Lord over all the churches and giving some instructions to the church is now we see him in heaven and he is worthy because he shed his blood for the sins of mankind in his redeemed from every tribe time kindred, and nation would give him praise for that and so we look at this land who is open worthy to do it and we start to roll out what happens in the book of Revelation.

And that leads us to the main part.

Here is the tribulations which relation begins to save from his wrath.

How is his wrath revealed his wrath is revealed through the breaking open of the scroll verse seven seals so you can imagine the scrolls may open up once one seal broken. Something is revealed about the wrath of God second seal open another something is revealed, we get to the seventh seal. It contains all of the trumpet judgments so we have seven sounding trumpets in the book of Revelation we get to the seventh trumpet. We have all seven bowl judgments in that seventh trumpet limited to the very end and were directed right back to Jesus Christ and how glorious he is and what you see this tribulation begins or begins in these two ways, I want to see the three waves of submission. I see the tribulation that I want to see how he gives inspiration through the timeouts. Three waves turn with me to chapter 6 points think about term chapter 6 scroll over to chapter 6. These events occur after the rapture.

First Thessalonians 413 through 18 and is demonstrating the church is no longer mentioned the events occur during the 70th week of Daniel. Daniel 927.

The events relate to the Olivet discourse. In Matthew 24 through 25, and here we see John just like any other human being. He is seeing and hearing all sorts of things. If you follow skin your eyes down it says in verse one. He saw something verse two he saw something verse three, he heard something.

He's really personally engaged in the school setting and what he sees as he sees the Lamb breaking open all of the seals except for the seventh is if we look at chapter 6. We know there are six seals mentioned not seven summer left going wins the seventh seal going to be open, so if we consider one of the seals well if you again down here you see seal one. In verses one through two. It's a lion saying come a white horse is pictured. It's a picture of peace and then sealed to its an ox saying, it's a red horse, a picture of war with the sword in hand seal.

Three. That's in verses five through six is a man saying come in a black horse a picture of famine only enough food to make one meal for of wheat for three skipping meals from barley but no money left over to purchase oil or wine seal for inverses seventh grade and Eagle with the pale horse a picture of death. Verses seven and eight, approximately 2 billion people at once be killed from sword, famine, and pestilence, and wild beasts is not translated, this wrath is intense and Jesus Christ is righteously pouring it out on the world and he is going to do that during the tribulation. And he lays it out for us so we get the seal five in verses nine through 11 and there's a group of martyrs sitting underneath the throne and are asking a simple question. They're saying when are you going to vindicate us for our martyrdom and he says something very interesting. He says in verse 10 and they cried out a loud voice saying how long the Lord, holy and true, does not not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth. They want to know and he's one that is saying that actually some robes verse 11 and he says rest for a little season until their fellow servants. Also, their brethren should be killed as they were.

That should be fulfilled. So there is a truth, but there still others that will die to death is a very reality during the tabulation. The martyrs are told to wait here, you white robes just chill out.

I'm to take their business and I may come back and you're gonna get rewarded. Don't worry about that.

Seal six is a great earthquake.

The sun becomes black as sackcloth, the moon becomes blood red and stars begin to fall out of the heavens.

The sky vanishes islands or remove the great kings in general's rich and powerful everyone slave and free, they hide themselves in the flee from the wrath of the Lamb. But then look at chapter 7 after these things I saw four angels were sitting on okay but what about the seventh seal only gave me six on the seventh seal, but he doesn't tell us about the seventh seal, because Jesus says timeout to tell you something I love my own. I care for my own and I need you to remember that and so we pick up and just skip over chapter 7, come back to that.

Look at chapter 8 and were introduced to the seventh seal and when he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour so this is definitely deep stuff in verse six, the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound so they sounded the trumpet and were introduced to the seven trumpets, so the seventh seal contains all seven trumpets in chapter 8 through 921 we have all these trumpets starting to be revealed to us and in chapter 8 we have all the way up to the fourth chart trumpet. It's not to chapter 9 verse four that we see the fifth trumpet and in the sixth trumpet and I'm telling you this is intense stuff. If you look at chapter 8 in verses six through seven. One third of the earth is burned up in verses eight through nine of chapter 8, 1/3 of the sea is turn the blood in verses 10 through 11, one third of freshwater is made poison in verse 12, 1/3 of the light from the sun and the moon darkened in the fifth trumpet. There is this unbelievable release of demonic presence coming out like locusts and they sting those only who have not been sealed by the Lord and preserved by the Lord as it says in very specific terms in chapter 9 verse four and then in chapter 9 verses 13 to 21, one third of mankind is killed by four angels is intense wrath to turn over to chapter 9 and look at it actually look at verse 21. The responses no one repents. No one cares all this wrath being poured out Noah's respondent and then chapter 10 introduces us to a mighty angel coming down and were wondering why this insertion of a mighty angel and how big he is and eating the scroll and I don't get this and we have another timeout, a break in the action from chapter 10 verse one through 11 verse 14 to turnover 11 chapter 11. Look with me at verse 15 and the seventh angel sounded so that's the seventh trumpet. There were great voices in heaven, saying, the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ, and they shall reign forever and ever.

As a reminder, it's all about Jesus Christ and his right to skip over chapters 11 actually verse 11 one through 14 and we have the trumpets sounding and then in chapters 12 through 15. Keep turning the pages. That's another timeout and it deals with some interesting things and were not ripped all the way to chapter 16 before we have the bowl judgments from chapter 16 chapter 16 contains all seven of the bowl judgments were the other ones are broken down with a timeout in between.

