Fireworks!, Part 2

On the authority of Scripture rapture. Never mind that the plan we read earlier from peters Thistle is reserved for fire, that mankind is reserved for judgment. Never mind the terror of God. Never my God we've been studying from chapter 6 on in the chapter 13 nevermind any of that human history is going somewhere wonderful. It's not human history is going somewhere and then wonder example, the steadily growing not have setbacks. The average lifespan should continually be getting longer. These things are good and I don't want to minimize them, but we need to temper our expectations with what God says a day of great trouble is coming to this planet and we need to be spiritually prepared to face it. This is wisdom for the heart. Stephen Davey is in a series from revelation, looking at the Antichrist and the reign of terror. He will bring in the future are bringing you the conclusion to a lesson.

Stephen began yesterday called fireworks. How will the world follow this false prophet. Why would they follow the message of this one who says he is the true prophet well just getting answer that we see this partnership with the enemy, Satan and his power withing his passion and his purpose to glorify the Christ. But what caused the world beyond the partnership in his passion.

So there. There have been profit so they been really passionate what caused the world to believe him.

I want to show you then the answer in his performance. Let me show you the fireworks verse 13 and answer the question verse 13 of chapter 13, he says.

John says his division. He performs great signs, so that even makes fire come down.

I have in the earth in the presence of men. John answers the question why will the world follow will look at his performance.

Look at his great society saving.

It's the same word used to speak of the apostles back in acts chapter 5 word document from the hands of the apostles came many sign and wonders authenticating them as the true prophet the course of of God.

It's interesting to me that John uses the same word Sadie. I hear only he had that little word my God, what gives us our word mega listed the false prophet is performing back out side you haven't seen anything using his his back outside. What is it. Well the people flock to because is making fire fall from heaven.

You can imagine, with all the crowds and follow the so-called miracle workers of our generation and that the healers of our world. You can imagine the influx of followers here in this prophet listen is not just healing bad blood pressure bad knees and back credit he's doing something observable, definable, demonstrable, provable, visible look at verse 13. Again he makes fire come down out of heaven who does that remind you of the prophet Elijah. He could probably take people back to first case is a lucky soul. This here. This was proof that this prophet was the true prophet. Now watch this and he can call fire down from heaven, which will be even more remarkable. Perhaps you remember that that event where Elijah gathered all the false prophets who followed after their gods. The primary God being bailed and Elijah said I follow the one true and living God, Yahweh. So we gather all of the children of Israel. Together they all came to watch this contest and he said let's build altars you guys build your altar will build my altar and then he poured water on the base of his because it can be more significant would look up even the water is okay, you guys go first and so they prayed all day all morning all afternoon and started cutting themselves to get attention from your God with your great passion and Elijah's even mocking them things hard of hearing is always on a trip or whatever he can hear you finally look as if you've had enough and he prayed prove that you are in fact the true God sends fire from heaven and a fireball fell like the sacrifice licked up the water and all of his will begin to chant that the Lord is our Lord he is God he is the true and living God. So this one will have that kind of precedent mimicking. Perhaps the great Elijah and were told that the Messiah rifle, will be preceded by Elijah to say I approve it I got the sign he had, and what's interesting is that is the tens of this verb the dramatic present means that he will do it over and over and over again.

Did you like that again like that off. I'll send it over there was an impressive but people sleeping bag on the back row so there house ashes there awake, I'm teasing a really awake now fair. You know, it struck me as I compare these two texts.

First, be thinking in this text that Elijah called fire after praying the false prophet doesn't even have to pray the world has never seen such a visible demonstration of authenticity power from God that listen, this is no sleight-of-hand. This is an smoke and mirrors her sister spoke no mirrors. This is not hocus-pocus. What a performance is literal fire hurtling downward from outer space and he will do it over and over again to punctuate the reality that he is Leno deceiving the world proving to the world that he represents the true God, follow him.

Perhaps this is speculation on my part. False prophet will mimic the miracle of Pentecost when fire form of fire came in looking fire rested on the apostolic community and they spoke in unlearned languages, creating inaugurating the error of the church and he says maybe he'll do that with his lieutenants and he will say I've come to call up brand-new people of God. It will be amazing. These fireworks will be breathtaking.

Every news organization will carry the sights and sounds of the crashing of this fireball coming to wherever he designates it come.

Make no mistake, and I don't say this glibly, my friend.

But make no mistake, the Mormon will forget Joseph Smith, the Muslim will forget Mohammed pseudo-Christian will forget Christ, the Hindu will say Chris not at all.

This is the prophet of the true and living God, and we they will raise their collective voices in our global chant. This God is the true God. Remember the false prophet is soliciting worship for himself, supporting himself empowered by the antichrist by Satan. Ultimately by God to point toward the one who was miraculously healed. The one who was the piece. P. Springer, the one who claims to be the Messiah, the one who bears the wounds of his death event will point to the apostle Paul was already worn the world and second Thessalonians to the one who's coming is in accord with the activity of Satan with all power and signs and false wonders, with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. The world wanted unity world wanted a one world government. They wanted a world united religion.