This one contains all in its intense bowl one verse to chapter 16. Their source and all the worshipers of the beast, terrible kind, the kind that are incurable, open, oozing sores, both to verse 3C is turn to blood and death. Verses four through seven rivers and springs turn in the blood. So your blood to drink.

Verse eight through nine. There's burning heat from the sun. Verses 10 through 11 beast thrown intense darkness bowl six Euphrates is dried up. In verses 12 through 16 bowl seven earthquake and shattering of the great city in verses 17 through 21.

This is intense how people respond to it. So what I just did is in really quick fashion told me the seals the trumpets and the bowls side of the people respond why think of something that happened to me like that I would wake up and say I am ready to turn to you, but how do they repent. Look at verse 16. How they respond to the angels in verses five through seven said angels and said, thou art righteous overlord, which art in watts and now shall be because I was judge.

Thus, I trust you.

I hope when you we know that you are the one who should your blood. You are the Almighty one the people in verses 911 and 21 of chapter 16. They basically shake their fist in the face of God and so you have no right the demons in verses 13 through 14 say order and make it right to manipulate things and it's an interesting unholy trick.Trinity we have the Dragon antichrist or beast and the false prophet, performing signs and doing what they think makes sense, but verse 15. Look at verse 15 says in chapter 16.

Behold, I come as a thief, and blessed is he that watches and keep his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame. Nothing new here Jesus is saying, you better get right. This is all about Jesus. It's interesting, I encourage you to do a study sometime on the wrath of God poured out in the bowls and how it it says in here in verse 17.

If you're still with me. Verse 17 says it is done right is finished. It should spark in her mind, there's some other place in Scripture where it says it is finished. You know where it is, is Jesus on the cross and what I have found as I went through the book of Revelation.

In chapter 16 that all of the wrath of God poured out on the world was pictured in the crucifixion every aspect of it. The wrath of God poured out on Jesus.

We are to worship. It is fabulous to know that as we believe in him brings me to the four interludes that are supposed to provide inspiration to me illustrating this way. I coached basketball team in Minneapolis North Minneapolis and just a quick shout out to Dennis Scott Scott who was willing to give me the old uniforms from our team which he gladly gave up because they're in a box somewhere and I slightly could you give them because it's expensive to buy uniforms and I like to create a team and we did and we ended up playing area Christian schools. It didn't stop there. We played the schools and he gave me an opportunity to mentor and disciple them and to share the gospel with them. But coach Scott also invited us to come to their national invitational tournament. Here's a picture of me with the guys at the old North campus and and I do want to bring up that the second time we're invited.

We won the whole thing was a great opportunity to disciple and in these are just my own pictures sharing the gospel with Lavonne and with Will and what an amazing experience. I still know these guys and have friendship with them to this day, but I remember what it was like as a coach watching them the first time playing in a championship game and we were winning, but it was starting to get chaotic and the flow was going to the other team and I just let things go and I didn't call timeouts. Second time around.

Guess what I did when things got out of control like most good coaches you eventually learn by no default: timeout get a perspective and that's what Jesus does in the book of Revelation. So consider these are just mention them based on time. Therefore, timeouts one focuses on the hundred and 44,000 in chapter 7. In this amazing study. As you consider the tribes that were selected Dan left out on purpose because it is the one tribe that fell 1st into idolatry. Yet Dan included in the end, when the description of the new Jerusalem is given. Chapter 10 through 1114 two witnesses and their impact timeouts. I care for my own. I love my own in the midst of all of this wrapping poured out on the take care of you and then the interlude number three chapters 12 through 15.

The protection of Israel and the triumph that we have of the hundred 44,000 unbelievable demonstration again. Not enough time to talk about the different women in Revelation and how Israel is pictured here in the deliverance of the history it's just amazing, but I want to understand this, Jesus loves you, Jesus loves his own and demonstrates that in this book is about Jesus Christ and we turn it into debates. But really Jesus is saying we just look to me. We just worship me in the fourth timeout is the fall of Babylon, the unholy Trinity and the retribution of the same term that cry, who will just when were you did make this right makes it right man. He really does. We have the introduction of what we know as the battle of Armageddon. These timeouts are significant and I want to get that it's all about Jesus Christ and the book ends with a focus on the kingdom established in chapter 20, and then transitions into this beautiful picture of a new heaven and a new earth, so let me wrap it up with this thought, but try not to put your books away yet but that's what I'm doing and wrapping it up this picture ring bells. It's a guy name Hunter Renfro, who caught an amazing touchdown catch in the national temperature game for Clemson in 2017 not help that the Sean Watson is the one throwing the football and it was a bold move by Dabo Sweeney to call the play to win the game and said just tied the game but as you reflect on that timeout he called a timeout there four seconds left to go and as has been recorded. She says this to his guys guys can stop and listen. Listen to the roar of thousands upon thousands of fans. This is such a blessing to be here when he says his offense of coach which are best play hard and they do it and all I'm trying to say to you right now is stop and listen to Jesus say to you I love you I will care for you and that is if you are one of his own. If you're not repent and turn to him.

If you are, regardless of whatever you're facing. Find hope in Jesus, God, thank you for the book of Revelation.

Help us to find joy in Jesus today. In Jesus name, amen. You been listening to a sermon preached at Bob Jones University by Dr. Jason Ormiston, which is part of the series about the second coming of Christ. Join us again tomorrow as we continue this series here on The Daily Platform