They love that they like to talk about dad and Sarah died of scholarly and sophisticated, and surely you'd want to go along to, but they did not believe the truth of this book so as to be saved in every generation in every generation or false prophets or false miracle workers.

I think the last hundred years of of the church and in America run history is set the table for this, for those who follow apart from the Scriptures, the signed signs and wonders. The miracle without ever evaluating whether or not the word of God would say to pursue it or experience it experiences now trump doctrine.

While somebody has to say is I experienced it will I know I'm not really evaluating in light of the word, I just I just experienced. I've had people tell me that they're going to heaven because they saw light for people to tell me they're going to heaven because they experienced this or that the gospel that I present comes offensive. They will come in the world will set aside all other speculations and they will say we are following what we believe to be the true and living God. This should be a warning to us all because the spirit of antichrist exists in every generation.

John tells us proceeding, the coming of the Christ to be alert be discerning. This is all the false prophet. By the way, conjures up notice even more fireworks so to speak with verse 14 and he deceives those who dwell on the earth. It is the earth dwellers believe because of the signs which it was given him to perform in the presence of the beast is the Christ, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who had the wound of the sword and has come to life in the statue bearing his resemblance. This is a lie bigger than life statue that that that pictures our great God. Notice verse 15 and it was given to him false prophet to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast would even speak and cause as many as do not worship the image of the beast to be to be killed fire from heaven is amazing wow but this performance is staggering affected so staggering that many authors have come up with some way to explain what it seems to be saying some suggested maybe this is sometimes sleight-of-hand, maybe some kind of dark art. Maybe this is the microphone hidden somewhere. Maybe this is sky like a Disney life like animal boy looks real. That was scary but it really isn't is nothing in this text to give us an easy answer is apart from what it does clearly sets some commentators good men say that since were told in verse 15 that he was given breath. The word for breath is new and when I told that he was given the life that's the record so way both word by the way, converted human life, but since it says new man that's only that it wasn't life as we know it. Maybe it's just that the false prophet made it seem like it was breathing. I would like to believe that's the case it's easier to believe, but the problem is that later on in verse 15.

This colossal creature is not just breathing is what he speaking in fact he's delivering the sentence of death to everyone who does not follow the antichrist. Keep in mind now that this is one of those things is one of the lying wonders, or the like of the Paul is referring to the causes the world to believe the prophets telling the truth.

At this moment get this image taking a breath speaking calling for the execution of all the reviews were severe Christ, which Inc., which then implies there's some sense of reason, there is the ability to form words is vocabulary. There's grandmothers there's dialectic. He is communicating a decision and were told that in verses 14 and 15. This is the image of the crisis would be one more lying wonders statue coming to some form of life. This is the desolation of the temple. Perhaps the Daniel was speaking of. In Daniel 1131. Many believe that this image will actually be placed in the holy of holies in the newly constructed tribulation temple. This will be the most blatant act of idolatry and blasphemy ever to hit the planet and there he will perhaps stand in the holy of holies, declaring the true God is the antichrist literally folded her face and worship pilgrimages to this new mecca will now begin the commences millions of followers from around the world come to worship. This devilish image and in that worship give their obeisance and honor to the son of perdition, the antichrist and there is this threat talk about a mourner next session.

There is this threat. There is no mention of a fiery furnace. Although the scenes reminiscent Nebuchadnezzar's image and if you didn't bow down before got thrown in the oven right there is the sense of execution just is a little threat that if you don't like a religion you're in deep trouble. But the fireworks evidently paid off world believes signs and wonders. The majority of the human race has been. They have believed the false preacher who, with his signs and wonders will ultimately lead the world to have. What a tragedy.

What an everlasting horror but let me ask you this. How much of a tragedy. Do you think it is today for people to follow ally, the God of their own understanding some miracle worker, someone pulls them away from God and his word to themselves how disturbed you about that. I can tell you this brought great agony to the heart of Paul Pastor Paul warned the elders in Ephesus.

He said watch out for wolves in sheep's clothing. A variety please stay alert to come up from from among you Dragon speak twisted, distorted things to lead people astray. This was his agony wasn't too long later that we read about the church in Ephesus.

They didn't stay alert is one of the letter sent to them says you lost your first love your about to lose your testimony you bought into your own delusion. So let me warn you, dear flock of God gathered here with this timeless caution save as clearly as I can. Whatever downplays the authority of the word of God should be rejected.

Whatever downplays discredits denigrates the authority of the word got a thrown sufficiency that's really another sermon sufficiency of Scripture. Whatever whoever rejected reject. Stay alert. Those who deny the authority of Scripture are merely Paul wrote to the Corinthians blinded by the God of this world so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ. Brian clarinet emergent church leader quoted more than enough co-authored a book recently with Tony Campolo, sociologist, and together they denigrated so much of what we believe rather tragic exposé that they will stand account for one day. They believe Christians seem to keep missing the point. Most of the one of one of the points I think were missing and I quote the theology that has this implicit threat of being left behind, or of time running out is merely used by preachers for evangelistic effect. To the contrary, the history of the world is infused with the presence of God who was guiding the world toward becoming the kind of world God's will for it to be when it was created human history is going somewhere wonderful." Nevermind that on the authority of Scripture within a rapture head first Thessalonians 4. Nevermind that the plan we read earlier from peters Thistle is reserved for fire, that mankind is reserved for judgment. Nevermind the terror of God of God that we've been studying and from chapter 6 on in the chapter 13 nevermind any of that human history is going somewhere wonderful. It's not human history is going somewhere terrible and wonderful. They just get that little point between they label a bottle of poison peppermint. These guys are like the proverbial man fell off the roof of the 10 story building as he fell he fell past an open third story window and he was heard to say this is eventually reality will collide with his delusion.

One of the elders in our church sent me an article regarding an ad campaign in England. Facts interesting to British humanist Association for played off of what happened in DC a little bit of nowhere they have these bus campaigns whether British humanist Association decided to make a statement about God or their lack of belief in God and was endorsed by the well-known atheist Prof. Richard Dawkins. They purchase large advertisement space on 800 British buses that ran this past month to show their disdain for God. Here's what the announcement said not stay alert were almost done just listen to this announcement and I quote, there's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life backfire.

There's probably no God.

That's the same thing as saying there's probably a God there's probably no God. Stop worrying.

I couldn't imagine what that unemployed atheists is doing the came up with this idea. There's probably no God.

They were supposed to put the word probably and that was a typo.

I read how Christian campus organizations are taking advantage of starting debates on campus is already some of come to faith in Christ because of their uncertain what, let's give you our certainty.

We believe it based on the objective truth of God but but how ridiculous. There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy what I grew up with three brothers three brothers. They were always in the mission. I can't tell you how many times my mother sent me outside that kitchen screen door to the porch with big bush tree was full of a switch and she does leaves office so she could give my brothers what they deserve. Somehow I got in the way I got a switching to let you know were always up to mischief. We were fairly close in age and how many times did we say, you know, as we grew up before we started into some kind of mischief.

It's okay mom and dad are gone. It would never work to say it's okay mom and dad probably are gone check again.

Imagine that would mean we were we were rebellious but we were in idiots.

You know, make sure to go in and check out earlier boss probably isn't in the go-ahead and cheat on that test, the teachers probably not looking go-ahead and steal that item. Those cameras up there probably are not leading to certainty.

No lead to greater doubt and uncertainty.

Are you kidding were not talking about a spanking when I talking about a trip downtown police car talking about eternity in heaven or hell. Here's the message there is a God, believe in him and you never have to worry about standing before him and now you can enjoy your life. That's the message. Amen. That's as simple as it gets simple as again let me close you know why I get these emails you're on the same email chain arches that you probably got this one to this is really really interesting to me that the question was, I thought to be a good conclusion as we apply this to our lives so that we are challenged to stay in the word we are challenged to obey the word and injures them out there that denied about us and our lifestyles or weeks we obey. The question was asked what if we treated our Bible like we treat our cell phones. You got that so that what if we carried it around her purses were pockets. What if we raced back home. We forgot what if we flip through it several times a day. What if we use it to receive text messages.

What if we gave it to our kids as gifts in a multitude of colors.

What if it became our GPS system of direction travel. What if we used it in case of emergency. Unlike your cell phone you never have to worry about being disconnected or dropped. It has service anywhere on the planet that good. It occurred to me as I write this that the only difference in this analogy would be that when you came to church. We would turn it off.

We tell you to turn it on good in a good way to end this lesson we need to remain fully rooted and grounded in God's word. We also need to renew our commitment to share the truth with others who need to hear it. Unsaved men and women are facing a future that is Graham. We have the hope that they need and we need to share it here at wisdom for the heart, we want to equip you to shine as a light in your community. We have a pamphlet that explains the gospel message in detail.

It's called God's wisdom for your heart. We have a printed version available in our online store. You'll find us online@wisdomonline.org. We also have an online version and you can find that on our smart phone app or on our website on our phone app, click the button that says the gospel on our website you'll find this in the about section and as I said, we have printed copies that you can share those are in our store. We can help you over the phone as well.

If you call us today our number is 86 648 Bible numerically. That's 866-482-4253, call us any weekday and we can help you over the phone. In addition to being in our daily Bible teacher Stephen Devi is the pastor of colonial Baptist Church in Cary, North Carolina. You can learn more about our ministry@wisdomonline.org wisdom publishes a monthly magazine called heart-to-heart. It features relevant articles from Stephen that will strengthen you in your walk with Christ is also a daily devotional guide that you can use to remain rooted and grounded in God's word every day. Heart-to-heart magazine is a gift we send to all of our wisdom partners. If you're not one of our partners. You can sign up to receive the next three issues absolutely free sign up online or call us and join us for our question-and-answer broadcast tomorrow. Right here on wisdom for the heart